The Sensei
Encyclopedia
The Sensei is an independent feature
film, written, produced and directed by Diana Lee Inosanto
(credited as D. Lee Inosanto).
panic. McClain Evans is a gay
high school student, constantly the target of bullying in his town. Karen O'Neil is a woman haunted by the death of her pro-boxer fiance, Mark Corey. After a five-year absence, she returns to her family, who runs a successful martial arts
school. When McClain is attacked by three local teens, his mother, Annie, asks Karen to teach her son martial arts so that he can defend himself. Karen's family is fearful of anti-gay retaliation, so Karen is forced to secretly teach McClain at night. When word of this reaches her family, and the small-town community, violence erupts, and family and friendship are challenged, forcing Karen to reveal her own dark and tragic secret to those she loves most.
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
film, written, produced and directed by Diana Lee Inosanto
Diana Lee Inosanto
Diana Lee Inosanto is a Filipino American actress, stuntwoman, martial artist and film director, sometimes credited as D. Lee Inosanto.-Personal:...
(credited as D. Lee Inosanto).
Synopsis
Set in Colorado, the story takes place in 1985 during the rise of the AIDSAIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
panic. McClain Evans is a gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
high school student, constantly the target of bullying in his town. Karen O'Neil is a woman haunted by the death of her pro-boxer fiance, Mark Corey. After a five-year absence, she returns to her family, who runs a successful martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
school. When McClain is attacked by three local teens, his mother, Annie, asks Karen to teach her son martial arts so that he can defend himself. Karen's family is fearful of anti-gay retaliation, so Karen is forced to secretly teach McClain at night. When word of this reaches her family, and the small-town community, violence erupts, and family and friendship are challenged, forcing Karen to reveal her own dark and tragic secret to those she loves most.
Cast
- Diana Lee InosantoDiana Lee InosantoDiana Lee Inosanto is a Filipino American actress, stuntwoman, martial artist and film director, sometimes credited as D. Lee Inosanto.-Personal:...
as Karen Nakano O'Neil - Michael O'laskey as McClain Evans
- Keith DavidKeith DavidKeith David Williams , better known as Keith David, is an American film, television, voice actor, and singer. He is perhaps most known for his live-action roles in such films as Crash, There's Something About Mary, Barbershop and Men at Work...
as the Minister - Louis MandylorLouis MandylorLouis Mandylor is an Australian film and television actor.-Life and career:Mandylor was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, the son of Greek immigrants Louise and Yannis Theodosopoulos, a taxi driver...
as Mark Cory - Sab ShimonoSab ShimonoSab Shimono is an American actor who has appeared in dozens of movies and television shows in character roles.-Career:An accomplished stage actor, he has appeared on Broadway and in regional theaters including San Francisco's American Conservatory Theatre and Berkeley Repertory Theatre...
as Taky Nakano - Emily KurodaEmily KurodaEmily Kuroda is best known for her role as Mrs. Kim on TV's Gilmore Girls, but she has had a long career on stage and screen and is a veteran of East West Players, Los Angeles' premier Asian American theater group.-Life and career:...
as Flora Nakano - Michael Yama as Yori Nakano
- Tim Lounibos as Simon Nakano O'Neil
- Tzi MaTzi MaTzi Ma is a Chinese American actor who has made numerous appearances in American films and TV series.-Life and career:Ma was born in Hong Kong...
as the Buddhist Monk - Mark McGraw as Rick Beard
- Johnathan Camp as Craig Beard
- Gina Scalzi as Annie Evans
- Bryan Frank as Peter O'Neil
- Tim Lounibos as Simon O'Neil
- Michael Hake as Simon O'Neil
- Ron BalickiRon BalickiRon Balicki is an actor and stuntman for various films and television series. He is also a well known martial arts practitioner, teacher and author. He is a student and the son-in-law of Dan Inosanto.-Biography:...
as Frank
Awards
- Best Feature Writer – La Femme International Film Festival
- Honorable Mention, Best Feature Film – Philadelphia Asian American Film FestivalPhiladelphia Asian American Film FestivalThe Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival is a film festival that shows feature films and short films by and about Asian Americans. Its organizers, the nonprofit group Philadelphia Asian American Film and Filmmakers, intend it to be an annual event...
- Best Screenplay (Feature Film) – Hoboken International Film Festival
External links
- The Sensei profiled by Jane Mee Wong in Northwest Asian WeeklyNorthwest Asian WeeklyThe Northwest Asian Weekly is a weekly Asian American newspaper based in Seattle, Washington's International District. Distributed free, it was founded in 1982 by Assunta Ng, founder of the Seattle Chinese Post. It has a circulation of 16,000....
(Oct. 2008)