ASIF KAPADIA

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BBB.5. 

United Kingdom/France, 2010.  Universal Pictures, StudioCanal, Working Title Films, Midfield Films.  Screenplay by Manish Pandey.  Cinematography by Jake Polonsky.  Produced by Chris Berend, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, James Gay-Rees.  Music by Antonio Pinto.  Film Editing by Chris King, Gregers Sall. 

The short life of race car driver Ayrton Senna is examined in this documentary that follows his meteoric rise to fame before a tragic death in a car accident. Senna began competing in Formula One races in the eighties and enjoyed a strong career, including three world championships, that saw him become a national folk hero to the people of Brazil. It wasn’t long before a darker cloud was cast on his public image: the weaknesses of ego affected his achievements on the track and his veneer showed some wear and tear, including a volatile relationship with team mate Alain Prost, who went quickly from best friend to foe. Director Asif Kapadia is not manipulative enough to create a story arc that sees Senna inevitably head towards his own doom, but there is a suggestion of drama that one cannot help but allow to influence the trajectory between success and tragic demise. There’s a lot of great footage and, thankfully, very little speculation beyond people’s memories of the various key moments in the subject’s life.