Asif's Odyssey To 2012, Part Of Olympic QuartetReported by Huffington Post on Sunday, 24 June 2012 (on June 24, 2012)
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"Make a film based on the Olympics," is your only instruction. What would YOU do?
Four celebrated British filmmakers were given this very challenge and have put their distinctive marks on a stunning quartet of short films, which made their debut this weekend at the Edinburgh Film Festival.
*Asif Kapadia's Odyssey traces London's journey from 2005 to 2012*
Noel Clarke took his audience into an urban setting to show music, expression and the physical inspiration provided by sport, Mike Leigh opted for a family tale unmistakably Mike Leigh-esque, and Lynne Ramsey told the tale of a swimming pioneer, with classical and mythical allusion.
The fourth, Senna director Asif Kapadia had less time than the other directors. He received his brief in February, which meant he had only three months to deliver the finished piece.
So he opted to do what he did to stunning effect with his film Senna, dig into the archives and pull out some documentary magic. Odyssey is the story of London - from 2005, when the Olympics were awarded to London, to 2012 and the eve of the Games themselves.
The city gleams impressively with a juxtaposition of aerial shots revealing its stunning scope and diversity, but concentrating on nothing too touristy. It is very clearly made from a Londoner's point of view.
Importantly, it tells the story of London 2005 to 2012, a tough time economically, and the witness to tragedy. Kapadia reveals he was surprised by how many people had forgotten how quickly the London terrorist bombings occurred after the Games had been announced in July 2005, but the film shows the full scale of the horror when the city was plunged from euphoria to despair in a 24-hour period.
Odyssey is similarly unsparing of the damage wrought by rioters in 2011 - with commentary provided by those personally affected - and local grumbling in the East End about the cost of the Games and the effects they may have on local businesses.
If there is the worry that this film created so lovingly will have an expiry date with the closing day of the Games, it seems Kapadia has asked himself the same question.
"But I think it was such an extraordinary time in London's history, that it was worth chronicling, putting down on record the highs and lows we went through during that unique period leading up to this summer."
And alongside the trials and challenges, Kapadia has inserted some special moments to remind us what it's all about - glorious Olympic triumphs including Jessie Owens confounding Hitler in 1936, Olga Korbut delighting the world with her gymnastics in 1976.
"When we first filmed near the Olympic stadium, some people didn't even know the Games were going to happen nearby," remembers Kapadia.
"The film shows Londoners suffering quite a lot, so I thought it was important to remind us why we're doing all this - that, particularly when times are so tough, we need sport to escape and to inspire us."
*Olympic Short Films are released on 25 June. Watch the trailer for all four films here...*
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