Formula 1

Perhaps the film that kicked off this recent resurgence was Senna, a documentary on F1 driver Ayrton Senna that was released to critical acclaim, following the driver over the course of his career to his death at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. The film dealt with Senna’s background, his rivalries and his tragic death. It is likely that Senna was a big reason that Formula 1: Drive To Survive was made. This is a Netflix show that condenses a season of Formula 1 into one season of television, and has been very popular and opened the sport up to new audiences. However, the show almost immediately ran into controversy about the spin the showmakers were putting on the real events. Drivers complained that rivalries were manufactured in the edit, that all kinds of events were misrepresented, put in a different context or exaggerated. This led to F1 champion Max Verstappen refusing to be involved in the show for several seasons. It has been said that some people watch F1 for the possibility of a crash, although no driver has died in a race since Ayrton Senna, and obviously a season retrospective documentary will not be breaking the news of such an accident.

The Last Dance focuses on basketball colossus Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, zooming in on 1997-1998 season, Jordan’s last season with the team. Whilst a critical and commercial success, the series has faced a lot of pushback. Some of those who took part claim they were misled, believing they were taking part in a documentary purely about that season on the Chicago Bulls, not that it had a particular spotlight on Jordan. Again, there were claims some contributors were portrayed in a negative light, and Jordan, who clearly was essential for the programme, was deferred to too much. Michael Jordan’s production company, Jump 23, was additionally a co-producer on the documentary which could potentially give him even more influence.

There are documentaries that go into very dark sides of sports, such as 2024 Concussed: The American Dream, which focuses on Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, CTE, in American football. This condition is caused by repeated blows to the head, contrasting the careers of Tyler Sash and Brett Favre. Tyler Sash was a promising young professional football player who died in 2015 and after an autopsy was confirmed to have CTE. CTE can cause cognitive issues like memory loss, trouble concentrating, but can also lead to drastic changes in mood and behaviour, with issues like mood instability, aggression and suicidal behaviour all being associated with it. Tyler Sash’s short career and tragic death are contrasted with football legend Brett Favre, who also has had repeated concussions and head trauma from playing the sport and has become a prominent advocate in safety in football and understanding CTE. The title of the film Concussed: The American Dream is telling, as playing professional football is a dream for many Americans, but one that can leave them facing huge medical problems.

True Sport

The biggest two differences between these two true crime and “true sport” are that in sports documentaries, you are dealing with celebrities, who are usually still alive, and the trauma and negativity they portray is less destructive than violent crime. With The Last Dance, there are questions about how much influence Jordan had over the documentary; he is listed as a producer and without his involvement, would the documentary have taken place? On the other side of this issue, Formula 1: Drive To Survive had the issue of prominent drivers refusing to take part because of the problems they saw, which they can do in a TV show that goes on for years. Ken Burns, the legendary documentarian, specifically criticised The Last Dance for a lack of journalistic credibility and integrity, as it easily gave way to pressure to show Jordan in the best light.

The second difference in the subject matter is of even more importance. Of the four documentaries mentioned, The Last Dance is about the success and talent of Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, Formula 1: Drive To Survive, the excitement and tension of a sporting season, Senna, about the life and tragic death of a great competitor and Concussed: An American Dream, the suffering caused by CTE. The first two documentaries have issues, but their subject matter has less weight than most true crime dramas; while obviously Ayrton Senna’s death was tragic, the documentary doesn’t exploit that and Concussed: The American Dream has a very specific viewpoint on an ongoing problem. The manipulation of violence, death and suffering for ratings, a problem so prevalent in true crime, is nowhere near as widespread. Again, this is due to inherent differences in reporting on crime or sport; the latter has far less tragedy. It seems the bigger problem in true sport is not the trauma but the manipulation of the story, either by producers looking for more salacious plots or the very sportspeople who the documentaries are about.

The post Are Sports Docs the New True Crime? Editing, Access and the ‘Truth’ Behind the Drama appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

Amazon decided to release a five-part documentary about both his personal and professional life to honour this well-respected and well-loved driver. If you’re an F1 fan, then this documentary is one you should absolutely see as ‘Fernando’ takes you on a high-speed rollercoaster with lows, highs, and some crashes in between.

Racing to victories

I’m not going to stop, probably the thought that was on Alonso’s mind multiple times, is also the title of the very first episode of Fernando. It deals with his final months at McLaren and shows us his first victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the one that happened in 2018. Later it will turn out that Alonso would also win the 2019 edition of that same race (which you will be able to see in the third episode). While during this episode, we see a lot of highs, such as his first victories (both as a young driver as well as the champion we all know) and how he became a hero in Spain, we see many lows during the second episode, “I don’t know what to say”, such as Alonso having to deal with not passing some pre-qualifications.

As mentioned before, you will see all the action of Le Mans 2019, during which Alonso raced towards his second title, in this third act. “Everything is possible,” doesn’t only show the possibility of winning prestigious races but also the possibility of cracking down almost under the heated pressure. This episode takes you to Dakar where Alonso prepared himself for the Dakar Rally. This series isn’t only about the professional life of Alonso but also the more personal one. Throughout the series, we don’t only meet his inner circle that consists of his manager Luis García Abad, his partner Linda Morelli, his sister Lorena Alonso, and his colleagues Marc Gené and Carlos Sainz, but we also see his off-track appointments.

That fourth episode, “Out of my environment,” heightens those personal gatherings as it focusses on the museum that Fernando Alonso has in Asturias in which his trophies and his cars are on display for everyone to watch. Right at the end of the episode, we see him stepping back into his car to participate in the Rally of Morocco. “Mission Accomplished” concludes this documentary and focuses on the apotheose, the Dakar Rally. You won’t only get breath-taking footage from the race, but you will also see what it’s like for an experienced driver to take part in a race for the very first time.

Loads of respect from both sides

Ahead of this release, Alonso shared some insight into the making of this documentary. He’s very protective about the people around him when it comes to his and their privacy and having cameras on him for almost 24/7 wasn’t easy for him. There was a lot of negotiation between him and the production team to make sure that everything was filmed in the right and most respectful way. Alonso made the decision about what he wanted to see in the documentary and what not. The respect is clearly visible in Fernando. The team really treated the rider with the utmost respect. We see his personal life brought in an emotional and intimate way, but it never feels like it is being exploited for entertainment.

Unique, thrilling, and exciting portrayal

What will the upcoming months bring for Alonso? Probably rigorous preparations for the upcoming season with a brand new sponsor. It was also announced that the filming of the second season is already underway and that it will be about Alonso’s return to the F1. Fernando is a unique, thrilling, and exciting portrayal of a World Champion that doesn’t only Alonso’s deepest personal feelings but also the biggest victories in F1.

Fernando is out now on Amazon Prime

Rating: (4 / 5)

Also Read: The Film Fan’s Guide To Time Travel

The post Review: Fernando appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.