The film chronicles Pele’s life on and off the field from his first World Cup appearance in 1958 through to the great final of 1970, a period in which Brazil moved from democracy to dictatorship, and Pele himself from an unknown teenager to the most famous sportsman in the world.

Our guests are the film’s directors Ben Nicholas and David Tryhorn, and we discuss the storytelling challenge inherent in long form sports documentaries, the issue of editorial integrity and the expectations we project on to the athletes when it comes to social and political activism. 

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