Marathon

The illustrious filmmaker Carlos Saura created a structure for this documentary as unconventional as the buildings of Gaudí that adorn the 1992 Olympic Games host city of Barcelona. Coverage of the men’s marathon appears at intervals throughout the narrative, thus enshrining the Games’ most emblematic event. All the charismatic winners are on view, from 400m champion Michael Johnson to weightlifter Ivan Ivanov, but Saura observes the rigorous training routines with as much passion as the finals themselves. Composers like Ryuichi Sakamato, Mikis Theodorakis, and Angelo Badalamenti contribute to the changing moods of this excellent film.

As part of the London Spanish Film Festival and The Great (Ex)Spectator series at Ciné Lumière