Of all the great movies I saw at Sundance, only one got a standing ovation at the end. That movie was China Heavyweight, a documentary from Yung Chang(Up the Yangtze), that has much the same dramatic impact and cultural insight as Hoop Dreams. It follows former Olympic boxer, Qi Moxiang, now a Master Coach recruiting Chinese students to become world class fighters, so they can compete in the pro circuit or the Olympics. Many of the students he targets are from the poorest districts, and they see boxing as an opportunity to provide for their families, or to actually escape their meager confines. Many of these students will wash out before they ever get the chance at success, while others will get close only to fail in the end. Very few ever reach the momentary heights Moxiang reached, which has made him something of a local legend.
It's an incredibly moving film with a lot to say about Chinese society, with echoes that will ring true here as well. China Heavyweight is due to arrive here on July 6th. Check out the trailer below...
China Heavyweight - trailer HD (2012) Yung Chang... by myfilm-gr
