H.to swimming heart, e Federica Pellegrini – Underwater, the documentary film by Sara Ristori at the cinema from yesterday until January 12, try to make it clear as best you can.
From the first Olympics to the farewell – moved – at competitions, Underwater brings out the determined and competitive personality of Federica, who one day entered her natural element, water, to become the record swimmer. The fastest and most powerful of all.
Federica Pellegrini – Underwater, the plot
The docufilm retraces – step by step – the long road towards the Tokyo Olympics 2020. The latest milestone of Federica Pellegrini, 33 years. A journey that ends with the images of the fifth consecutive Olympic final in the 200 freestyle. First woman in the history of swimming to conquer her in the same specialty.
In total 5 Olympics, with one gold and one silver. And then Italian, European and world titles. An infinite medal collection.
The camera follows Federica during grueling workouts. Six kilometers every day and the shoulders that rotate 3 thousand and 600 times. Hours and hours of swimming with determination and maximum concentration. Pushed by aunconditional love for sport.
“People have been expecting big business from me since I was 15. And there have been, also because I feel there is still a long way to go. I’m still hungry. After all, it doesn’t matter what others expect but what I feel. I do it for myself“, tells.
Federica Pellegrini. (Getty Images)
Memories are intertwined with competitions, archive images, interviews and small films shot by the family. There are departures and farewells. The sacrifices, the psychophysical stress, the defeats, the dark and despondent moments (when he seriously thinks about giving up), and the joys of winning.
The story of the greatest 1200 artist ever
In the story – stuffed with forays into the past and in the present, with music by Samuel dei Subsonic – a large part of the time is obviously dedicated to the 200 style, the race in which Federica stood out in a memorable way.
But there are also the testimonies of her family and her coach and boyfriend, Matteo Giunta. The man who follows her and knows most of all, with which he shares joy, anger and pain. Unwilling to open up, Federica removes her breastplate in the warm and colorful house in Verona, where she lives with Matteo – whom he will marry this year after a romantic proposal in Venice.
Federica Pellegrini with her boyfriend and former coach Matteo Giunta. (Instagram)
On the one hand the woman who pushes to lead another life, and have what he has always dreamed of, children and something solid: e on the other the sports car who dreams of the fifth Olympics. Who wants to swim but the goal is difficult. We also miss Covid, which also affects her, and forces us to postpone the sporting event, which was then taken up.
“It no longer came out of the water”
In addition to the sporting phenomenon, from Underwater a complex figure emerges. Portrayed from afar. «Faith was a free girl who always wanted her space. Then in the pool it no longer came out of the water»Confesses mother Cinzia.
Lightning fast, its performance is impressive. In 2004 the big leap: i Athens Olympic Games. He wins the silver medal at 16, and decides to follow his coach, moving to Milan. Two years alone, away from her family, her constant refuge. She feels lost (“I was tossed from side to side. Catapulted into a world I could not bear»).
Federica and bulimia
Naked even in frailties. As the body changes, and acne comes like all teenagers, the entourage speaks of excessive weight. Federica is not well, she eats and then closes herself in the bathroom to throw up.
The Venetian swimmer protagonist of Federica Pellegrini – Underwater. (Fremantle)
“I hurt myself. I put my toothbrush in my mouth and threw up after eating too much. I must say it hurts me to think about those years. I was so pissed off with the world. “
He then decides to revolutionize everything. Starting with a new manager: Castagnetti hotel. Who protects Federica like a daughter and makes her change her swim (“it was the summer of turning point. I got a tattoo of the Phoenix. It was the moment of rebirth”). With Alberto he achieves 10 world records.
Federica Pellegrini in Sanremo last year. (Getty Images)
The last dance at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics
Amazing until the last Olympics, when last 28 July 2021 he competed in the 200 meters. And now? “Just fun. The last 15 meters, I wondered: Faith are you happy? And the answer was yes ». Federica describes what she felt (and we all wondered too) during the last race.
“It was wonderful. 200 meters covered smiling, with an inner peace and lightness difficult to describe. A twenty-year journey of swimming, strokes, kilometers, fatigue, blood and sweat. I just missed my family, which is always there. I close in peace ». And turn the page with the wish for many new beginnings.
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