00:00 Commentary
The Olympic Games 2008. The athletes of the hosting country have a great opportunity. For the government, their compatriots and for their own ambition, they desire to achieve ultimate success. With regard to the medals, China is supposed to be top favourite. The pressure is enormous.
00:20 Commentary
The rising generation of China is dreaming of a carrier as professional sportsmen.
Caihong is 14yrs old and has been attending the middle school in Lanzhou for 3months now. Her parents are very poor farmers.
Titels
00:56 Caihong
I made the entrance – examination. The 100m, 400 m, then the theoretical examination with math, chinese and so on..
01:06 Caihong
I wanted to go to this school, because it is a good school.
01:12 Commentary
The pupils of No 6 Middleschool are training all kinds of running sports, such as sprint, marathon, hurdle relay race.
Many of the pupils are farmer´s kids from the region. Most of the families are poor. You can hardly bridge the cleft between rich and poor. A carrrer as a professional sportsmen is the way to a better life for the pupils. The competition amongst the pupils is strong and the combat is hard.
01:37 Commentary
Liu is 16 years old and is shortly before his intermediate examination.
01:46 Liu
When I finish school first I would like to go to university and then become a professional sportsmen or a trainer.
01:48 Commentary
The No 6 Middleschool is located in the Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province, which still is one of the poorest provinces in China. But with an economic growth of 8 %, this region is growing uphill. The Gansu Province is located in the geographical centre of the Peoples Repuplic of China.
02:17 Commentary
Next to the Han – Chinese, there are living a lot of minorities, such as moslems, mongolians and tibetans.
02:26 Commentary
Here the majority still lives on farming, but with a sinking tendency.
02:35 Commentary
The urbanisation is trendy, the cities are growing and the construction-industry is booming. There are now shopping malls, office buildings and housing complexes.
02:55 Commentary
There are numerous professional sportsmen as well as four presidents from local universities amongst the former school drop outs.
03:04 Commentary
Here in the hostel sleep around 200 pupils, with the focal stress on sports.
03:17 Commentary
Trainers and the principal are surveilling the progress of the pupils with strict view.
03:27 Trainer
Today we are doing it faster. More physical strength. Going faster into the standing position. All right?
We start with 200 pounds / 100 kilo today. Put on your protection belts. Take care of your movements. Normaly we bend our kees only 120 degree, today until 90 degree.
03:56 Commentary
Training and education classes go hand in hand. All 1800 pupils are wearing a track-suit, as a school uniform.
04:11 Commentary
For Caihong everything is quite new, she is only a member of the school for 3 months.
04:22 Caihong
At the beginning it was really difficult, I didnt know anything here, I had no friends and felt very lonley.
04:31 Commentary
The meaning of competition is what the pupil learn early. On the other side the hard demands and pressure to produce results are welding them together.
04:46 Liu
I am happy to see my schoolmates, but the difficult tasks we undergo in the classes are stressing me.
05:01 Liu
When I see, that the others are better than me, I often ask myself: Why am I not doing it? Why do I not manage it?
05:09 Commentary
The final examination are due. Liu is stressing. He must prepare for them, for it is his only way to continue here up to the university-level.
05:22 Commentary
In the meantime, Lius friend, Han Yi, sits in his Chinese lessons. He is doing it more with ease, for his goal is to become a sports journalist.
05:27 Pupils in chorus
The strong storm of yesterday night is gone. The air is as quiet as a sleeping girl.
05:35 Commentary
The teaching methods here are unusual for the Western world. There is no individualism with 50 pupils in the class. They are reading all together in union. Normally most of the pupils are speaking in dialect. Mandarine – the official language of the mainland, consists of about 30000 characters. Often there are letters that the pupils don’t know. Afterwards the teacher interpretates the poem with them.
06:04 Teacher close
The landscape is covered with snow. When you see this, it feels like a cleansing of your soul
06:13 Commentary
Pause: The day ist strictly organized. After the morning exercises there are lessons from 7.40 am until 12 pm. It is a great deal of work, so that in the pause there are still pupils studying.
06:33 Commentary
Han Yi is on his way to lunch
06:37 Commentary
soup, bread and vegetables.
06:40 Commentary
Until 2 pm he has some time, so about 1,5 hours. This is the only free time in one week day. He likes to use it with his friends.
06:52 Question
What are you doing during your lunch-break?
06:55 Han Yi
Usually I play football after having lunch.
06:58 Question
play soccer?
Han Yi Yes
07:04 Han Yi
But today I go sleeping, there is no one out.
