The Real Shaolin follows director/Tea Kwon Do black belt Sebastien Lee to a legit Shaolin Temple. Here he documents life and training at the mysterious home of the worlds most notorious warrior monks. We get the following information regarding the film from the 36 chambers of Yahoo:
They went to kick butt and gain enlightenment, but what the men in new documentary “The Real Shaolin” found in China was loneliness, pain, bad food and angry kung fu teachers. But the reality, as told in “Real Shaolin” which debuts at the Toronto International Film Festival this week, has little to do with flying fists and more with hard work.
“The difference between movies and the reality I try to show is that in the movies when they experience hardship, it’s romanticized,” director Alexander Sebastien Lee told Reuters. He spent about 18 months filming two Chinese, Yuan Peng and Zhu Hao Shan, American Orion Lee and Frenchman Eric Guillou, as they spent 8 to 10 hours-a-day kicking, punching stretching, and just as important praying and meditating.
I first heard about this film from my friend Wintle, a noted Kung Fu enthusiast and master of the breadboard assault.
I am pleased as punch to get a look into the legendary Shaolin Temple. The monks are famous for a reason and I am sure their dedication to monastic life is just as impressive as their dedication to the practice of Kung Fu. Seasons come and go, men become monks and old monks die, but Kung Fu is a constant at the Shaolin Temple thanks to the practice and the devotion of her adherents.
This focused life of extreme dedication is one that can be admired even if you push aside the glorious art of Kung Fu. I think that’s why the film appeals to me so very much. Those that stay in the temple live a simple life of prayer and training. This stripped down existence leads to focus of talent and ability. Everything great requires focus, and the Kung Fu of the monks can be analogous to any endeavor sought out by humans willing to put aside much in order to achieve something seemingly super human.
Sadly, I’m not at the TIFF, but if any of you get a chance to see this one – please fill us in on your thoughts.
