Weekend of a Champion
| Weekend of a Champion | |
|---|---|
| Directed by |
Frank Simon Roman Polanski (uncredited) |
| Produced by | Roman Polanski |
| Written by | Frank Simon |
| Starring |
Jackie Stewart Roman Polanski Helen Stewart |
| Cinematography | Bill Brayne |
| Edited by | Derek York |
|
Production
company |
|
| Distributed by |
Pathé (France) Submarine Deluxe (USA) |
|
Release date
|
|
|
Running time
|
80 minutes 93 minutes (re-release with postscript) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English French |
Weekend of a Champion (alternately titled Afternoon of a Champion) is a British 1972 documentary film that captures the effort of British Formula One racing driver Jackie Stewart to compete in the 1971 Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo. Stewart's friend Roman Polanski produced the film and shadows him throughout the weekend of the race.
The film premiered at the 1972 Berlin Film Festival and— after a small theatrical release in Europe— was unscreened for 40 years. The archive in possession of the negative contacted Polanski, inquiring as to whether they should keep the film or throw it away. Polanski restored the film from the original print, remixing and slightly recutting it. An approximately 15-minute epilogue was added, showing Polanski and Stewart reminiscing in present-day Monaco, having a conversation about their friendship, the evolution of racing safety, hairstyles, and life in general.
Having no experience with documentaries, Polanski recruited Frank Simon to direct the picture. They both accompanied Stewart to Monaco for that year's Grand Prix.
Four decades later, the Technicolor lab in London contacted Polanski to say that they were getting rid of all their old negatives. In conversations with producer Brett Ratner, the idea of polishing it up for a reissue took shape.
About the film, Stewart said "working with Roman Polanski was very nice for me not only because he was a good friend, but when the movies come out, it's very straightforward. It's cinema vérité and it showed how it was."
The re-released film was screened out of competition as an Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013. It had a limited U.S. theatrical release on 22 November 2013.
A Region 2 DVD was released by Universal Pictures UK on 4 November 2013.
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Wikipedia