07:20 Commentary
His mates are sleeping deeply. There are 12 pupils in the room, which was built for only 8.
07:37 Question
Dont you disturb each other?
07:41 Han Yi
No we chat briefly and sleep afterward.
07:48 Commentary
The boys are tired. The daily training starts at 5.30 am, and they terminate their day after finishing homework at 10.30 pm. There are 14 hours of school programs per day. An after-dinner nap is a welcomed relaxation.
08:04 Commentary
Lanzhou lies 1518 meters high. For the young runners this is an advantage: Training in thin air strengthens the perseverance. The spleen developes more blood corpuscles at such elevation. Thus more oxygen is transported to the muscles.
8:24 Han Yi
I reach my physical limit after a certain distance when I run. You hardly can breathe and your pulsation isnt right anymore. But if I overcome this point I feel really good.
08:46 Commentary
Liu does a daily training of 3,5 hours and starts already at 5.30 am before having breakfast. He won the silver medal in cross-country running at the youth worldmastership.
09:00 Liu
I won an international prize for the school with my team, thats the reason why Mr. Luo chose me for the shooting of the movie/film.
09:09 Commentary
In the fever of the olympic games, China produces many films about this topic.
09:19 Commentary
With original scenes and amateur actors they are awakening the sports fighting spirit.
09:28 Commentary
The movie “Running Kids” supports the home spirit this way.
09:34 Wang Yuan Yuan
I want to reach the level of a national sportsman, if not this is a good test for me.
09:39 Question
What would you like to do in future?
09:41 Wang Yuan Yuan
I would like to become a good sportswoman and take part in the Olympic games.
09:50 Commentary
China wants to present its best side for the Olympic Games.
09:58 Commentary
The construction of the new stadium devoured around 300 million € and 40.000 tons of steal. It was completed under high pressure. Many of the workers renounced their holidays for this honored task.
10:14 Commentary
China´s Communist Party has a chance for a perfect self presentation. But the western countries aren`t convinced of this.
10:23 Commentary
The world is looking at Tibet.
10:27 Commentary
The tibetans are demanding for Human Rights and cultural autonomy. Less and less tibetans live unmolested according to their tradition. Religion has more importance than output and status.
10:46 Commentary
This is a thorn in the rulers side. There culture does not correspond with the efficiency – oriented Han-Chinese, which make 92 % of the booming great power.
10:56 Commentary
They want an aspiring competition.
10:58 Commentary
Shanghai. Skyscrapers mushroom up, the Chinese want to reach the top as soon as possible, without any question of costs. Environmental protection is not so important.
11:11 Commentary
More than 1,1 billion Han-Chinese are working to achieve at least something. There is alot of special value put on the new generation.
11:27 Commentary
It is also so at the middel school Nr. 6.
11:40 Luo
The parents are happy, for the discipline is very strict here at school, and that is the reason for the strict teachers.
11:50 Luo
That makes us succesful.
11:57 Commentary
A strict education is more important than a preparation for Olympia in the eyes of principal Luo.
12:08 Luo
Our pupils are not only good in sports, but also in society and competetive in the labor market.
12:18 Commentary
It is going to get serious for Liu, for his final examination is starting soon. He does not feel prepared well enough.
12:40 Luo
Sport pupils only need 200 of 500 points for the admission to university and they can become civils servants/officials through a state-entrance examination. A lot of them are taking this path and show their will-power and strong nerves.
Dialog mit dem Trainer
13:01 Trainer
How did u hear of our school?
13:03 Boy
from her (talking about the girl beside him)
13:05 Trainer
She is already accepted (to the boy)
hey you! Jump! She shall demonstrate for him how to jump. (to the girl)
13:08 Girl
I am not that good yet
13:10 Trainer
Come on, Jump! (the girl pulls something out of her pockets)
13:16 Trainer
Ah you got a lot of stuff in your pockets. You have to take care, because in the future it will be forbidden for you to take your cell-phone to the classes. (CUT)
13:32 Trainer
Good jump!
13:37 Trainer
You have to exercise everyday in your vacation, then you will improve for sure.
13:45 Trainer
When you feel fit enough for the sports competition in our school, come to me ( he wants to train her)
13:53 Girl
Yes
13:54 Trainer
We can improve your performance!
14:02 Boy
I also want to exercise with you.
14:05 Trainer
In this vacation I wont have any time left.
14:10 Boy
I dont come to you, I would just like to train at your school.
14:13 Trainer
That is ok. If your improve your achievements and enroll for the entrance examination I will train you, OK?
