'Sognando Rosso', the film about Montezemolo lands on Sky

There is a colour that needs no introduction in Italia: you only have to name it, and even before the name you can hear the roar. From Friday 20 March that red lands on Sky Documentaries with 'Sognando Rosso', the documentary dedicated to Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, available from 27 March in streaming on Now and on Sky Sport Arena. Produced by Jiva Maya and Religion of Sports and with international distribution by Fremantle, "Sognando Rosso" is not just the portrait of a former Ferrari chairman. It is the story of a man who crossed decisive junctions in industry, sport and the national imagination.

Directed, written and produced by Manish Pandey, author of 'Senna' and co-directed by Christopher M. Armstrong, the film takes Chris Harris, the well-known face of Top Gear, on a journey through the places of Montezemolo's life: Rome, Bologna, the hills, Ferrari, from the days of Enzo Ferrari to the world championships of Niki Lauda and Michael Schumacher. The documentary mixes archive footage, rare images and conversations.

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo does not shy away from the story. In Il Sole 24 Ore of 25 September, on the occasion of the UK premiere, he explained: 'It is a very special film that brings together my memories and thoughts with beautiful images and archive footage'. He added: 'It retraces all the most important stages of my life. For better or for worse, I always put my face on it'. There is already much of the character in this sentence: the centrality of the ego, of course, but also the idea that directing means exposing oneself, taking upon oneself the weight of choices.

The point, however, is that 'Sognando Rosso' does not remain closed within the Ferrari enclosure. Ferrari is the centre of gravity, but around it flow Azzurra, Italia '90, Italo, a managerial biography that becomes a tale of a certain Italian capitalism. In the trajectory evoked by the film, Montezemolo is the man chosen by Enzo Ferrari in 1973, he supervised Niki Lauda's World Championship in 1975 and laid the foundations for Ferrari's return to dominance, taking over the helm in 1991 and achieving first the sporting relaunch and then the company's transformation into a global luxury brand.

In any case, the film tries to broaden the profile: not just the boss of the Rossa, but an interpreter of an Italia that has been thinking big for years. After all, Montezemolo has served as president of Fiat, Maserati and Alitalia, led the Organising Committee of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin and headed Confindustria between 2004 and 2008.