SENNA
UK, 2010, 106 minutes. Colour.
Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Viviane Senna, Jackie Stewart, Sid Watkins, Reginaldo Leme, Gerhard Berger, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Jean- Marie Balestre.
Directed by Asif Kapadia.
This documentary has been acclaimed by critics (who welcomed its not having a talking head narrator as well as its editing of a vast amount of race footage and commentaries) and by fans of Formula 1. It is clearly a labour of love for British director, Asif Kapadia (The Warrior, The Return, Far North) who assembled thousands of feet of film and sifted through them to offer a documentary portrait of Brazilian three time world champion, Ayrton Senna.
Enthusiasts for the film have offered the disclaimer that Senna is not just for petrol heads or more respectable followers for Formula 1. That may be. But, many people also have an aversion to this sport, its noise, its big business and cigarette company sponsorship (much in evidence here), the contribution of national and local governments, its politics and rivalries and its dangers. All of these are very evident in Senna. They make it just that bit more difficult for some audiences to enjoy the film (as was the case with this reviewer). That reservation being offered for the wary, we can ask what the film does do.
First of all, it features a great deal of material with Senna himself. Born in 1960 in Sao Paolo to a comfortable family, a teenage competitor in Karting competition, and then introduced into Formula 1 in his early twenties, he was dead at the age of 34 in a racing crash that was seen the world over on television. He comes across as a genial personality but also a fairly driven (no pun intended) competitor. He had natural driving skills and concentration (and we are shown some footage from his on-car camera during races), and appreciated being a world champion. But he also comes across as sometimes self-deprecating, truly loyal to Brazil, and contributing to the well being of his compatriots in donations and a foundation. He also frequently uses God language in his explanations of what makes him tick. And his English, accent and vocabulary, is very impressive
If there is a villain in this drama to Senna’s hero, it is his French partner and rival, Alain Prost, who is painted as an antagonistic grouch, but who still is a member of the Senna Trust Board. There are references to Nigel Mansell and Michael Schumacher and there are views of tragic accidents and some deaths. Senna is shown as being concerned about safety, arguing against the president of the sport’s governing body for better conditions on the track. After his death, his doctor friend Sid Watkins was appointed to improve health and safety standards in the sport and there has not been a death since.
This means that audiences will take out of the film what interests them. Some will look at the racing footage. Others will be impressed with the portrait of Senna himself. Others will be intrigued by the competitiveness and the sport politics. Senna does provide enough material for all these interests.
1. The success of this documentary? Awards? Audience popularity? The use of actual footage? The director sifting through the large amount of material, editing it? Senna in himself, the testimonies? The fact that there was no narrator but the interviewees and the footage giving the portrait?
2. Audience knowledge of Senna, his career, knowledge of Formula One, the rivalries? His achievement? Brazilian background? As a person, style, modest, driven, his charities?
3. His career, the go-kart competitions? Champion, Europe? As a teenager going into Formula One? Working for McLaren? The friendship and rivalry with Prost? His skills, the cameras on his car? The subjective footage? His victories, world champion, winning in Brazil? The problems, his persevering and the victory in Brazil?
4. Alain Prost, Senna hitting him, their clashes, personal disagreements, the funeral and Prost being on the board of his charity?
5. Formula One organisation, the role of Balestre, the different characters, the arguments, the hearings, Senna’s intervention, the grounds for improving the track, Balestre and his dogmatic attitude, yet getting the opinions of the drivers?
6. Sid Watkins, his medical advice, friendship with Senna, later on the boards for establishing safety regulations?
7. Jackie Stewart, his career as a driver, the interview with Senna?
8. Viviane Senna, giving the family background, Ayrton growing up, his skill at sports, his personality, his charities?
9. Frank Williams, Ayrton Senna and the changes, his comments on the companies and the cars?
10. The different commentators, their perceptions of Senna?
11. The scenes of accidents, the deaths of the two drivers, the build-up to Senna’s own death? The nature of Formula One, the audiences, the tracks, the dangers?
12. Senna’s own death, the funeral and its aftermath?
13. The portrait of a 21st century sporting celebrity?
