original title:
Maradona la mano di Dio
directed by:
cast:
Marco Leonardi, Julieta Diaz, Juan Leyrado, Giovanni Mauriello, Salvio Simeoli, Pietro Taricone, Nicola Canonico, Gonzalo Alarcon, Abel Ayala, Roly Serrano, Luis Machín, Fabián Arenillas, Norma Argentina, Emiliano Kaczka, Lucas Escariz, Eliana González
screenplay:
Manuel Valdiva, César Vidal, Manuel Rìos
cinematography:
editing:
set design:
costume design:
Daniela Ciancio, Ruth Fishermann
music:
producer:
production:
distribution:
country:
Italy/Spain
year:
2007
film run:
110'
format:
35mm - colour
release date:
30/03/2007
There have been countless books, songs, and endless talk about the most famous football player in the world. This film, based on the life of Diego Armando Maradona, hopes to bring the figure of the Argentinian idol closer to us. Diego, born in the outskirts of Buenos Aires, amidst the fields, sheet metal, jobs, and poverty, fell hopelessly in love with something that would carry him to true greatness: football. Still a young boy, he started playing with the “cebollitas”. And, seemingly without a second thought, solely by virtue of his character and tremendous passion, he achieved world fame to become the greatest football player in history. Diego played with the Junior Argentinos, with the Boca, and then, with the Argentina Selection, he won the Under 17 World Championship. He left Argentina. Crossed the ocean to Barcelona. Then to Naples. And there, he became king, or as they called him, ‘O re. He is loved, hated, worshipped. There is a church in Buenos Aires with a Maradona rite. Achieving glory, he also discovered suffering. He made friends and enemies, collected wounds and triumphs. Talent and honesty are his strongest characteristics. He will talk about anything, even sometimes what he should not. He faces life point-blank, suffers, has fun. He never backs down. Perhaps the best match he has ever won is with life itself. This is a film about Maradona, about the genius who has brought happiness to so many multitudes just watching him. He speaks of his triumphs, but also of his pain. And it is like meeting a god on earth.