Diego Maradona
Using the same archive-footage approach as his other tortured icon docs Amy and Senna, Asif Kapadia digs into the legacy of Argentine football hero Diego Maradona, exploring how his skills on the pitch made the world blind to his various demons off it
Asif Kapadia (Amy, Senna) returns with another rich, candid and immersive documentary about the true price of fame, turning his attention here to Argentina and Napoli footballing icon Diego Maradona. For a moment he was the greatest player in the world, forgiven of all sins for the love of football until it was no longer enough.
Kapadia’s film is interrogative and sharp but peaks in its documentation of the stunning chaos of football in Napoli at this particular moment, as the city came to terms with its adoration for their very own Jekyll and Hyde. Perhaps there is more to be explored in greater depth, especially within Maradona’s ties with the “Camorra” (Mafia-esque clans in Naples), the corruption beneath his glory and the suffering in his drug addiction. But the footage Kapadia slices together makes it clear to see why Maradona's flaws were all too easy to overlook. The frenetic, invigorating beauty of one man’s skill renders us as captivated and helpless as any defender he faced on the pitch.
Released 14 Jun by Altitude