Champions Factory 6×52′

THE DOCUMENTARY SERIES

Sport is the spectacle that unites and brings people together everywhere in the world. But why do some nations excel in a particular sport?

Champions Factory explores the unique cases where a sport connects with a people.

AND AT THE END GERMANS WIN

By winning its fourth World Cup in Brazil in 2014, Germany cemented its status as a major football nation. “AND AT THE END, THE GERMANS WIN” uncovers the reasons for such success by meeting the future champions of German football. With up-close footage from onboard cameras and the use of drones, this documentary offers never-before-seen footage, even behind the scenes at Bayern Munich’s reserve team. Featuring interviews with great champions like Philipp Lahm and Paul Breitner, as well as insights from seasoned coaches, the film dissects each stage of the young footballers’ development. Today’s talents are destined to become tomorrow’s champions.

ETHIOPIAN RUNNERS

Ethiopia is experiencing a phenomenal craze for running and producing extraordinary runners. How can this phenomenon be explained? Is it historical, societal, political, economic, etc.? In search of the secret of the world’s best runners, “Ethiopian Runners” delves into the daily lives of hundreds of young Ethiopians who hope to win long-distance races and be recognized in the community. Their determination to be the best during training and in local races seems almost vital. Interviews with great Ethiopian runners punctuate this immersion: Haïle Gebreselassie and Meseret Defar, both double Olympic champions and multiple world champions, share their experiences and demonstrate Ethiopian leadership in the field of running.

THE NEW COLOMBIAN CYCLISTS :

Colombia has always been a great cycling country. The current generation of Colombian cyclists, led by star Nairo Quintana, is clearly aiming for victory in the major Tours and especially the Tour de France! This generation has already raised Colombia to 2nd place in the ranking of star cycling nations, just behind Spain. “The New Colombian Cyclists” offers an immersion into Colombian cycling, which is attracting more vocations than ever among the youngest. In the village of Granada, the cycling school of coach Alfonso Aristizabal is proud to count among its ranks the brand new national champion under 15! The best youngsters can then join highly structured teams like “Raza de Campeones,” literally “race of champions,” one of the country’s leading clubs. By following the daily lives of all these young people, accompanying them on the “Vuelta del Porvenir”, one of the toughest junior races in the world, and drawing on the testimonies of Nairo Quintana and Rafael Nino, Colombia’s most successful sports director, “The New Colombian Cyclists” explores this Colombian school of cycling which, in addition to being talented and ambitious, can count on unfailing popular enthusiasm!

THE LORDS OF THE RING

More than a sport, boxing in Cuba is a veritable institution, supervised by the state. For many young people, it is also the dream of upward mobility, in a country undermined by more than 50 years of American embargo. Trained with an almost military discipline, these budding champions evolve between love of sport and national pride. From Havana, the country’s capital and breeding ground for young talent, to Piñar del Rio, where the fate of the future champions of the national team is decided, “THE LORDS OF THE RING” reveals a side of Cuba little known to the general public through rare images. The film shows that, in Cuban gyms, boxing is practiced more like a finely orchestrated choreography than a striking sport. It depicts the daily life of aspiring boxers, filled with effort and sacrifice, essential weapons to reach the top and try to join the island’s legends like Teófilo Stevenson or Félix Savon. In “THE LORDS OF THE RING”, some of these boxing stars also testify alongside genius trainers like Alcides Sagarra to reveal a little more of the secrets of Cuban excellence in the ring.

NEW ZEALAND’S BLACK BLOOD

On the other side of the world, there is an island whose name makes every rugby player on the planet tremble. It is New Zealand, which reigns as the undisputed master of the world of rugby, with victory statistics that are dizzying. Dominating both the nations of the northern and southern hemispheres, twice world champions and nine times crowned “best national rugby team”, the famous All Blacks have only lost 20 times in more than 600 matches! “New Zealand’s Black Blood” explores the reasons for this extraordinary domination by showing in a new way the visceral bond that unites New Zealanders with the oval ball. The film offers an immersion into the heart of the struggle of thousands of young New Zealanders, ready to make any sacrifice to try to enter the All Blacks legend, while those who are already part of it, rugby players and coaches Dan Carter, Graham Henry and Buck Shelford, share their experiences and advice.

SWIMMING THE FRENCH WAY

France is experiencing unprecedented enthusiasm for swimming, and many young people dream of one day becoming the new Laure Manaudou or the new Alain Bernard. Some are already reaching this dream… “Swimming the French Way” takes us into the heart of various French swimming clubs dedicated to training and motivating young people, among whom there are already some gems. How are these teenagers trained? How do they manage their daily lives? How do they manage to combine their passion for swimming with their studies? Interviews with great champions like Laure Manaudou and Alain Bernard echo the testimonies of young swimmers, while outstanding coaches like Franck Esposito, Denis Auguin and Romain Barnier tell us about their efforts to ensure the future of French swimming. They have trained the best swimmers in France and continue, even today, to train young people destined to shine under the French banner.