Zidane, A 21st-century Portrait May 6, 2007

The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) and the Cultural Services of the French Consulate in Boston present the Boston premiere of Zidane, a 21st-Century Portrait (2006) by Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno. The film, which debuted at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival to great acclaim, depicts legendary soccer player Zinedine Zidane on the field, a mesmerizing portrait of an artist at work. Hailed as “one of the year’s essential cinema experiences,” (Time Out), Zidane, a 21st-Century Portrait is a unique hybrid of art work and sports documentary. Screenings on Sunday, May 6, at 11 am and Thursday, May 10, at 7 pm. 35mm. Tickets are $10; $8 ICA members, students, and seniors, and can be purchased at icaboston.org, from the ICA box office, by phone at (617) 478-3103 during regular museum hours, or at the box office one hour before program.

Seventeen synchronized cameras follow Zidane through a randomly selected match between Real Madrid and Villarreal in 2005. Under the supervision of famed cinematographer Darius Khondji, the cameras capture a range of views, from close-ups of Zidane’s face to panoramas of the entire stadium. The film also features voiceovers by Zidane himself, recounting memories from his matches, and a score by Scottish rock band Mogwai.

Zidane is considered one of the top soccer players of all time, known as much for his elegance as his bizarre head-butt to the chest of Italy's Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final. His career highlights include winning the World Cup Championship in 1998, the Tournament Euro in 2000, and the Champions League in 2000. In 2001, he became the most expensive player in soccer history when Real Madrid acquired him for $66 million.

Zidane, a 21st-Century Portrait is the feature directorial debut for both Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno. Glaswegian Douglas Gordon is an acclaimed artist and winner of the Turner Prize, the prize for Best Artist at the Venice Biennale, and the Hugo Boss Prize. Frenchman Philippe Parreno has had work shown at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Kunstverein in Zurich, and the Paris Museum of Modern Art.

ABOUT THE ICA/BOSTON
The Institute of Contemporary Art, located at 100 Northern Avenue, is open Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 am – 5 pm; Thursday and Friday, 10 am – 9 pm; and Saturday and Sunday, 10 am – 5 pm. Admission is $12 adults, $10 college students and seniors, and free for members and children 17 and under. For more information, call (617) 478-3100, or visit www.icaboston.org.

Official Website: http://www.icaboston.org