14:23 Boy
Yes
14:30 Luo
Use your entire foot! (to WangYuanyuan)
14:35 Luo
Too late! Are you tired?
14:39 Luo
Your movements are powerless!
14:42 Luo
NO hollow-back!
14:46 Luo
Straight waist line!
14:54 Luo
Many of our pupils are from poor families. But we also have pupils from rich families and these kids can not deal with the stress in the beginning.
15:25 Luo
(to WangYuanyuan) A bit better!
You are too stressed.
15:28 Luo
So. So, und so.
15:36 Commentary
Wang likes sport competitions, yet it is still a long way before Olympia.
15:43 WangYuanyuan
I hope the competitions make me more self-confident and my parents happy. Also I hope to make an Impress on the others.
16:08 Question
Are you hurt?
16:09 Han Yi
Yes
16:10 Han Yi
I hurt my knee with this exercise.
16.20 Commentary
That was 2 months ago. Since then he has to skip out on the jumping.
16:23 Han Yi
I almost gave up
16:27 Commentary
In the summer there are about 40 degrees Celsius and in the winters there are minus degrees, but no matter what the thermometer shows, they are training outside with short pants.
16:37 Han Yi
No matter if I am going to be successful or not, I will achieve a strong character and a strong-will. It is worth it.
16:52 Commentary
For Liu, sports is hopefully the way into the university.
Yet first they can place their worries to the side. It is time to take part of the feature film "Running Kids."
17:04 Commentary
Liu and Wang have never played in a film before. Their excitement is large.
17:11 Commentary
They will stay 10 days long in a remote farmers village called Zhang Jia Da Tan.
17:16 Bojan
Action!
17:21 Commentary
The spring-fest is also the new years party and for that the most important event for the Chinese. The farmers are dancing for new energy and power. And this time for boyangs movie.
17:59 Commentary
Liu plays the role of a poor young farmer child, who must prove himself. It is a great challenge for him.
18:07 Liu
I play the role of a boy in a poor family. My father is a travelling worker/laborman and my mother is ill. My family is the poorest in town.
Scene:
18:23 Bad Boy
Come! Come to me! You also want to exercise? If you are running faster than me, you may stay in the team, but if I am faster I will beat your each time I see you.
18:38 Liu
Yes
18:41 Bad Boy
everything ok?
Liu
Yes
Bad Boy
ok then
18:48
Liu
good
Liu
Ok
18:52 Bad Boy
now lets run in pairs. We will run one circle around the town.
Liu
Yes
18:58 Bad Boy
you fat guy, you'll be the referee.
19:29 Liu
This role reminds me on the time at elementary school, when my parents were against sports. But i really wanted to do sports and I enforced what I wanted. Finally my parents accepted my decision and i could train.
Scene
19:50
should I start earlier?
19:51 Bojang
No, at the same time. And no cheating! You aren’t a cheater.
19:62 Boyang
come let me hug you
20:05 Boyang
the movie is going to be good.
20:07 Boyang
I trust in you boys.
20:09 Some one out of picture (liu is sprayed wet.)
The water has to come from inside, directly on your skin. Really cold!
20:12
ice cold!!
20:15 Boyang
I don’t like discipline.
20:18 Boyang
but I grew up with it. Discipline helped me a lot, and that is the reason why I work a lot and why I am strict with myself. It really supported me,
20:45 Boyang
but I can't stand disclipline
20:51 Commentary
In China,one puts alot of value on the meals. It must be rich, healthy and enough. Not so easy, here it must be improvised at all corners. The farmers in Zhang Jia Da Tan do not have flowing water.
21:08 Commentary
They are sleeping in a class room in the village´s school.
Catering-Szene
21:13 Wang
We are seeking 8 tables so we can lay wood palattes on top of them, so we can make some beds
21:23 Wang
Then the problem is solved.
21.24 left of wang, not visible
Yes, but its still not enough
21:25 girl in pink
In the middle of the room there is still some space
21:29 Wang
Then we shall build some beds in the middle
21:31 girl in pink
17 are sleeping in the room!
21:35 girl in pink
17!!
21:38 girl in pink
so many!!
21:39 Wang
No, 22!!
21:40 Liu
We have started shooting this morning
21:43 Question
Are you having fun while acting?
21:45 Liu
Yes, it is much fun!
Dancescene
21:53 Liu
I learned something different, which you can`t learn from a school book.
I felt real joy in life.
