Senna
A documentary on Brazilian Formula One racing driver Ayrton Senna, who won the F1 world championship three times before his death at age 34.
Genre
Documentary
Year:
2010




Directed by Asif Kapadia and produced by Working Title Films and StudioCanal, Senna is a thrilling and deeply human portrait of Ayrton Senna — the legendary Brazilian Formula One driver whose brilliance on the track was equalled by his intensity, spirituality, and deep devotion to his country.
Rather than relying on traditional talking-head interviews, Senna is told entirely through extraordinary archival material, including race footage, home videos, and intimate voiceovers from those closest to him. The result is a gripping, immersive experience that plays like a dramatic narrative while honouring the raw, real-life stakes of Senna’s remarkable story.
The film follows his meteoric rise to global fame, his fierce rivalry with Alain Prost, his struggles against the politics of Formula One, and the events leading to his tragic death at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. It captures not only Senna’s unmatched skill and competitive fire, but also his vulnerability, humility, and principled approach to life — on and off the circuit.
Premiering to international acclaim, Senna won two BAFTA Awards for Best Documentary and Best Editing, and the World Cinema Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival. It has been widely credited with redefining what a documentary can be, setting a new benchmark for archive-driven storytelling.
Visceral, emotional, and profoundly cinematic, Senna is not just the story of a racing icon — it’s a powerful meditation on ambition, sacrifice, and the price of greatness.