Samsung Electronics, Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville (“20 Feet From Stardom,” “Best of Enemies,”) today celebrated the official premiere of “A Fighting Chance” at a private screening during the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival^® in New York City. The powerful documentary short gives an unseen perspective into the lives of four Olympic Games hopefuls from around the world as they defy barriers and persevere through challenges to achieve their dreams of competing at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Following the film’s debut, it was announced that “A Fighting Chance” is now available for streaming to hundreds of millions of global viewers on Vimeo at www.Vimeo.com/channels/AFightingChance.

“Samsung is a company with a heritage of defying barriers. Through ‘A Fighting Chance,’ we are shining a spotlight on four athletes as they defy barriers and push the limits to achieve their dreams,” said Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “By sharing these inspiring stories, we’d like to tell the story that Samsung is not just an Olympic sponsor, but a company that is truly fueling the meaningful progress of these athletes. And by telling these authentic stories to the world, we hope to inspire and motivate people everywhere to defy their own barriers.”

“A Fighting Chance” follows the remarkable stories of four Olympic Games hopefuls from Lesotho (Tsepo Mathibelle, Marathon), Vanuatu (Miller Pata & Linline Matauatu, Beach Volleyball) and the Dominican Republic (Yenebier Guillén Benitez, Boxing, 75kg). These athletes vary by sport discipline and geography, but share a passion and unwavering determination to overcome obstacles as they strive to represent their nations on the world stage at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

The inspiring documentary is a story of courage, hope and perseverance that explores how four Olympic Games hopefuls are embracing challenges as they try to help their countries make history.

“One of the things that’s great about the Olympic Games is that it’s a place where everybody gets to share the stage, but some of these countries and athletes don’t have the proper resources and are faced with so many challenges,” said director Morgan Neville. “I’m thrilled that I got to work with Samsung on ‘A Fighting Chance,’ – it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to meet these athletes and share their untold stories. Having spent time with them, we realize how hard they work, how big the stakes are for them, and how truly talented they are. I came out of this feeling like all of them deserve to win a Gold Medal.”

For additional information about “A Fighting Chance,” including athlete and director biographies, photos and videos, please visit www.samsungmobilepress.com/AFightingChance.

Olympic Hopefuls on Defying the Barriers

Tsepo Mathibelle (Marathon, 24 years old, Lesotho) said:

“I am proud to be a part of the Samsung ‘A Fighting Chance’ documentary short, and to show the world the spirit and will that the people of Lesotho have. Our country may be small, but we have big hearts, and I am excited to represent my family, friends and countrymen at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.”

Miller Pata & Linline Matauatu (Beach Volleyball, 27 and 25 years old, Vanuatu) said:

“Our dream is to make it to the Olympic Games, especially after all of the hard work we’ve put into this from the beginning and the challenges we still face every day. Although it is difficult for mothers in Vanuatu to play sports and spend time away from home while competing, Samsung is helping us stay connected, whether with family when we are far away or with our coach when we are in different places.”

Yenebier Guillén Benitez (Boxing, 75kg, 29 years old, Dominican Republic) said:

“I work hard to overcome my obstacles because I want to achieve my goals to be my best and to win a medal at the Olympic Games. Samsung has generously provided us with phones for keeping in touch with my family and friends, and it has helped me a lot because my family is my inspiration. I can also now track my training better and connect with my coach, using Samsung technology to review and improve my technique. These may seem like small things, but they are big to me and can make all the difference”

Viewers worldwide can now watch the entire film of “A Fighting Chance” on premium Vimeo platform and Samsung Mobile’s official YouTube channel.

Photos from Premier Event at Tribeca Film Center

Director Morgan Neville, and featured athletes Yenebier Guillen Benitez and Tsepo Mathibelle pose at “A Fighting Chance” Premier Event at Tribeca Film Center

MC Jimmy Roberts, Director Morgan Neville, and featured athletes Yenebier Guillen Benitez and Tsepo Mathibelle pose at “A Fighting Chance” Premier Event at Tribeca Film Center

Pio Shunker, SVP, presents the documentary at “A Fighting Chance” Premier Event at Tribeca Film Center

Director Morgan Neville explains the documentary at “A Fighting Chance” Premier Event at Tribeca Film Center

Panel Discussion at “A Fighting Chance” Premier Event at Tribeca Film Center

Director Morgan Neville, and featured athletes Yenebier Guillen Benitez and Tsepo Mathibelle watches VR film “Vanuatu Dreams” at “A Fighting Chance” Premier Event at Tribeca Film Center

About Morgan Neville

Morgan Neville is a documentary filmmaker whose films focus on culture. His acclaimed film 20 Feet From Stardom won the 2014 Academy Award for Best Documentary as well as a Grammy Award for Best Music Film in 2015. His documentary, Best of Enemies, was released by Magnolia Pictures and Participant Media in 2015 and was shortlisted for the 2016 Academy Award. Neville has been nominated for three additional Grammys for his films: Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story, Muddy Waters Can’t Be Satisfied and Johnny Cash’s America and won an Emmy Award for his film Hank Williams: Honky Tonk Blues. Neville’s non-music films include The Cool School and Beauty Is Embarrassing.  Recent projects include Chelsea Does, a four-part documentary series and Keith Richards: Under the Influence. His latest film, The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and The Silk Road Ensemble, will be released by The Orchard in June 2016.

