Out of Competition: “Maradona by Kusturica” by Emir Kusturica

Emir Kusturica, the winner of two Palmes d’Or, for When Father Was Away on Business (1985) and Underground (1995), is back in Cannes for the out-of-Competition premiere of Maradona, a documentary about soccer’s living legend. He had this to say about why he made the film: "The first reason is that I am one of the millions of people around the world who jumped with joy when he scored his two goals against England in 1986. That game exemplifies justice in the world for the first and last time. Argentina and Serbia are two countries who have been crushed by the IMF. Argentina and Serbia fight against the IMF, which is a Western power. Therefore, I feel a closeness with Maradona. Moreover, Maradona is very popular in Serbia, our football resembles that of the Argentinians. Sometimes it’s said that I’m the Maradona of cinema. The second reason is that I read some books that came out about him, some newspaper articles, I listened to the radio, and each time I found that the authors were not doing him justice."

From Buenos Aires to Naples, with a stop in Cuba, Emir Kusturica retraces the life of this uncommon man, from his humble beginnings to the summits of world fame – a superlatively spectacular rise followed by just as steep a decline. Kusturica explained, "A portrait is the truth. And yet, it’s exactly what I criticize in other films about Maradona: They use him to tell another story. In the end, they miss the impact that he had on the whole world. Maradona is a true story, there’s no need to add fiction."

In addition to his two Palmes d’Or, Emir Kusturica has also been awarded the Best Director prize for Time of the Gypsies (1989) and the International Critics’ Prize for When Father Was Away on Business (1985). In 2005, he was President of  the Jury.