Leap (film)

Leap (Chinese: 夺冠) is a 2020 biographical sports film directed by Peter Chan and starring Gong Li and Huang Bo. The film is based on the China women's national volleyball team's stories spread over more than 40 years. The film was released in Mainland China and the United States on September 25, 2020.[3] It had been slated for release in China on January 25, 2020, the first day of the Chinese New Year, but was withdrawn due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]

This article is about the 2020 Chinese film. For the 2016 animated film, see Ballerina (2016 film).
Leap
Theatrical release poster
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese奪冠
Simplified Chinese夺冠
Literal meaningto take first prize
Directed byPeter Chan
Written byZhang Ji
Produced byZhang Yibai
Jojo Hui
StarringGong Li
Huang Bo
Wu Gang
CinematographyZhao Xiaoshi
Edited byZhang Yibo
Music byShigeru Umebayashi
Lincoln Lo
Production
companies
Distributed byWe Pictures
Release date
  • September 25, 2020 (2020-09-25)
Running time
135 minutes
CountryChina
LanguageMandarin
Box office$129 million[1][2]

The film's Chinese title was originally named "China Women's Volleyball Team" ("Zhong Guo Nu Pai") but due to regulatory issues, was renamed as Duoguan ("to take the crown") one day before pre-release sales started. Leap is the Chinese entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.[5]

Cast

Lang Ping the player is played by her real-life daughter Lydia Bai (Chinese name: Bai Lang), a former Stanford Cardinal player. Lydia Bai herself is played by Audrey Hui (Joan Chen's daughter) in the film.

2013–16 Chinese national team

The cast consists of ten out of the twelve Olympic Gold medalists from the 2016 Rio Olympics squad appearing as themselves. As Wei Qiuyue was pregnant at the time of filming, Yao Di (who was cut before the Olympics) was cast to act as Wei. (Despite Wei's absence, her husband Yuan Lingxi, who has been an assistant coach on the team, appears in the film as himself.)

1980s Chinese national team

Others

Production
Zhang Ji wrote the screenplay for Leap, which later earned him Best Writing at the 33rd Golden Rooster Awards.

Hong Kong American director Peter Chan was signed to direct the film.[12] Gong Li plays the female lead, Lang Ping, the current head coach of the China women's national volleyball team.[13] Filming began on April 16, 2019, and wrapped up in August 2019.

Soundtrack

The theme song "River of Life" (生命之河) is a duet by Faye Wong and Na Ying, and produced by Zhang Yadong.

The promotion song "Day and Night" (不分昼夜) is sung by Jackson Yee, and produced by Radio Mars

Instrumental music
No.TitleLength
1."Leap (中国女排登场)" 
2."Facing the Wall, Attacking the Wall (备战世界杯)" 
3."New Year's Dinner (年夜饭)" 
4."Get Up! Watch the Ball (千锤百炼)" 
5."Tomorrow We Can Win (我们会赢的！)" 
6."1980, Beijing (北京1980)" 
7."1981 World Cup, China vs. Japan (中国 vs. 日本)" 
8."All for the Day (一切只为今天)" 
9."Believe in the Future (相信未来)" 
10."Jumping Up One After Another (一鼓作气)" 
11."2008 China vs. USA (中国 vs. 美国)" 
12."My Daughter My Lucky Charm (女儿，我的幸运星)" 
13."The Funeral (You Never Stopped Fighting) (别掉队，都跟上)" 
14."Back to China (回来吧！)" 
15."Be Wrapped in Confusion (新旧磨合)" 
16."Long Table Meeting (迎来的改变)" 
17."No One Will Be Here Again (这就是我们)" 
18."Truthful Words (打出自己的排球)" 
19."2016 China vs. Brazil (中国 vs. 巴西)" 
20."Rio, Quarter Final (里约赛点)" 
21."In the Moment of Victory (夺冠时刻)" 
22."Leap Reprise (中国女排的荣耀)" 

