| Ping Pong: The Triumph | |||
| Native Name: |
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| Cinematography: | Max Da-Yung Wang | ||
| Editing: | Ballu Saluja | ||
| Music: | Andrew Kawczynski | ||
| Studio: | Hengye Pictures | ||
| Distributor: | China Lion Film Distribution | ||
| Runtime: | 137 minutes | ||
| Country: | China | ||
| Language: | Chinese | ||
| Gross: | [1] | ||
Ping Pong: The Triumph is a 2023 Chinese sports drama film co-directed by Deng Chao with Yu Baimei. The film starring Deng Chao with Sun Li and Xu Weizhou is set in 1992 to 1995, and follows a table tennis coach based on Cai Zhenhua, who comes back from abroad to serve as the coach with a resolve to make a difference. Under his leadership, five players, Ding Song, Ma Wenge, Wang Tao, Liu Guoliang, and Kong Linghui, played in Tianjin. The story of a desperate counterattack in the World Championships.[2]
The film was initially released on 24 January 2023, but due to lack of response, it was put on limited viewing the next day. It was re-released on 17 February 2023.[3]
It will be distributed in Italy (dubbed version: Italian) under the title Ping Pong: Il Ritorno by Imago Communication on November 14, 2024. This theatrical release will be the European Premiere.[4]
James Marsh of South China Morning Post rated the film 3/5 and wrote, "Ping Pong: The Triumph is a slick and polished production fuelled by national pride and rose-tinted nostalgia." He praised the ensemble, writing, "the spirited ensemble, keeps us invested in the individual challenges and struggles faced by the team’s so-called 'Five Tiger Generals' when they are away from the table." He concluded, "While perhaps not a sporting classic for the ages, Ping Pong: The Triumph should get its intended audience on its feet".[5] Carla Hay of Culture Mix opined in his review that the film is "more than about winning games." Hay added, "All aspects of the movie (the writing, direction and acting) are not terrible, but neither are they outstanding." She found the screenplay "somewhat bland" but action scenes "well-filmed". Hay wrote, "It's a very formulaic and predictable 'underdog' sports story, but there are enough riveting scenes of table tennis/ping pong competitions to keep viewers interested."[6]
| "No One Called "Hey"" | |
| Artist: | Lorne Balfe and Andrew Kawczynski |
| Released: | [7] |
| Length: | 4:35 |
| Label: | East Asia Record Production Company Limited |
| Producer: | Yu Fei |
| Award | Date | Category | Recipient | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Rooster Awards | 4 November 2023 | Best Picture | Ping Pong: The Triumph | [8] | |
| Best Director | Deng Chao, Yu Baimei | ||||
| Best Art Direction | Huo Tingxiao | ||||
| Best Sound Recording | Feng Yanming, Lin Xuelin | ||||