Pierfrancesco Favino Stars as Flamboyant Ex-Tennis Champ in “Il Maestro”

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A Poignant Duo Pursuing Success

Set in the 1980s, a former tennis player takes on the role of coach to a young, timid talent crushed by his father’s expectations.

After directing the thrillers “Paradise Lost” and “Last Night in Milan,” Italian filmmaker Andrea Di Stefano shifts gears to sports drama with “Il Maestro.” For this project, Di Stefano reunites with Pierfrancesco Favino – known from “The Traitor” and “Romanzo Criminale” – whom he directed previously in “Last Night in Milan.” Favino portrays Raul Gatti, a former tennis champion whose charisma is as great as his instability. Making his screen debut alongside Favino is Tiziano Menichelli, who plays Felice, a reserved young player driven by the wish to make his father proud. It is this father, played by Giovanni Ludeno, who hires Raul Gatti to coach his son with one clear goal: to mold this promising talent into a true champion.

The initial scenes track the coach and player from training session to tournament, establishing a tangible tension. Without ever seeming to drift into overly dramatic territory, “Il Maestro” appears to strike a balance between intensity and lightness, sprinkling comedic elements that lighten the coach-player relationship.

At first glance, Raul Gatti seems like an eccentric coach, more concerned with women than his pupil’s progress. The young player’s defeats pile up, increasing his father’s frustration and severity, leading him to regret entrusting his son to what he considers an incompetent coach. However, beneath this carefree exterior, the coach seems to hide much deeper flaws…

As the story unfolds, the film moves beyond a typical sports movie to paint a portrait of a complex and moving relationship between a player and his coach. Will student and teacher manage to forge a bond of trust?

“Il Maestro,” starring Pierfrancesco Favino, in theaters March 11.

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