Oscar-winner Asif Kapadia to direct documentary on Roger Federer

Washington, February 19: Oscar-winner Asif Kapadia is directing a Prime Video documentary about the last days of tennis legend Roger Federer’s career, reported Deadline.

The feature-length documentary will follow the final 12 days of the career of the man considered by many to be the greatest tennis player of all time.

Kapadia won the Best Documentary Feature Oscar in 2016 for his film ‘Amy’ on singer Amy Winehouse, and he has also directed films about sports luminaries such as Diego Maradona, Ayrton Senna, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Joe Sabia will co-direct the untitled Federer documentary, which is produced by Kapadia’s Lafcadia Productions. The film is produced by Kapadia and George Chignel, reported Deadline.

Federer talked about it and said, “Initially, the idea was to capture the final moments of my professional tennis career so that I could have it later on to show my family and friends.”

He added, “During my career, I tended to shy away from having cameras around me and my family, especially during important moments. But I didn’t see the harm in shooting this as it was never intended for the public,” adding, “However, we captured so many powerful moments, and it transformed into a deeply personal journey. I am happy to be partnering with Prime Video because of their vast global reach and significant presence in the film industry. This ensures that the story of my final days in tennis will resonate with both tennis enthusiasts and broader audiences worldwide.”

Amazon said the untitled doc was “originally a home video never intended for public viewing,” which “captures Federer at his most vulnerable and candid self, as he says goodbye to a game and the fans that shaped his life for the last two decades.”

The Swiss tennis player won 20 grand slams including eight Wimbledon championships and is third on the all-time list behind Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. He was beloved as a player for his ‘gentlemanly’ manner.