Filmmaker draws link between Rafael Nadal and Paul McCartney: "There is no pretense"
Filmmaker Zach Heinzerling had a privilege that few mortals had: to closely follow and portray, in different ways, the life and work of Rafael Nadal and Paul McCartney, legends of sport and music, respectively.
The American director launches, next Friday (29), the Netflix series "Rafa", which revisits the glorious career of the Spanish tennis player. Five years earlier, he signed "McCartney 3, 2, 1", now available on Disney+.
There are clear differences in the two documentaries. In "Rafa", Heinzerling follows the last year of Nadal's career and uses precious archive footage to narrate the "King of Clay"'s achievements and fight against injuries.
In "McCartney 3, 2, 1", the filmmaker records a dynamic between the ex-Beatle and producer Rick Rubin. The series just shows the two interacting in Rubin's studio, with black and white images, as they break down historic McCartney songs in a way fans have never seen before.
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Simplicity and confidence in what they represent
In an exclusive chat with CNN Brasil, Heinzerling was challenged to draw parallels between the two personalities that could explain how they both reached the pantheon in their respective areas of activity.
"When McCartney arrived on set, he simply showed up in his '90s Ford Bronco and with his guitar, without managers or crew. He was just himself, from the beginning. Very confident about who he is and what he represents", recalls the filmmaker.
"I think that with Rafa there is no pretense either. There are no questions about hidden motivations. I think he made the documentary one hundred percent comfortable with who he is and with nothing to hide", he said.
So there is something very refreshing about working with celebrities of this level who are not interested in shaping the narrative or building their own image and myth, but rather let the director and the process reveal truths
Zach Heinzerling, director of documentary series about Rafael Nadal and Paul McCartney
"I think it takes confidence to let yourself be scrutinized like that. And I think they both convey a very strong sense of who they are and don't need a big deal between them and the public," he concluded.
Find out the value of the golden racket that Rafael Nadal won
Source: CNN