Shaolin Ulysses Five Shaolin Monks Set Out to Make New Lives Teaching Their Craft In Unlikely Parts of America In 2000, Ang Lee's Academy Award-winning film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon opened the eyes of audiences to kung fu fighting warriors. But while many thought the characters were based on fiction or perhaps some ancient art forgotten long ago, SHAOLIN ULYSSES: KUNG FU MONKS IN AMERICA is the story of real fighting kung fu monks and their quest to bring their Buddhist martial arts style to the United States today. Breathtaking in its sheer physical virtuosity, the film thrills with martial arts performances and jaw-dropping techniques such as "iron neck" and even "iron crotch," which must be seen to be believed. SHAOLIN ULYSSES airs nationally on the PBS series Independent Lens, hosted by Don Cheadle, on Tuesday, October 28 at 10 p.m. (check local listings). SHAOLIN ULYSSES traces the odyssey of five Shaolin kung fu monks from China who came as immigrants to America in the 1990s. These New World pioneers of Shaolin kung fu and Zen Buddhism share their lives, ambitions and visions of building American temples, doing Las Vegas shows and producing Olympic sport champions. From New York to Texas to Las Vegas, their stories reflect a unique version of the American Dream, Shaolin style. Ex-monk Li Peng Zhang (a.k.a Shi Xing Peng) in Brooklyn, NY Shaolin monk Shi De Shan in Texas Shaolin Monk Shi Xing Hong peforms kungfu at NASA in Houston, Texas Photos by Martha Burr/ITVS The film began as a concept between producers Martha Burr and Mei-Juin Chen several years ago. Burr was the editor of a kung fu magazine and Chen had recently debuted her documentary in Berlin on the famous Chinese opera star Mei Lanfang. Both shared an interest in Chinese culture and cross-cultural topics, especially between China and America. They decided to explore the stories of five immigrant kung fu monks from China's Shaolin Temple, the legendary birthplace of kung fu and Zen Buddhism and today's contemporary kung fu Mecca. The stories of the five kung fu monks who left their homeland are as individual and varied as the men themselves. Shi Guolin opened a successful Buddhist temple and kung fu school in Flushing, Queens. Li Peng Zhang has married an American woman and now is raising a family in Brooklyn, New York. Two monks, Shi Xing Hao and Shi De Shan, have landed in Houston, Texas, where they coach young athletes aspiring to the Olympics (where kung fu may be a medal sport in 2008) and teach brutal self-defense and submission takedowns to Texas police. And finally, one of the biggest Shaolin stars, Shi Xing Hong, is spring boarding to Las Vegas, where he sees a perfect opportunity to spread Zen and kung fu in America. Interspersed throughout the documentary is footage and history of China's Shaolin Temple in Henan province, chronicling the creation of Zen and kung fu by a wandering monk named Bodhidharma 1,500 years ago. Today the temple is a mega-tourist attraction, the world's largest kung fu school, and a UNESCO World Heritage Monument applicant. The film explores the cultural interface of Shaolin kung fu, Zen Buddhism and America. It is at once a story about immigrants, a story about kung fu and Buddhism, a story about dreams and a story about journeys. Obliquely it poses the question: will Shaolin change America, or will America change Shaolin? The program's interactive companion website at www.pbs.org/shaolinulysses features detailed information about the film, including an interview with the filmmakers, as well as links and resources pertaining to the film's subject matter. The site also features a talkback section for viewers to share their ideas, preview clips of the film, and much more. About The Filmmaker Martha Burr (Co-producer/Co-director/Writer/Sound) received her PhD in American Studies at New York University, where she also studied filmmaking after attending Harvard as an undergraduate. She has directed music videos for record companies such as Interscope, which aired on MTV's various shows, and worked in other film production capacities. Burr is a consultant for museums, including the Cowgirl Hall of Fame Museum, Fort Worth, Texas, and for documentaries such as the recent Kungfu: The Animal Within for the Discovery Channel. From 1997-2003 she was the Executive Editor of Kungfu magazine. In this role she pioneered three Special Issue magazines devoted exclusively to the Shaolin Temple, in 1999, 2000 and 2002. She has traveled extensively throughout China and works with many international martial arts organizations, including the leaders of the Chinese Wushu Association and Shaolin Temple. Burr was honored by her peers with the Outstanding Contribution award in the Hall of Fame of the USA Wushu Kungfu Federation in 1999. Mei-Juin Chen (Co-producer/Co-director/Camera/Editor) is a native of Taipei, Taiwan. She has resided in Los Angeles since 1989. She received her M.A. at the University of Southern California in Film and Anthropology. Chen has directed for the Current Affairs Department of China Central Television in Beijing. She has also translated and subtitled approximately 250 films into Chinese, and writes articles on American culture and film for Taiwan- and China-based newspapers and magazines. Chen is an award-winning documentary maker whose work has been shown on broadcast television in the US, Asia and Europe and in film festivals throughout the world. Her previous work, The Worlds of Mei Lanfang, debuted at the Berlin Film Festival 2000 and won an honor from Women in Film. Teodoro Maniaci (Director of Photography) has shot 20 commercial and documentary features since graduating from New York University with an MFA in film production. Several of these critically acclaimed features have premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and at Cannes, including The Business of Strangers and The Tao of Steve. His experimental documentary for Laurie Anderson premiered at Berlin International Film Festival in 2002. John Zorn (Composer) is a New York based avant-garde musician who has longtime interests in cultural collisions and interfaces. Zorn is known for his eclectic compositions and improvisational style. He often works with Asian musicians and Asian themes. He had composed dozens of film scores and scored Mei-Juin Chen's first documentary, Hollywood Hotel, in 1994. Beau Bridges (Narrator) is the son of actor Lloyd Bridges and brother of actor Jeff Bridges, with whom he co-starred with in The Fabulous Baker Boys. Bridges has starred in many films and television shows since he began acting in 1967, and has won several Emmy awards. He has four children and lives with his wife Wendy in Calabasas, California. About Independent Lens Independent Lens is a weekly series airing Tuesday nights at 10 P.M. on PBS. Hosted by Angela Bassett, the anthology series features documentaries and a limited number of dramas united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement and unflinching visions of their independent producers. Independent Lens features unforgettable stories about a unique individual, community or moment in history. Presented by ITVS, the series is supported by interactive companion websites, and national publicity and community outreach campaigns. Independent Lens is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private corporation funded by the American people, with additional funding provided by PBS. About ITVS Independent Television Service (ITVS) funds and presents award-winning documentaries and dramas on public television, innovative new media projects on the Web and the weekly series Independent Lens on Tuesday nights at 10 P.M. on PBS. ITVS is a miracle of public policy created by media activists, citizens and politicians seeking to foster plurality and diversity in public television. ITVS was established by a historic mandate of Congress to champion independently produced programs that take creative risks, spark public dialogue and serve underserved audiences. Since its inception in 1991, ITVS programs have revitalized the relationship between the public and public television, bringing TV audiences face-to-face with the lives and concerns of their fellow Americans. ITVS is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people. Contact itvs@itvs.org or visit www.itvs.org. ITVS is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American People. This website: Copyright © 2003 Dream World Media, LLC. / Urban Mozaik Magazine. All rights reserved. This website/publication, in whole or in part, may not be reproduced without written permission from the publisher or the previous publisher of original republished materials.