Gong Li's new hit 'leaps' to top China's box-office charts

Director Chan recalled in a recent interview that he was contacted about three years ago by the China Film Administration, the country's top sector regulator, to ask him to helm the project.

Despite Chan saying he was not a sports fan, he was impressed about a Chinese women's volleyball team's competition in Bangkok in late 1970s, when Chan was studying at a high school in Thailand.

That memory, etched in his mind for decades, led Chan to sign onto the film. He discussed it with his long-time collaborative scriptwriter, Zhang Ji, to expand the theme to a wider scale, which also reflects the changing values of Chinese people over sports, thanks to society's reform and opening-up.

Chan and his team spent more than a year collecting piles of historic stories, as well as interviewing many sports professionals and experts.

The tone was pitched to depict Lang and her friend, another prestigious coach, and their devotion to Chinese women's volleyball, with actors Huang Bo and Peng Yuchang playing the same character at different ages.

The film has scooped 9.3 points out of 10 on Maoyan, and 9.2 points on Tao Piaopiao, the country's largest online ticketing services.