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Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait

Play trailer Poster for Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait 2006 1h 30m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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67% Tomatometer 21 Reviews 62% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
A soccer match between Real Madrid and Villareal from the perspective of player Zinédine Zidane.
Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait

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Critics Consensus

Zidane, Un Portrait du 21E Siecle hits surprisingly few of the expected documentary beats, but the end result is still uniquely immersive.

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Critics Reviews

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David Fear Time Out Rated: 4/5 Nov 17, 2011 Full Review Manohla Dargis New York Times You learn little by way of hard facts about the adored French soccer star and famous head-butter Zinedine Zidane in the formalist exercise that bears his name. Rated: 3.5/5 Oct 24, 2008 Full Review J. Hoberman Village Voice He's set apart not only as the piece's sole subject but because he's hyper-alert, continually responding to invisible forces, raptly focused on events beyond the frame. Oct 22, 2008 Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com …it probably helps if you love football, but Zidane was a sportman who transcended sport, and non-footie fans may still find this ethereal film to be a transformative experience… Rated: 4/5 Aug 16, 2024 Full Review Kaleem Aftab The List As far as these filmmakers are concerned, Zidane, especially in the moments of tedium, is the modern day 'Outsider' in the true Camusian sense. As such this movie is more an analysis of the immigrant experience than of a footballer. Rated: 4/5 Nov 3, 2018 Full Review Leigh Paatsch Herald Sun (Australia) If you believe soccer is indeed the beautiful game, then you're destined to fall hopelessly in love with what you see here. Rated: 4.5/5 Jun 15, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member Un documental para amantes del fútbol. Los directores Douglas Gordon y Phillipe Parreno siguen a Zinedine Zidane, uno de los mejores jugadores del siglo XXI, durante un partido del Real Madrid vs el Villarreal. Son casi 20 cámaras las que nos muestran la forma de jugar de Zidane, los pensamientos en cada jugada, y los roces del juego. Recomendable en especial por la banda sonora de Mogwai. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member Zidane is the best football player of all the timess and he will be forever and ever Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Audience Member Portrait as moving image. Don't go looking for facts or narratives. Totally immersive, although I had the advantage of seeing the band play the soundtrack live while the film was running above them. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Audience Member This should be looped on a flat-screen at the Tate Modern museum...with Mogwai blaring over the speakers...beautifully shot and thoroughly original... Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review Audience Member An interesting study of human priority and attention. How does its pacing relate to the lack of attention in humans as they spend little time worrying about bigger, more stressful issues than sport and entertainment? This film answers that (specific question) directly. It's a study, and not entertainment which may dread its audiences for sitting through it. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member A documentary-slash-art project showing 90 minutes of Zidane. No comments, no explanation, hardly any context, just images and some awesome sound editing. Highly original, hypnotic, and I admit, occasionally a bit boring. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait

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Movie Info

Synopsis A soccer match between Real Madrid and Villareal from the perspective of player Zinédine Zidane.
Director
Douglas Gordon, Philippe Parreno
Production Co
MEDIA Programme of the European Union, Centre National de la Cinematographie, Anna Lena Films, Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Canal+, Naflastrengir, Arte France Cinema, CinéCinéma, Love Streams Productions, Centre National des Arts Plastiques
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
French (France)
Runtime
1h 30m