The Real Shaolin
Encyclopedia
The Real Shaolin
is an award-winning 2008 documentary film
directed by Alexander Sebastien Lee
. The Real Shaolin follows the story of two Chinese and two Westerners who journey to the Shaolin Temple in China
, inspired by the legends portrayed in Kung Fu movies with Bruce Lee
and Jet Li
. In the course of excruciating martial arts training, their fantasies to become Kung Fu warriors collide with harsh reality, as the Shaolin Temple is the ultimate test for martial artists from all over the world.
The Real Shaolin had its World Premiere at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival
, and USA Premiere and winner of Special Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the 2009 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
. The Real Shaolin has played in festivals around the world including Hawaii International Film Festival
, Doc NZ (New Zealand), Planet Doc Review (Poland), San Diego Asian Film Festival
, and the DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival
. In October of 2009, The Real Shaolin premiered at New York City
's IFC Center
for the documentary screening series Stranger than Fiction
The Real Shaolin was broadcast on Television in France
and Germany
on Arte
, in Holland on Holland Doc 24, in Israel
on Yes (Israel) Satellite TV, in Poland
on Against Gravity, and on Air Canada
flights.
is an award-winning 2008 documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
directed by Alexander Sebastien Lee
Alexander Sebastien Lee (director)
Alexander Sebastien Lee is an American actor and award-winning filmmaker born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Lee was raised by his Korean mother Yuri Lee, who exposed him from an early age to the films of Akira Kurosawa, Zhang Yimou, and Claude Berri...
. The Real Shaolin follows the story of two Chinese and two Westerners who journey to the Shaolin Temple in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, inspired by the legends portrayed in Kung Fu movies with Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
and Jet Li
Jet Li
The fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce...
. In the course of excruciating martial arts training, their fantasies to become Kung Fu warriors collide with harsh reality, as the Shaolin Temple is the ultimate test for martial artists from all over the world.
The Real Shaolin had its World Premiere at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival
2008 Toronto International Film Festival
The 2008 Toronto International Film Festival, was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This 33rd annual festival was from September 4 to September 13, 2008...
, and USA Premiere and winner of Special Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the 2009 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival – formerly known as VC FilmFest – is an annual film festival presented by Visual Communications . It was established in 1983 as a vehicle to promote Asian Pacific American and Asian international cinema. The festival fulfills a unique mission in...
. The Real Shaolin has played in festivals around the world including Hawaii International Film Festival
Hawaii International Film Festival
The Hawaii International Film Festival is a film festival held in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It was started in 1981 by Jeannette Paulson Hereniko and has been held annually in the fall for two weeks...
, Doc NZ (New Zealand), Planet Doc Review (Poland), San Diego Asian Film Festival
San Diego Asian Film Festival
The San Diego Asian Film Festival is an annual event organized by the San Diego Asian Film Foundation. The festival was first held in 2000 at the University of San Diego by the Asian American Journalists Association of San Diego.-Organization Overview:...
, and the DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival
DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival
Asian Pacific American Film, Inc., a nonprofit, tax-exempt charity under 501 of the Internal Revenue Code, produces the annual DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival in the capital of the United States, Washington, DC...
. In October of 2009, The Real Shaolin premiered at New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's IFC Center
IFC Center
IFC Center is an art house movie theater in Greenwich Village, New York City in the United States of America. It is located at 323 Sixth Avenue, on the former site of the Waverly Theater, which was itself a well known art house movie theater...
for the documentary screening series Stranger than Fiction
The Real Shaolin was broadcast on Television in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on Arte
Arte
Arte is a Franco-German TV network. It is a European culture channel and aims to promote quality programming especially in areas of culture and the arts...
, in Holland on Holland Doc 24, in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
on Yes (Israel) Satellite TV, in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
on Against Gravity, and on Air Canada
Air Canada
Air Canada is the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada. The airline, founded in 1936, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 178 destinations worldwide. It is the world's tenth largest passenger airline by number of destinations, and the airline is a...
flights.