Welcome to the World of "Gladiator Football" by Jonathan Glazer

When one thinks of the city of Florence, Italy, what normally comes to mind are the rarefied works

When one thinks of the city of Florence, Italy, what normally comes to mind are the rarefied works of Michelangelo and Titian in the Uffizi Gallery, or the architectural grandeur of Il Duomo. However, a commercial shot for Canon by acclaimed director Jonathan Glazer sheds light on another stunningly dynamic, albeit brutal, side of Florentine culture. The event depicted is the ‘Calcico Storico,’ a football game with deep historical roots taking place every June, and entails two teams of 27 men, each fighting to get a ball over a 4-foot high fence at either end of the pitch. The matches, or should we say battles, are fought in front of the Santa Croce church between four teams representing the four districts of the city, and the winners take home a cow. Watch the belief-defying commercial above and leave a comment below.

Read Full Article

What to Read Next

Opening Ceremony Presents Photo Exhibition "Yearbook" by Ryan McGinley

Opening Ceremony Presents Photo Exhibition "Yearbook" by Ryan McGinley

New York-based photographer Ryan McGinley recently opened his sixth solo photo exhibition, titled
By /
Jeff Koons’ 'Split-Rocker' Sculpture Has Extended its Display

Jeff Koons’ 'Split-Rocker' Sculpture Has Extended its Display

Jeff Koons’ striking Split-Rocker sculpture unveiled at New York’s Rockefeller Center back in June.
By /
KAWS "Man's Best Friend" @ Honor Fraser Gallery Recap

KAWS "Man's Best Friend" @ Honor Fraser Gallery Recap

Illustrious street artist KAWS returned to Los Angeles to present his third exhibition at Honor
By /
HYPEBEAST Magazine Issue 8: The Perspective Issue

HYPEBEAST Magazine Issue 8: The Perspective Issue

The subjective nature of design means that an individual’s interpretation of it changes with their
By /
Iceland Photography by Tin Nguyen

Iceland Photography by Tin Nguyen

Iceland has long been a popular travel destination for its stunningly raw natural
By /
Todd James "Afternoon Delight" Exhibition @ AISHONANZUKA

Todd James "Afternoon Delight" Exhibition @ AISHONANZUKA

New York-based contemporary artist Todd James has announced his first solo show in Hong Kong at
By /
IMPOSSIBLE: A Look at the Complex Chemistry of Instant Film

IMPOSSIBLE: A Look at the Complex Chemistry of Instant Film

Though many may consider it obsolete, analog film is alive and well — despite the existence of
By /
KENZINE Volume 3

KENZINE Volume 3

KENZO and TOILETPAPER team up to present the third volume of their collaborative print publication,
By /
Putting Old Spray Cans to Good Use: DJ Neff and Paul Ramirez "CANLOVE" Flower Installation

Putting Old Spray Cans to Good Use: DJ Neff and Paul Ramirez "CANLOVE" Flower Installation

CANLOVE – the collaborative alias of American artists DJ Neff and Paul Ramirez – doesn’t believe a
By /
Made You Look: Creativity in the Digital Age Trailer

Made You Look: Creativity in the Digital Age Trailer

Made You Look, a documentary by Look and Yes, highlights the recent back-to-basics transition
By /
More ▾
 
We got you covered. Don’t miss out on the latest news by signing up for our newsletters.

Looks like you’re using an ad-blocker

We charge advertisers instead of our readers. Support us by whitelisting our site.

Whitelist Us

Already whitelisted us? Refresh page

How to Whitelist Us

screenshot
  1. Click the AdBlock icon in the browser extension area in the upper right-hand corner.
  2. Under “Pause on this site” click “Always”.
  3. Refresh the page or click the button below to continue.
screenshot
  1. Click the AdBlock Plus icon in the browser extension area in the upper right-hand corner.
  2. “Block ads on – This website” switch off the toggle to turn it from blue to gray.
  3. Refresh the page or click the button below to continue.
screenshot
  1. Click the AdBlocker Ultimate icon in the browser extension area in the upper right-hand corner.
  2. Switch off the toggle to turn it from “Enabled on this site” to “Disabled on this site”.
  3. Refresh the page or click the button below to continue.
screenshot
  1. Click the Ghostery icon in the browser extension area in the upper right-hand corner.
  2. Click on the “Ad-Blocking” button at the bottom. It will turn gray and the text above will go from “ON” to “OFF”.
  3. Refresh the page or click the button below to continue.
screenshot
  1. Click the UBlock Origin icon in the browser extension area in the upper right-hand corner.
  2. Click on the large blue power icon at the top.
  3. When it turns gray, click the refresh icon that has appeared next to it or click the button below to continue.
screenshot
  1. Click the icon of the ad-blocker extension installed on your browser.You’ll usually find this icon in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. You may have more than one ad-blocker installed.
  2. Follow the instructions for disabling the ad blocker on the site you’re viewing.You may have to select a menu option or click a button.
  3. Refresh the page or click the button below to continue.