IFFR 2021 - My Name is Francesco Totti
IFFR - Francesco Totti in My Name is Francesco TottiFrancesco Totti has done it all. Through football, he accomplished World Cup success with Italy, Champions League finals with Roma, holds records as the oldest goalscorer in competitions across the globe, and established himself as a formidable player of experience, integrity and proficiency. My Name is Francesco Totti takes audiences beyond that. His incredible abilities are established and moved past to focus on the life before his rise to prominence, and his personal life during those years at the top. There is no shortage of football documentaries, but to focus on one player who stayed at one club for his whole, twenty-five-year playing career, is quite a special topic.
It is special because we are given a man who is so passionate about his one club. Roma defined his playing years, and Totti is no stranger to the pride that comes with bearing the badge of such an impressive team. There are times where the direction of Alex Infascelli is reduced to montages of goalscoring moments in the finest matches of Totti, but a surprise breakaway from the interview format sees My Name is Francesco Totti inspire a level of detail not found in many documentaries. Why would Infascelli go to someone else for information when Totti is right there? His interviewee is honest, consistent and interesting. Totti talks to the audience, rather than at them. He displays a strong knowledge of the sport and details his personal highs and lows in a casual, conversational tone. Totti displays the confidence needed to lead his own documentary.
This creative styling, some casual fourth-wall breaks and even a few ribs of friends and colleagues make for a light but interesting documentary. “Born to suffer,” Totti says, was the tagline of Roma for the forty years in-between their Serie A league wins. There are times where My Name is Francesco Totti gets too bogged down in its detail. We are introduced to friends and coaches, presidents and people, but with no real reason. Dragged away from the familiar, interesting path, it is interesting to see where Totti and Infascelli are going, but it is never as engaging as when they talk of football, accomplishment, and overcoming great odds. His time at the top and fall from favour with management in his later career makes for a graceful parallel, and it is here that the artistic variety Infascelli can display is offered.
A fine football documentary, My Name is Francesco Totti takes liberties with its artistry, giving both Totti and Infascelli the space to grow as individuals with wholly different creative voices. They both have something to offer, but the generalities of Totti’s memories and the recreation of his childhood from Infascelli detracts somewhat from the real archival footage, of which there is an abundance of. Fluidity is key. Totti is the hero of Roma’s football achievements, and My Name is Francesco Totti displays that with confidence and pride. Apologetic and earnest, Totti uses his time here to engage with old flames and fights, dispelling them with an honesty that this documentary feature depends on. His love letter to Roma shines through as a remarkable piece of documentary work.