WONDERFUL LOSERS: A DIFFERENT WORLD
the most beautiful and truthful stories can be found on the battlefield of the cycling platoon.
→ For the first time in 40 years, an inside look at the Italian Grand Tour Cycling race Giro, one of the most highly respected cycling competitions
→ Best Documentary, Best Composer and Audience Awards at the 11th Lithuanian Film Awards and TV Silver Crane Awards
→ A story that resonates beyond sports buff and with a global reach
PRODUCTION STATEMENT
“Cycling is not about leaders, victories and most importantly, not about doping. Cycling sport is about sacrifice for the other. 90% of the cyclists don’t have the chance to dream about their victories, even though they are just as talented and strong. It’s just that in a team, someone (the leader) can win only if others help him - bring water, protect from wind, watch out for attacks. Everyone who rides in Giro d’Italia or Tour de France is very talented. They are worth of the victories, of which they dream from 10-12 years of old, when they devote themselves for this sport - for training in rain or heat, giving up discotheques and leisure times. When they reach the peak of their careers, they have to face the fact that even though they are just as valid, they will never be able to stand on the winner’s podium. They will only be able to sacrifice for their teammate and celebrate their victory as their own. They must find happiness in sacrifice and the victory of others. That is why cycling is not sport, but faith. It is not a usual sport team, but a monastery, with its own regulations; it’s a medieval legion, with its code of honour. In the times we live, in our ego-centrism, this is very unusual and surprising. For me, cycling is about that. And because of it, I started the film and it was not difficult to create it for 8 years, because I felt the meaning in it. I felt just like them - a fighting domestique - who is talking about a bigger life than is around us, by telling about cycling.” - Director Arūnas Matelis
SYNOPSIS
It is an incredible story about team spirit overcoming an individual gain which is so prevalent not only in the sports world today but also in business, state management and extending in each aspect of our lives, revealing behind the scenes of Giro d’Italia realities (the first director in 40 years to be allowed to shoot the race from inside it) and highlighting the meaning and essence of success.
| Directed by | Arūnas Matelis |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Arūnas Matelis and Algimantė Matelienė |
| Language | Italian |
| Location | Italy, Spain, Ireland, Andorra, United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) |
| Budget | €550,000 |
DIRECTOR
Arūnas Matelis has won the most important documentary prizes at IDFA, Warsaw, DOK Leipzig, Trieste. He is also among the few European film directors to win the Directors’ Guild of America (DGA) Award. His latest film “Wonderful Losers. A Different World” has already won 15 awards and competed in two Oscar categories – Foreign Language and Documentary – in 2018.
RELEASE
Fall 2019
