For most of us, those cyclists running at the back of the race are simply the losers. They are called the water-carriers, the crew, the gang, who sacrifice their careers and personal victories, so their team leaders can win the race. Arūnas Matelis followed these Sancho Panzas of professional cycling for 7 years during the prestigious Giro d'Italia, and reveals the unseen world of these wonderful losers of professional cycling from the point of view of the doctors' team. Our bike heroes crash, rise – and race again.
Аrūnas Matelis was born in 1961 in Kaunas, Lithuania. After directing 10 creative documentary shorts, Arūnas Matelis’ first mid-length documentary Before Flying Back to the Earth received over 10 awards, including a Directors’ Guild of America (DGA) Award, awards at IDFA Amsterdam, DOK Leipzig, and a nomination for the European Film Award. Wonderful Losers: A Different World is Arūnas Matelis’ first feature-length documentary.
Selected: Giants of Pelesa (1989), 10 Minutes Before Flight of Icarus (1990), Selfportrait (1993), First Farewell to Paradise (1998), Sunday. Gospel According to Lift-Man Albertas (2003), Before Flying Back to the Earth (2005)
