FR

China Heavy Weight

Yung Chang

2012

In central China, a Master coach recruits poor rural teenagers and turns them into Western-style boxing champions. Through hard work and discipline, these boys and girls come of age, trained in the art of boxing and the game of life. They are filled with Olympic dreams, hoping to become China's next amateur heroes. But the pull of professionalism also weighs upon their shoulders. Their coach hopes to make a storied comeback in a final pro fight, to show them the way. The top student boxers face dramatic choices as they graduate - should they fight for the collective good as amateurs or for themselves and their own personal gain as professionals? It's a metaphor for the choices that everyone faces now, in the New China.

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CREDITS

Written & Directed by
Yung Chang
Produced by
Bob Moore, Peter Wintonick, HAN Yi, ZHAO Qi
Executive Producers
Daniel Cross, Mila Aung-Thwin, Fan Lixin
Edited by
Hannele Halm, FENG Xi
Cinematography by
SUN Shaoguang
Original Music by
Olivier Alary
Sound Recordist
FAN Liming
Production Supervisor
HAN Yi
This Production has been Realized with
ZDF in Co-operation with ARTE
Produced in Association with
NHK, Channel 4, The Movie Network, Movie Central, YLE, DR,
Produced with the collaboration
TV5
This film was supported by
Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program
Produced with the financial support of
CMF, Québec Crédit d'impôt cinéma et télévision Gestion Sodec, Canadian Heritage
In Association with
CNEX, Kinosmith
AWARDS

Best Film, NZ Documentary Edge Festival

Best Feature, Milan Film Festival

The Taiwan Golden Horse Award (the “Chinese Oscar”)

Best Documentary Feature, Asian Film Festival Dallas

Best Cinematography, LA Asian Pacific Film Festival

Nominated for Sundance Grand Jury Prize (World Cinema Documentary)

Nominated for Best Int’l Documentary Film, Zurich Film Festival, 2012