Santa Maradona

Santa Maradona borrows its title from a song by Mano Negra, a Spanishlanguage song by a largely French band, that mixes a punk rhythm with soccerstadium singing and dedicated it to the living myth of the Neapolitan and South American soccer star Diego Maradona. In other words, a mixture that fits in well with the way in which débutant director Ponti tells the story of four twentysomethings in Turin.Andrea, Bart, Lucia and the sweet Dolores run, dance, laugh, jump, go to watch soccer or are confronted with a lack of money to pay the rent or buy books. In addition, Andrea (the new Italian star Stefano Accorsi) and Bart (Libero De Rienzo, from Fat Girl) just love talking.The rhythm of this energetic ode to Turin is shaped by the clever dialogues, many visual inventions and house music by Subsonica and Motel Connection, as well as Mano Negra. Santa Maradona also refers in a comic way to for instance Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid and Lola rennt. The only thing the 20somethings don’t seem to understand entirely is how they should get on in life. Andrea prefers to react quickwittedly during a job interview than to take a job and Bart prefers to (re)write reviews. But that’s not their first problem…