'9-Man': A Streetball Battle in the Heart of Chinatown

Ursula Liang's feature documentary is an inside look at a unique Chinese American sport.



I recently had the chance to re-watch the 9-Man, and I'm compelled to implore you to check out this film if you get the chance. The independent feature documentary, directed by Ursula Liang, is an awesome inside look at a gritty Chinese American streetball game that's been played in Chinatowns since 1930s.

Ursula examines the history of the game and its significance for the changing Chinatown community, following a diverse cast of athletes who work hard, play hard, and fight to keep the legacy of the sport alive. The film is insightful, thrilling, and well worth catching during its current film festival run.

Here's the trailer:

MOCA presents 9-MAN: The Panel, March 27

9-MAN is director Ursula Liang's documentary about a streetball game that originated in New York's Chinatown. It's a fast-paced and chaotic sport, and its rules are unique to Chinatown. So why haven't you heard of it? Because it's played only by men, and two-thirds of the players have to be "100% Chinese."

Curious to know more? If you happen to be in New York next Wednesday, March 27, you can catch a preview of Liang's documentary followed by a panel with the director, nine-man athletes, and historians at Museum of Chinese in America. Here are some more details about the event.

fund this: 9-man

I recently heard about this independent feature documentary about the unique Chinese American streetball subculture around the sport of "9-man." If you've never heard of it, you probably didn't grow up hanging around Chinatown.

Directed by Ursula Liang, this film gives you a rarely seen glimpse of the 9-man community. The project is currently trying to raise some production funds with a Kickstarter campaign. Here's the video with the pitch: