Igor. L'eroe romantico del calcio

Igor Protti’s final match for Livorno, in May 2005, is the starting point for a journey through his life. Luca Dal Canto’s documentary goes back to his childhood in Rimini and follows the footballer through the cities and stadiums that shaped his career, combining his own memories with those of relatives, teammates, coaches, journalists and supporters.

From Bari to Rome, Messina and Naples, and back to Livorno, Protti’s journey takes in different leagues, transfers and changes of direction. His season as Serie A’s leading scorer with Bari, Livorno’s rise from Serie C to Serie A and his decision to retire appear alongside the difficulties and injuries that marked those years.

The film moves between archive footage and interviews and encounters in present-day locations. Walks, conversations and visits to stadiums renew a dialogue with people who shared different moments in the striker’s career; the voices include Sandro Tovalieri, Cristiano Lucarelli and Giorgio Chiellini.

Beyond the matches and results, the documentary explores Protti’s ties to his family and to the communities around the teams for which he played. Through these memories, Igor. L’eroe romantico del calcio considers the relationship between a footballer, a shirt and the cities it represents. The documentary was produced by Bredenkeik and is distributed in Italy by Piano B Distribuzioni.