22:30 Commentary
Caihong remained in school. But she knows from her own experience how life on the country side is.
22:37 Question
Are your parents farmers?
22:39 Caihong
Yes
22:40 Question
Do you also want to work as a farmer?
22:44 Caihong
No! I don't want to!
22:47 Commentary
If Caihong wants to visit her parents she has to make along journey.
22:51 Caihong
First I have to take the bus for 3 hours and change it three times and after I have to walk 2 more hours uphill.
23:03 Commentary
At an altitude of 2200 metre there is rarely some shade.
23:10 Commentary
The house of her family is almost without furniture. Her bed is a Khang. In the winter time they heat the house from outside with fire.
23:22 Commentary
They only posses chickens and her father is travelling as a construction-worker in the city to feed his family.
23:36 Commentary
Out of habit Caihong lays her things to the side to go help her mother working the fields. Often the fields are far away, because they are abandoned from former neighbours, that left for the city in search of luck.
23:47 Mother
We will go home and cook something easy.
23:50 Caihong
I want to eat fried rice
24:07 Mother
The government gave us cement, to build a water reservoir in the court yard. But somtimes it is not raining for a while and we have to take the tractor to get water from far away.
24:24 Commentary
The family is growing wheat and potatoes. Yet due to the dryness, they don’t gain a good harvest of wheat. Most of the pople eat only potatoes and have to buy their wheat.
Because of the climate change, the dry spells becomes longer and the rainfalls stronger. The rain washes the fertile topsoil away. The sandy soil underneath is very meager.
24:45 Commentary
Each free square meter is used by the farmers. On steep cliffs, they set terraces with much laborious work
Dialog mother and Caihong
25:07 Mother
I will cook noodles.
25:12 Caihong
Noodles with what?
25:13 Mother
Noodles with potatoes
25:32 Mother
I really want her to be well educated,so that she doesn`t have to work as hard as me. Hopefully she can live from sports one day, and doesn’t have to come back to the countryside. It is better to live from sports in Lanzhou.
25:57 Question
If she is not coming back, what shall we do with the farm?–
26:01 Mother
The farm is not so important, we just leave the house empty.
26:09 Commentary
The sports teacher Mu was once also a pupil of principal Luo. He discovered her at a sports competition and left she the farm. She was not able to afford the fee for school.
26:28 Mu
Mr Luo took really good care of me. On the other side of the school used to be a noodle-soup restaurant, where he bought me a noodle soup each morning.
26:41 Mu
Sometimes I was really tired. Mr. Luo told me, that I have to be successful to make my parents proud of me. Your parents are poor and you have got a lot of brothers and sisters. You are the only one that can attend the school. When I heard this I wanted to train on the sportsfield until death.
27:37 Liu
If the bus drives fast I only need 1,5 hours to get home.
27:58 Liu
I am happy to see my parents.
But I see them once a week, it is not so bad.
28:06 Commentary
Lius parents live on the outskirts of town. In former times, they were farmers and in this area were fields. The city spread. Lius parents profited from it. They built a 3 story house.
Dialog
28:21 Liu
Mama!
28:24 Mother
Oh, are you back?
Liu
Yes!
28:25 Mother
I’ll open up for you!
Liu
Yes!
28:29 Commentary
They live here now with his Grandfather and rent out the middle floor to migrant workers
Father
Are you back?
Liu
Yes!
Mother
you must learn well, everything else is not so important.
Liu
Of course I am learning!
Mother and Father
How were your examinations?
Liu
I did them quickly
Mother
and how was it?
Liu
I think not so bad
28:47 Commentary
Liu is under a lot of pressure, he does not know if he passed the examination. The questions and answers are printed in the newspaper. Everybody can check how they did on the test and they are all nervous.
Family situation
28:59 Father
the examination answers are in the paper.
29:03 Liu
I'll take a look!
29:05 Mother
All the correct answers are printed there.
29:09 Liu
These questions I answered wrong.
29:10 Mother
You often make such mistakes. Hopefully that will improve.
29:13 Liu
The last question
Which is the 90 degree angle?
I didn't read the task properly and already started to answer. I just thought that..
29:18 Father
Not just like that! That is wrong. Next time you have to read the question and
understand it before answering. Pay more attention.
29:33 Commentary
Thank goodness Liu passed the examination.
30:20 Mu
I love sports. Sports can educate humans and the will. Thus one can bear all suffering. As a sport teacher, I know what I'm talking about. One can bear all pressure.
Credits
Produced and Directed by Sigrid Holzner
Production Company
Fire and Ice