SENNA

Friday the 13th of May. Barbican.
Opening Night of the 2011 London International Documentary Festival.

Senna (2010) is a feature documentary based on the life of one of Formula1's greatest driver - Ayrton Senna. Directed by Asif Kapadia, and written by Manish Pandey, this documentary is an extensively well-researched and edited movie, capturing the brilliant driving, dramatic races, controversy and politics surrounding his fierce rivalry with Alain Prost, stardom in his native Brazil, personal crisis leading up to the ill-fated 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, and the belief of a man bent on racing ever faster as a driver and constantly improving himself as a person.

Featuring previously unseen archival footage from Bernie Eccleston's private archive collection among others, and a tantalising score by Antonio Pinto, it's a must watch for those who appreciate the sport of Formula1, and even those who don't.

"It was pure driving, pure racing, and that makes me happy." - Senna.