Skip navigation

Main menu

  • What's on
  • Art & Artists
    • The Collection
      Artists
      Artworks
      Art by theme
      Media
      Videos
      Podcasts
      Short articles
      Learning
      Schools
      Art Terms
      Tate Research
      Art Making
      Create like an artist
      Kids art activities
      Tate Draw game
  • Visit
  • Shop
Become a Member
  • DISCOVER ART
  • ARTISTS A-Z
  • ARTWORK SEARCH
  • ART BY THEME
  • VIDEOS
  • ART TERMS
  • SCHOOLS
  • TATE KIDS
  • RESEARCH
  • Tate Britain
    Tate Britain Free admission
  • Tate Modern
    Tate Modern Free admission
  • Tate Liverpool + RIBA North
    Tate Liverpool + RIBA North Free admission
  • Tate St Ives
    Tate St Ives Ticket or membership card required
  • FAMILIES
  • ACCESSIBILITY
  • SCHOOLS
  • PRIVATE TOURS
Tate Logo
Become a Member
Tate Modern Film

William Klein: The French William Klein, France 1981, 116 min Source: Walker Art Center

9 December 2012 at 16.00–18.00
William Klein The French

Featuring Björn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert, Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, Ilie Năstase and Yannick Noah, Klein’s superb, offbeat documentary goes behind the scenes at Roland-Garros, better known as The French Open, or simply The French. 1981 was a pivotal year in the pantheon of tennis, and Klein captures all of the pressures, angst, artistry and grand slam energy of a two-week sporting circus packed with champions, chaotic crowds, quaint security, shy stars and shouting show-ponies. Klein and three camera crews were given total access to the tournament, and miles of filmstock and unique footage detail all of the glory, fear and passion, from locker-rooms and massage tables to television studios, umpire's chairs, the VIP village, and a cast of crazies, cranks, snobs, groupies, gurus, magicians, hustlers, heroes, clowns, sponsors, supermen and superwomen. 

Tate Modern

Starr Cinema

Bankside
London SE1 9TG
Plan your visit

Date & Time

9 December 2012 at 16.00–18.00

Related events

Artwork
Close

Join in

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
Sign up to emails

Sign up to emails

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Tate’s privacy policy

About

  • About us
  • Our collection
  • Terms and copyright
  • Governance
  • Picture library
  • ARTIST ROOMS
  • Tate Kids

Support

  • Tate Collective
  • Members
  • Patrons
  • Donate
  • Corporate
  • My account
  • Press
  • Jobs
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Contact
© The Board of Trustees of the Tate Gallery, 2025
All rights reserved