China Heavyweight (2012)

Director:

Yung Chang

Writer:

Yung Chang (writer)

Genre:

Documentary | Sport

Plot:

A documentary on rural teenagers in southwestern China who are recruited as their country's next Olympic hopefuls, with a focus on the coach Qi Moxiang.

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Zongli He	...	Himself
Yunfei Miao	...	Himself
Moxiang Qi	...	Himself
Ye Xinchun	...	Himself
Zhong Zhao	...	Himself

Directed by
Yung Chang

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Yung Chang		writer

Produced by
Mila Aung-Thwin	....	executive producer
Daniel Cross	....	executive producer
Lixin Fan	....	executive producer
Yi Han	....	producer
Bob Moore	....	producer
Zhao Qi	....	producer
Peter Wintonick	....	producer

Original Music by
Olivier Alary
Johannes Malfatti		(co-composer)

Cinematography by
Shaoguang Sun

Film Editing by
Xi Feng
Hannele Halm

Production Management
Ryan Mullins	....	post-production supervisor
Han Yi	....	production supervisor

Sound Department
Jo Caron	....	foley mixer
Liming Fan	....	sound recordist
Gavin Fernandes	....	sound re-recording mixer
Guy Francoeur	....	foley artist
Marie-Christine Hébert	....	foley assistant
Lou Kun	....	sound recordist: second unit
Aaron Lakoff	....	assistant sound editor
Benoit Leduc	....	adr mixer
Isabelle Lussier	....	re-recording assistant
Johannes Malfatti	....	arranger: sound
Jacinthe Paiement	....	sound post-production coordinator
Guy Pelletier	....	dialogue editor
Vincent Riendeau	....	re-recording assistant
Jean-Philippe Savard	....	technical support
Kyle Stanfield	....	sound designer
Kyle Stanfield	....	supervising sound editor
Ouyang Yaokun	....	second unit: sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Yung Chang	....	additional cinematography
Yung Chang	....	camera operator
Ke Dingding	....	additional camera operator
Cao Erfeng	....	gaffer assistant
Cao Fei	....	gaffer assistant
Zhao Fei	....	jib arm operator
Ma Jian	....	additional camera operator
Pei Mengying	....	gaffer assistant
Lu Nannan	....	gaffer assistant
Maya Newell	....	assistant camera
Xiaoyu Niu	....	additional camera operator
Zhang Peng	....	additional camera operator
Cao Qian	....	gaffer assistant
Sun Shaohua	....	gaffer
Wang Shiqing	....	additional cinematography
Wang Shiqing	....	camera operator
Shaoguang Sun	....	camera operator
Liao Tao	....	additional camera operator
Fu Tianxiang	....	assistant camera
Wang Xiaotian	....	jib assistant
Wang Xin	....	assistant camera
Fu Xingbao	....	assistant camera
Sun Xuefang	....	gaffer assistant
Zhao Yongchao	....	gaffer

Editorial Department
Edmund John Duff	....	assistant editor
Xi Feng	....	assistant editor
Zheng Fu	....	assistant editor
Eric Gaudry	....	digital intermediate colorist
Mette Hoffman Meyer	....	commissioning editor: DR
Luo Xiaoyue	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Olivier Alary	....	musician
John Corban	....	musician
Eric Hove	....	musician
Johannes Malfatti	....	arranger
Johannes Malfatti	....	music re-recording mixer
Johannes Malfatti	....	musician
Bertil Schulrabe	....	musician

Transportation Department
Li Xiaojun	....	driver

Other crew
Laurent Boye-Guérin	....	international festival publicity team: telefilm canada (as Laurent Boye)
Robert Gray	....	subtitles
David Magdael	....	publicist
Anne Stulz	....	publicist

Production Companies

• CNEX Foundation
• Channel 4 (in association with)
• Eye Steel Film
• Movie Central (in association with)
• Movie Network, The (TMN) (in association with)
• NHK (in association with)
• Rogers Group of Funds (presents)
• SODEC (participation)
• TV5 Quebec (collaboration)
• Téléfilm Canada (presents)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (in association with)
• Yuan Fang Media

Distributors

• Zeitgeist Films (2012) (USA) (theatrical)
• Arte (2013) (Germany) (TV)
• NHK BS1 (2012) (Japan) (TV)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2013) (Finland) (TV)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

Canada | China | Finland | Japan | UK

Language:

Chinese

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Huili, Liangshan County, Sichuan, China

Company:

CNEX Foundation

Trivia:

The Chinese title, Qian Chui Bai Lian, is an old idiom that means "to be tried and tested a thousand times over."

Quotes:

Zhong Zhao:If you make the provincial team, you'll be China's official athletes. You'll be the country's people. Don't train hard and you'll be back home farming. Then you'll be no one but your mum's kid.

Knockout Performances

Does Yung Chang's 'China Heavyweight' follow the formula of underdog surpassing all obstacles and winning in the end (as is the case with this genre)? The answer is yes but 'China Heavyweight' still manages to maintain a unique quality. First of all, the four principle characters: Ye, Moxiang, Zhong and Yunfei are unlike anyone one has seen in this kind of film.

They are wonderfully defined and the actors who portray them are cast against type and turn in their finest performance. Both Zhong Zhao and Ye Xinchun are like you've never seen them before and they appear very natural on screen. Zongli He is superly restrained and Yunfei Miao does one of his best works of his entire career. They are supported by a host of impressive actors.

In addition to the marvelous performances, the makeup department has done a remarkable job, especially by making Liming Fan look old enough to play Zongli and Yunfei's mother. Zongli actually does look years older than Yunfei (when in reality he's a year younger) and that just adds more to the authenticity.

From the opening sequence, I was under the impression that 'China Heavyweight' was going to be a documentary-type movie but Yung Chang tricks and surprises the audience with that. His execution is subtle unlike the loud approach which other directors commonly follow.

For me 'China Heavyweight', is more about the human connection than the sports itself. Boxing is clearly a metaphor as is the title which has multiple meanings. Even though he's been constantly let down by his family, Zongli chose to give them a second chance and have them by his side. Even though Yungsuen disapproves Zhong and Dicky's involvement in Ye's career, Dicky attempts to persuade him because he knows that Ye won't stand a chance without him by his side. Even though Zhong and ChunXhi don't see eye to eye, there's a silent acceptance between them as they know that Yunfei needs them both.

I am really beginning to have more respect for Yung Chang for producing gems like this (in addition to some amazing TV-series like 'The Fruit Hunters', 'Up the Yangtze' and 'The Fish Market') and his growth as an actor is obviously apparent (he just needs to avoid tripe like 'Last Train Home' at all costs).

'China Heavyweight' is a winner on various levels.