Sport film's special perspective encourages overlooked players

Lose to Win, a comedy hit during the National Day holiday, has proved a successful remake of Spain's highest-grossing movie of 2018, its creators and industry insiders said at a symposium in Beijing on Nov 9.

Li Yaping, chief producer of the Chinese remake, said that the most interesting element of the original Spanish film, Champions, was its depiction of the unexpected tension between a coach, who yearns to win, and a group of basketball players with disabilities, who struggle in learning the competition rules.

Starring Wei Xiang as the coach, Lose to Win starts with Wei's character being forced to work at a special education school for students with learning disabilities as punishment for a mistake in his career. Despite initial difficulties, the coach finally works out his own way to enable the team to experience the joy of basketball competitions.

Song Zhiqin, the deputy head of the Cinematic Art Center of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, said that the movie conveys a positive spirit of striving, and sheds light on the ways people should react in the face of difficulty.

Yang Cong, vice-secretary general of the China Commission of Promotion of Publicity for the Undertakings of Chinese Disabled Persons, said that it highlights the true spirit of sport, employing a skillful perspective to depict disabled participation in sports and promoting respect and equality for athletes with challenges.

The movie has grossed 174 million yuan ($23.9 million) since it was released on Sept 28.