Believe That is a short documentary by filmmaker Caleb Yule. The film follows the journey of Team Santos, three players from Brighton Table Tennis Club, as they prepare to represent their country at the European Down’s Syndrome Championships.
Their coach, Pedro Santos, leads them through a rigorous training regime, challenging our everyday perceptions of people with Trisomy 21 Down’s Syndrome, how they should be treated and what they are capable of. Santos leads the T21 team with astounding energy, earnestness and patience, acting both kind and demanding to best develop three remarkable players. As a result, coach and player form strong, complex relationships, built upon immense love and mutual respect.
A deeply humane work, Believe That is an uplifting and educational portrait of one of the most under represented demographics; it presents a deep insight into the focal trio, highlighting their range and depth of emotion, humour and individuality.
As with all sporting journeys, one should expect both victory and defeat; we see two sides of a classic rite of passage from a unique perspective, capturing the joys of success and the frustrations of failure through a fresh pair of eyes.
What is witnessed is hard to believe, but impossible to forget.
The World Premiere of Believe That at the end of May was a sell out at the Duke of Yorks Picture House in Brighton. The audience sat mesmerised as they were given a unique insight into the training regime and watched the relationship between Players and Coach evolve.
Pippa Hodge, who attended the showing said: “The tension was palpable as the film built the audience up toward the nail biting finale of the championships. There was a standing ovation for the three sportsmen and their Coach, Pedro Santos.”
Preparations have now begun for five athletes with Down’s syndrome, four of whom are from Brighton Table Tennis Club, to represent Great Britain at the World Down Syndrome Championships 2018 which takes place in Madeira in October.
