The remarkable story of Brazilian racing driver Ayrton Senna, charting his physical and spiritual achievements on the track and off, his quest for perfection, and the mythical status he has since attained, is the subject of Senna, a documentary feature that spans the racing legend's years as an F1 driver, from his opening season in 1984 to his untimely death a decade later.
Broadly acclaimed as a documentary that transcends its sport, Senna uses an extraordinary archive of footage to tell its subject's story as live drama rather than retrospective tribute. The main point of contention is accessibility: most critics found it gripping regardless of motorsport knowledge, but a dissenting note warned that the density of Formula One history and jargon could still leave uninitiated viewers struggling with specific episodes.
“ambitiously constructed, deeply compelling, thrilling and in no way only for those who like watching cars drive in circles”
Dan Jolin·Empire
“with so much recorded footage of Formula One available, it has been possible to fashion Senna's story as a live action drama rather than a posthumous documentary. We're not so much hearing what happened in the past as seeing it happen before our eyes.”
Steve Rose·The Guardian
“a considerable feat of editing”
Stephen Holden·The New York Times
Biography, Documentary, Sport
DirectorAsif Kapadia
StarringAyrton Senna, Alain Prost, Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Viviane Senna
ComposerAntonio Pinto
The remarkable story of Brazilian racing driver Ayrton Senna, charting his physical and spiritual achievements on the track and off, his quest for perfection, and the mythical status he has since attained, is the subject of Senna, a documentary feature that spans the racing legend's years as an F1 driver, from his opening season in 1984 to his untimely death a decade later.
Broadly acclaimed as a documentary that transcends its sport, Senna uses an extraordinary archive of footage to tell its subject's story as live drama rather than retrospective tribute. The main point of contention is accessibility: most critics found it gripping regardless of motorsport knowledge, but a dissenting note warned that the density of Formula One history and jargon could still leave uninitiated viewers struggling with specific episodes.
“ambitiously constructed, deeply compelling, thrilling and in no way only for those who like watching cars drive in circles”
Dan Jolin·Empire
“with so much recorded footage of Formula One available, it has been possible to fashion Senna's story as a live action drama rather than a posthumous documentary. We're not so much hearing what happened in the past as seeing it happen before our eyes.”
Steve Rose·The Guardian
“a considerable feat of editing”
Stephen Holden·The New York Times
Biography, Documentary, Sport
DirectorAsif Kapadia
StarringAyrton Senna, Alain Prost, Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Viviane Senna
ComposerAntonio Pinto
Not currently available on any streaming platform