China Heavyweight (Qian chui bai lian), directed by Yung Chang, starts from 1979, when the People’s Republic of China first allowed the sport of boxing. (Previously, boxing was considered a decadent Western sport.) Similar to the United States, the less advantaged take up the sport as a way to advance themselves. But there the similarity ends, as the film is an excellent portrayal of Chinese culture—especially an emphasis on discipline, family, and humility. (The Chinese title is translated “To be tried and tested a 1000 times over.”) Although technically a documentary, with actual boxers, the events are presented dramatically with neither titles nor voiceovers. MH