The director of Underground shoots a documentary on the mythical Argentine football player and also prepares himself to support Serbia-Montenegro in Germany. His visions of the game, between politics and aesthetics.
Met in Munich in April, Emir Kusturica and his No Smoking Orchestra were doing a concert in the Muffathalle. The day before had been announced the selection of Jens Lehmann as goal keeper of the German team, in place of the Bavarian giant Oliver Kahn. On stage, the singer of the itinerant Serbian band, ”Dr. Nelle”, who was carrying the shirt of ex-Yugoslavia, red star on the heart, did not miss the occasion to speak of it with the public : ”If Kahn doesn't want to play for you, he can come in the team of Serbia-Montenegro !” The blank which followed in the public, made up essentially of alternative young people to whom football passes far above the head, brought back the band to its music. After the show, in the hot atmosphere and the over-populated backstage, discussion with the director - and approximate guitarist - who hasn't finished finishing with Maradona, the center of his next film. Not to say, its subject. At first, it looks like a testamentary ordering of the “Pibe de Oro”. Then it appears to be, with Emir Kusturica, more conceptual and politically prospective.
The «big change» ?
EK : Like for the cinema, we shouldn't be too much romantic, and pretend that football is not as good as it was. It is just different. Look at Ronaldinho, he is the perfect conjugation between the individual technique and speed. He just has his muscles, a little special, which seem made to wrap the ball as did Maradona. But he will never have the influence Maradona had on a match. It's like what are called the “big events” in History. The best matches of Maradona are part of the History, they are historical dates, because in these matches passed some messages, in each of his actions too, like “the hand of God”. It's also for that reason he's still THE best.
Some oppressive regimes, like Argentina for Maradona or, in a way, Great Britain for a Northern Irishman like George Best, have created the greatest footballers. Do you think it is because of this pressure on the players ?
EK :
George Best, the guy of Liverpool ? 4) Perhaps, but it's still the past! Today, it's important to understand that football is an industrial game. And it goes more and more in this direction. So, who are the people who try to break this logic? Some people who, like those in basketball were coming from Harlem, are in the margin, were oppressed, knew poverty and which behave finally a little like the hockey players of ex-USSR, sell themselves elsewhere. They are the only people left.
Interview made by Olivier Villepreux (in Munich), translated by Matthieu Dhennin
en/itv_06-06_libe.txt · Last modified: 2008/02/17 15:41 by matthieu1