The Real Shaolin + Short Films on Tap for Wednesday
Posted in Blog on 10/06/2009 04:16 pm by Ron Sanchez
Awesome shorts program and a great documentary at the Goethe Institut on Wednesday!
Shorts Program: From Place to Place, 7 p.m. at the Goethe Institut, 812 Seventh Street, NW
Whether trying to break out on their own or staying close to home, the characters in this collection of short films show us that where we want to go all depends on the place that we are in. —Melissa Bisagni
Click here to purchase tickets.
Feature Presentation: The Real Shaolin, 9 p.m. at the Goethe Institut
The ancient rituals of Shaolin monks and their practice of Kung Fu have been widely exaggerated, if not misportrayed, in film and media. The Real Shaolin is a refreshing departure from the fiction as it deconstructs the myth of Shaolin by chronicling the experience of actual students who train and learn in the rural town of Central China, home to the modern day Shaolin Temple.
Filmmaker Alexander Sebastien Lee, who prepared for this project by training at Shaolin for several months himself, focuses on the intimate stories of four martial artists without emphasizing the flash and flair of their prowess in Chinese martial arts. Interviews with these students give us insight into their reasons for coming to Shaolin and the personal goals they hope to accomplish. This documentary strips away the idealized romanticism surrounding Shaolin Kung Fu by poignantly showing how reality can collide with the dreams of these students. —Christian Oh
The Real Shaolin is preceded by the short Just Another Floor Kids Battle.
Click here to purchase tickets.
