This close-up encounter with NBA star Jeremy Lin was in the works long before he exploded onto the scene in February 2012. “Not just a stirring sports drama but also a classic immigrant-family success story.” — Hollywood Reporter
An example of long-term documentary filmmaking paying off in ways few could have anticipated.
Screened as part of NZIFF 2013
Linsanity 2013
“When pro basketball player Jeremy Lin burst into the national consciousness in a flurry of record-setting games with the New York Knicks last winter, most fans – and even many sports professionals – had little clue about who he even was. While a surge of global enthusiasm, quickly dubbed ‘Linsanity’, pushed him to international celebrity, in reality Lin was struggling for the opportunity to sign a multi-year NBA contract. Chinese- American filmmaker Evan Jackson Leong already was shooting a documentary about Lin’s career well before the stardom stage, which allows him to bring an insider’s perspective to one of the NBA’s most memorable career starts… With a mix of personal interviews – including extensive on-camera discussions with Lin, combined with more informal scenes – home-video footage from Lin’s childhood and clips from his high school and college careers, as well as game-play commentary from ESPN and other broadcasters, Leong has assembled a film that’s not just a stirring sports drama but also a classic immigrant-family success story.” — Justin Lowe, Hollywood Reporter