Film Screening

Special Film Screening at the Grimaldi Forum Monaco on 16 December 2013

Monaco Audiovisual Archives are organising a screening of the documentary film "Weekend of a Champion" in the presence of Roman Polanski, with the support of the Automobile Club of Monaco.

"Weekend of a Champion" was shown as a world première at the 2013 Cannes Festival.

Film director Roman Polanski, who is passionate about motor sport, became friends with Scottish racing driver Jackie Stewart, 1969 Formula 1 world champion, when the racing driver was en route to his second title, and was given permission to film him for a weekend during the Grand Prix.

Polanski therefore made an intimate portrait of the champion during the 1971 Grand Prix, which Stewart went on to win, filming him at the height of his glory, on and off the racetrack.

In 1972, the film, which at that time was entitled "Afternoon of a Champion," was awarded the prize for the best documentary at the Berlin festival.  However, this film was never released commercially.  It was rediscovered in the archives of a London laboratory, where it was almost destroyed in 2009.  The negative of this forgotten film was reedited by Polanski with the help of his current team, which includes film editor Hervé de Luze, and now also features his reunion with Jackie Stewart 40 years later.

The result is a rare glimpse into the intimate world of a gifted sportsman at the height of his glory.  Forty years later, Polanski and Stewart met up again and talked about this sport, which has changed so much over the years, in a natural, unique and incomparable way.

Preview screening of the documentary "Weekend of a Champion"
Grimaldi Forum Monaco
Monday 16 December 2013 at 8 p.m.

Bookings and further information:  http://www.grimaldiforum.com

Photo credits:  Pathé Distribution