Release

Leap was scheduled for release on January 25, 2020,[14] in China, but was withdrawn due to COVID-19 pandemic.[15] The film debuted in China on September 25, 2020, a few days before the National Day of the People's Republic of China. That weekend, theaters were allowed to sell up to 75% of available tickets, compared to 50%, due to a loosening of COVID-19 restrictions. It made its United States debut on the same day across 80 theaters in select cities.[3][4]

Reception

On its first day at the Chinese box office, the film earned $8.2 million. It went on to earn 700 million yuan (approximately $104 million) through the Golden Week holiday.[3][16]

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Recipient Result Ref.
2020 Golden Rooster Awards Best Picture Leap Won [17]
Best Director Peter Ho-Sun Chan Nominated
Best Writing Ji Zhang Won
Best Supporting Actor Gang Wu Nominated
Best Cinematographer Xiaoshi Zhao Won
Best Art Director Li Sun Nominated
Best Editor Yibo Zhang Nominated
Best Sound Zheng 'Joe' Huang Nominated
2022 40th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Director Peter Chan Nominated [18]
Best Actress Gong Li Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Bai Lang Nominated

See also

References
  1. "Zhong Guo Nu Pai (2020) - Financial Information".
  2. "Leap". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  3. Davis, Rebecca (2020-09-26). "Gong Li Drama 'Leap' Opens to $8.2 Million in China". Variety. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
  4. Davis, Rebecca (2020-09-15). "China's Cinemas to Soon Operate at 75% Capacity, as Pandemic Restrictions Ease". Variety. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
  5. Davis, Rebecca (3 December 2020). "China Selects Peter Chan's Volleyball Drama 'Leap' as its Oscar Contender". Variety. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  6. Wang Guannan (王冠楠) (15 October 2020). "揭秘热映电影 辽宁女排在《夺冠》中演自己". Liaoshen Wanbao (in Chinese).
  7. "南昌大学学生马雪纯饰演《夺冠》里的张蓉芳". The Paper (in Chinese). 9 October 2020.
  8. Chen Lixing. "《夺冠》密钥延期，再给你个走进电影院的理由". Rolling Stone (in Chinese).
  9. "女排精神激励着她们！《夺冠》中的三位女将来自南京大学". Jiangsu Television (in Chinese). 28 September 2020.
  10. "山大校友刘桃倾情参演《夺冠》，饰演2004年国家队队长冯坤". Culture China (in Chinese). 27 September 2020.
  11. Beijing News, Reporter (28 September 2020). "Every smash and block in "Leap" is a real game" 《夺冠》每次扣杀、拦网，都是玩真格的_文娱新闻_新京报电子报. The Beijing News (in Chinese). p. A18. Retrieved 30 December 2020. In the movie, Li Xian played a role as IT technician, wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses and wearing a tunic suit. He told the coach that the future of sports depends not on people, but on computers. The United States has developed such computers.
  12. Fang Jialiang (房家梁) (18 November 2019). 前国手饰演电影《中国女排》队长 变身“最佳二传”. Chinanews (in Chinese). Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  13. 《中国女排》电影郎平将由巩俐出演 关晓彤或将饰演惠若琪. qq.com (in Chinese). 12 May 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  14. "'Leap' set for January release". china.org.cn. 22 October 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  15. "春节档7部电影全部撤档：以疫情为重，以生命为重". ifeng.com. 2020-01-23. Retrieved 2020-01-23.
  16. Yau, Elaine (2020-10-15). "Is Jackie Chan finished? Questions abound after his latest dud". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2020-10-15.
  17. Haizi, Xu (28 November 2020). "The 33rd Chinese Film Golden Rooster Awards Announced "Leap" as the Biggest Winner" 第33届中国电影金鸡奖揭晓 《夺冠》成最大赢家. Xinhua News (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  18. "Nomination List of The 40th Hong Kong Film Awards".
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