About Samsung’s Involvement in the Olympic Games
Samsung began its Olympic Games involvement as a local sponsor of the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games. Beginning with the Nagano 1998 Olympic Winter Games, the company extended its commitment to the Olympic Movement as the Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, providing its proprietary wireless communications platform, called Wireless Olympic Works (WOW), and mobile devices. These innovative mobile phone technologies provide the Olympic Family with real-time, user location-based information service, interactive communications, and Samsung Pay. Samsung hosts various Olympic campaigns to share the excitement of the Olympic Games with people around the world and enable everyone to participate in the Games through its innovative mobile technology. Samsung’s commitment as a Worldwide Olympic Partner continues through to Rio 2016, PyeongChang 2018, and Tokyo 2020.

Olympian Tasha Danvers, a finalist at the 2000 Olympics in the 400-meter hurdles and 4x400m relay and a bronze medalist in the 2008 Olympics in the 400-meter hurdles, cheer on the students with their teammates.

Olympians and Paralympians who train tirelessly to become the best to represent the United States on the international stage took time to celebrate the achievements of Los Angeles students in the first annual Ready, Set, Gold! Field Day.

Ready, Set, Gold! (RSG!) leverages the star power of the Olympians and Paralympians to help Los Angeles students fight diabetes and obesity by teaching them healthy habits.

The mentoring program that began in 2006 now operates in 60 schools with a team of 50 Olympians and Paralympians. Their efforts reach approximately 17,000 students in grades 5, 7 and 9 in the Los Angeles area each year.

“When you grow up, every kid wants to do something great,” said Miranda, a Junior Olympian and a 5th grader at Trinity Elementary School. “You see all these great people here at the school and then you say, ‘I want to be like them. What can I do to be like them?’”

The exuberance of the students, parents and faculty at the year-end celebration was clear as they moved through the 12 activity stations manned by world-class athletes.

“Today, I learned so much and I had so much fun,” said Rogerlio, a student from Trinity Elementary School. “I hope that I could be an Olympian, too.”

The athletes find the experience just as rewarding, not only as a way to continue their athletic careers, but as a way to help the community. RSG! athletes are paired with a school which they adopt, visiting them at least five times during the school year.

“We have a chance to use our identity as Olympians for doing some really good things,” said Olympian Peter Vidmar, “To go into adopt a school, to get to know these kids and to see them flourish as they understand the importance of taking care of themselves.”

Their efforts are paying off in more ways than one. On the annual Fitnessgram test, a comprehensive reporting tool used by states across the country to assess children’s physical fitness, RSG! participants not only perform better than nonparticipants on the physical tests, they also show a higher level of knowledge about nutrition and physical fitness.

The RSG! mentors hope the children will in turn use what they’ve learned to help others.

“It’s about coming in and having a dialogue and carrying on a conversation and having them ask questions, but then also have them understand why it’s important for them to be active and to have fun with it,” said Olympian Giddeon Massie. “Hopefully, they’ll take it away and carry that on in their own communities, homes and friends, and have that become part of their daily routine.”

Many athletes participated in the Uniform Exchange Event. “You Light Me Up” is Samsung’s campaign slogan during Universiade Gwangju 2015.

The Samsung Athletes Meet was abuzz with the sounds of new friendships on July 7 and 12, as athletes from around the world gathered for special uniform exchange events during the Universiade Gwangju 2015 in Korea.

All week, Universiade competitors have left messages of encouragement for friends and rivals. This event brought athletes together for some fun and excitement in a carnival-like atmosphere. Swimmers Zhang Sishi of China and Pholien Systermans of Belgium were among those who exchanged uniforms on July 12.

Zhang, a gold medalist in the women’s 200m individual medley, said, “I am very pleased to spend time with the athletes.” Zhang said to Systermans, “I was happy to meet you and I will always cheer you.”

Zhang Sishi (left) of China and Pholien Systermans (right) of Belgium exchange uniforms on July 12.

Australian fencer Amy Reynolds made a new friend in American diver Olivia Rosendahl. “A lot of happy faces and thumbs up for the campaign,” said Reynolds, who also wished her new friend good luck before her competition began. “We met at the Samsung Athletes Meet a few days ago,” said Rosendahl. “It’s easy to make new friends here.”

In all, more than 170 athletes participated in the exchange over the two days, many of whom cheered and exchanged uniforms outside as they waited in line to get in.

Malena Coschiza, a swimmer from Argentina competing in the breaststroke, kept it simple with her new friend from Venezuela, freestyle swimmer Jose Gil Infante: “Exito suerta!” she yelled in Spanish. Good luck, indeed!

During the Universiade, Samsung has introduced the “You Light Me Up” campaign to encourage participants to cheer on fellow competitors in the name of friendship and sportsmanship. This campaign aims to foster an atmosphere of partnership in place of rivalry. About 3,800 athletes (more than 30% of all athletes competing in Gwangju) have shared encouraging messages to cheer on their fellow competitors through an app on Samsung devices at the “Samsung Athletes Meet” exclusive lounge under the name of You Light Me Up Campaign as of July 12.

This year’s Universiade includes athletes and officials from 170 countries and wraps up on July 14.

Read more: Samsung Sponsors Universiade Gwangju 2015