DARE

Nike asked Ralf Schmerberg to create a film about the flipside of success in sports – failure – based on the true story of Zhu Jianhua at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. On his final attempt, the 3-time world record holder in high jump was faced with a heart-wrenching decision: to play it safe and settle for silver or to risk it all and go for gold? Zhu’s moment played out in front of the whole world and highlights the commitment and spirit it takes to be an athlete. His story and the stories of China’s Olympic stars Liu Xiang, Li Na, Zhou Chunxiu, and Shu Haibin reflect the changing attitudes of a new generation of young Chinese athletes – a generation who understands that sometimes one has to dare to fail.