The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago, alongside Taipei Cultural Center in New York, partner with Chicago International Film Festival to present the Taiwanese basketball movie "We Are Champions (下半場)" at the festival's summer screenings program. The virtual screening will take place on Sep.15, followed by a livestream Q&A with director Chang Jung-chi (張榮吉).
"We Are Champions" portrays two teenage brothers who have nothing but each other, hoping to change their fate through their love of basketball. The two brothers play for different teams; however, they cross paths on their way to ultimate basketball glory—the HBL championship.
In order to replicate the feel of real basketball games, director Chang Jung-chi recruited amateur actors who are proficient in the sport, and he went all out to perfect action choreography, camera movements, and synchronized sound. It took him seven years to complete the film.
"We Are Champions" was nominated for six Golden Horse Awards in 2019, including Best Supporting Actor, Best New Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Effects, Best Action Choreography and Best Visual Effects, with Fandy Fan (范少勳) winning Best New Actor.
Due to the Tokyo Olympic Games, which recently concluded on August 8th, 2021, this year’s Summer Screenings Program has been celebrating sports and games from around the world from May 26 through September 29.
Cinema/Chicago, the organizer of Chicago International Film Festival noted: "Through struggle and perseverance, victory and defeat, we learn about the joys, pains, and triumphs of being alive together…this collection of films explores the ways in which sports, games, and competition shape our lives."
All of the selected films are free and open to the public, with limited tickets available for reservation beginning 16 days prior to each screening. For more information, please visit Chicago International Film Festival's website.