Doc, Romania 103’
Anyone who remembers Ilie Nastase, the talented Romanian tennis player who entertained us in the 1970s with his Wimbledon antics, will enjoy this new documentary directed by his fellow countrymen Tudor Giurgiu, Cristian Pascariu and Tudor D. Popescu. premiering at this year’s Special Screenings section of Cannes the feature should have widespread interest for sports lovers everywhere so garnering a younger audience.
Nastase was a polarising figure, to say the least, and we see him winning his first US Open, qualifying for both Wimbledon and the Davis Cup finals, and generally blazing an eventful trail to the top of his game and so gaining a place in the annals of tennis history.
Ranked world number one player in 1973 ‘Nasty’ cut a colourful figure in every match he played but his provocative pathway was fraught with trials and tribulations. So he certainly broke the mould with his fractious behaviour and mercurial temperament laced with a dash of cheekiness. The Romanian player’s endearing charisma and dusky good looks went on to capture the public’s hearts and minds.
This is an enjoyable film chockfull of memorable footage from the archives and incisive commentary from tennis stars: John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Billie Jean King, Björn Borg, Stan Smith, and more recent players such as Boris Becker and Rafael Nadal. @MeredithTaylor
CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 2024