Pocket Hercules: Naim Suleymanoglu

THIS MOVIE IS BASED ON THE REAL LIFE

OF WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION NAIM SULEYMANOGLU,

ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK "LITTLE HERCULES, MY BROTHER NAIM"

BY MUHARREM SULEYMANOGLU.

1977, MOMCHILGRAD, BULGARIA

-Mom! -Naim!

You dirty rascal. Were you swimming in the creek again?

-What happened? -You're soaked.

-Way to go, boy. -You're soaking wet!

Easy.

LABOR-COOPERATIVE FARM

SUCCESS AND GLORY OF WORK!

Wait.

Good boy.

Good boy. Way to go!

Naim!

Muharrem, Raim. Supper is ready.

Sit down.

Shouldn't we wait for Dad?

He's at work. I'll wait for him. You go ahead.

-I'll wait for Daddy. -Me too!

-Where are you going? -I'm hungry.

Okay, I'm getting it.

The food will get cold! Your dad will be here soon!

Come to the table!

Who am I talking to?

Naim, Raim, come to the table!

-I'm hungry. -Okay, it's coming. Wait.

-Dad brought the bus home, Mom. -A bus!

What the...

What bus?

Move.

-What is it? -Move.

Move.

I'll take my shoes off.

Clear the table. Come on. Take everything off.

Go on. Quick.

Don't put that on the table.

I'll drop the bus off at the garage and be right back.

Do not touch the box until I'm back.

The kids were going to eat.

Don't touch it. Daddy told us to wait.

-It's a TV! -Yes.

TV! TV! TV!

Let's open it.

Naim, you hold the box.

Did you put us on the list for a TV?

Yeah, five years ago.

You were three. You wouldn't remember.

It's heavy.

Put that stuff away.

-Come on. Clear the table. -Go easy.

Now you can watch TV right here.

And instead of going to other people's homes, you will call them here.

-Stop it, don't break it on the first day. -Let's connect the antenna.

-Do it later. -TV!

Oh, gosh! The food is getting cold.

One by one. Stay in line.

Stay there, wait.

Come on. Wait there. One by one.

Look, I've told you 50 times already.

So, again, spread your legs shoulder width apart.

Grab it right across your feet.

As you lift the barbell up...

you will position yourself like this.

That's it.

Let me see you do it, Ivan.

Drop it.

Now it’s your turn, Sasho.

He told you 50 times.

You grab it like this.

He said for you to lift it like this first. Then...

you'll quickly spread your legs.

Like you're jumping.

Naim.

Have you done some weightlifting before?

Would you like to do it?

Why not? Don't you want to be an athlete?

I do. Table tennis, swimming maybe.

Come to Kardzali and join our team. Weightlifting is a man's sport, boy.

-You work in Kardzali? -Yeah.

And I know Coach Enver.

-My dad drives the Kardzali bus. -Then he should bring you.

Naim, Muharrem!

You've entered without tickets again?

How long are you gonna keep driving me mad like this?

Enter without a ticket again, and I'll rip your ears off!

KARDZALI, BULGARIA

KARDZHALI-MOMCHILGRAD

Dad, Kardzali is so big.

Of course it is. What did I tell you?

BUS STATION

KARDZALI SPORTS SCHOOL

I only brought him here because of Enver's request.

-What the hell is weightlifting? -Don't say that, Mr. Suleyman.

Weightlifting is cool.

His mother heard that if he were to start at this age,

he wouldn't grow tall or have any kids. She told him and he got scared.

With time, you'll put on the weight and you'll learn the snatch.

Hilmi, you're here.

Welcome, Suleyman. Sorry for the trouble.

No trouble. We're honored.

Welcome, Naim.

-Kiss your coach's hand, boy. -Wait.

If I can help you in any way, then we'll consider hand kissing.

Go practice with Hilmi on the mat. Come on. Let's go.

We have a small number of athletes.

Wrestling is very popular, but weightlifting? Not so much.

We need to raise athletes, Suleyman. Hilmi spoke highly of your boy.

Let's see if there's any truth to it.

What do you say, Coach? You see any light in there?

Would you look at that.

Hold on, Hilmi.

Hilmi trained you at Momchilgrad, right?

He showed me some stuff.

Would you like to come here and train with me during the weekends?

Wouldn't you?

I will hold a tournament here in a month. Wouldn't you like to participate in it?

-There's a medal for the winner. -A medal?

-And it's gold. -Really?

So, let's train today.

-What do you say? -Okay.

Let us train today, Suleyman. You'll pick him up in the evening, okay?

Wait, be careful. Watch the distance between your feet.

It needs to be shoulder width. Spread them wider.

See you later. Take it easy with him.

Spread them.

-What grade are you in? -I speak Turkish.

So... what grade are you in?

Students...

you may begin your games.

Check...

mate.

Congrats.

Don't worry, maybe you'll win one day.

Here is your medal in the 22 kg category. Way to go.

-You've lifted more than your own weight. -Did I win?

Sure you did. You won the gold medal.

Look.

-Way to go. -Congrats, Enver.

We fully support you holding tournaments like this on your own.

Okay. You go change.

The newcomers just need a little encouragement.

You can give medals out like candy, but he's too young.

What's he doing in here? How old is he?

-Ten. -What?

He can't do this now. Regulations state that the minimum age is 14.

-Sofia is very strict about this. -It'll be fine.

There are scientific studies that support starting at that age.

You saw how they applauded you in there?

Your dad has agreed to four-week training. And it went so fast.

Maybe if you talk to him, I can practice another couple of weeks.

Now you have a big responsibility.

You may not realize just yet...

but this medal is heavier than a barbell.

Once every week won't cut it.

Let me move you to Kardzali and have you join the sports school.

And you'll officially be part of this team.

-Like, staying here? -Of course.

We have a sports hotel. You'll stay there.

With Brother Hilmi.

-You wanna come? -I don't know.

What's holding you back?

-Now, tell me. -Okay...

will my mom agree to this?

He's too young to be in Kardzali. And he'll be all alone.

Naim is not used to big cities. A car might hit him.

Thank you, Enver. This is all good...

but is it right to take a ten-year-old away from his home?

He won't be away from his home. He'll be here on the weekends.

He will. For two days.

With all due respect, why did you have to pick my child?

Aren't there any other athletes here?

That's a very good question, Sister Hatice.

Why did I pick your boy over all the other children?

Well, this kid that you gave birth to, Sister Hatice,

he's got a God given gift.

You should be mad at yourself for having a child with this talent.

You haven't slept yet?

Naim...

do you want to go to Kardzali?

I won't go if you say I can't, Mom.

You're too young.

I'm not. I won a medal.

Yes.

Yes, you did.

Okay.

But won't you be afraid? What will you do there all alone?

Why would I be afraid?

Wouldn't you miss us?

Sure.

I won't go if you ask me not to.

Your mouth is saying one thing. Yet your heart says something else.

I hope it ends well.

-Welcome. -Come on.

SPORTS DORMITORY - KARDZHALI

This one, too.

Naim, you forgot this bag.

This is your room.

You will be staying here with your older brothers.