Multi-perspective Zidane (by Tobias and Violeta)

Last week the Christmas (!) present, T. gave to me/ I gave to V. in 2006 finally arrived (probably the guys from the French amazon have been very busy) and we opened it today: ZIDANE – A 21th CENTURY PORTRAIT is a kind of experimental film about Zinédine Zidane by the two video-artists Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno.

In April 2005 they attended a match between the Spanish club Villareal and Zizou´s last club Real Madrid, equipped with 17 cameras which they focussed exclusively on him for the entire 90 minutes. The combination of these different perspectives on Zidane tries to document as precise as possible his operations on the field.
The close-ups of his face, of the drops of sweat on his front and chin and of his inflating chest taking a deep breath show the former captain of the Équipe tricolore as the pulsing centre of energy. Often alone, observing his teammates he seems to be lost in focussed intensity.

Gordon and Parreno also fixed a tiny microphone in his sock, so that all of Zizou´s ball contacts produce dramatic sound effects. The soundtrack comes from the group “Mogwai“. So far: “ganz großes Kino” (and T. says that´s the best element of the entire film...).

Then, in the 85th minute, Zidane quarrels with Villareal´s Quique Álvarez, the referee raises the red card and the protagonist is sent off: Football drama at its best and … the end of the film! Of course this scene, like an anticipation, reminds of the tragic moment in the finals of the football World cup 2006 and proves at the same time that Zizou has never been that reserved, gentle and shy football player the public wanted him to be (an impression probably caused by the crinkles around his beautiful eyes when he laughs…). But that´s what (football)heroes are made of: fighting spirit guiding them to victory and sometimes uncontrollable exploding passion.

We read that the film hasen´t been successful in the cinema in France and in Germany it hasn´t even been shown. But now we possess the dvd which is certainly better for repetitions, slow-motions, film stills and other technical bits and pieces. But: Tobias definitly doesn’t want to see this one-man-show again! (I just don’t want to see the same face – and legs – for 90 minutes. Booooooring. And, I admit, I like it when there is some talking in films... and perhaps a plot.)

By the way: Real Madrid is playing really bad at the moment (the team is disgracing itself, said the newspaper today) and presently it seems like the only one who is avoiding a complete disaster is Ruud Van Niestelrooy… - Zizou´s times are over, hard for football fans and filmmakers.