Documenting the oldest horse race in the world, Palio is a fascinating look at this tradition in Siena, Italy where corruption is as integral to the outcome of the brutal race as the equine talent, the tactics and the skill of the riders are.
Taking place twice a summer in the city of Siena, located in the heart of Tuscany, the Palio is a competitive horse race in which jockeys representing ten of the city’s historic districts maneuver through a frenzied course in the central Piazza del Campo, cheered and jeered by passionate local supporters. A cutthroat event, with riders compelled to do whatever it takes to win, victory in the Palio includes not only being a strong rider but also taking bribes and making deals. Palio follows the competition between legendary jockey Gigi Bruschelli, winner of 13 Palios in 16 years. Two victories away from becoming the winningest rider in the Palio’s storied history, Bruschelli now competes in the Palio against his up-and-coming protégé-turned-rival, the idealistic Giovanni Atzeni, the pitting of a young “outsider” vs. the cunning “insider.”
DIRECTOR: Cosima Spender CAST: Gigi Bruschelli, Giovanni Atzeni, Silvano Vigni, Andrea de Cortes, Renato Romei LANGUAGE: Italian COUNTRY: UK, Italy YEAR: 2015 LENGTH: 91 min
