Samsung Celebrates Barrier Breaking Athletes in New Film 'The Chant'

Leading up to the the latest event in an already exciting summer of sports, tech giant Samsung has released a new film called The Chant which is set at the Olympic Games in Rio. Continuing to highlight athletes who have defied the odds to make it where they are today, the film focuses on African runner Margret Rumat Rumat Hassan as she prepares to compete in Brazil. Margret will be part of the first Olympic team fielded by South Sudan, a nation barely five years old and whose NOC is the newest to be recognized by the International Olympic Committee. In her path to Rio, Margret’s journey has taken her from being displaced by conflict, to self-taught runner, to the 2014 Youth Olympic Games and now to the world’s stage.

The Chant itself celebrates the unique ability of the Olympics to bring people together, highlighting the support of her war-torn home nation as she prepares for her 400-meter sprint. The film cuts back-and-forth between Margret’s home nation and the stadium in Rio, showcasing the dichotomy between the roar of South Sudanese excitement for its participation in its first Olympics and Hassan’s silent, unyielding focus as she gears up to take to the field. Margret is a great fit for the the film which tells the story of the rising star but also shows off to the Samsung Gear IconX cord-free earbuds — drawing the comparison that the wireless headphones are also breaking barriers by allowing for new training possibilities for athletes.

Take a look at the film above and visit Samsung’s Olympic page for more stories of those who push the definition of what is possible to make it to where they are today.