The Sensei

Check some of the Festivals We've

Been a Part Of:

Nationwide Film Festival Schedule-
Fall Season:

• 9/20: Colorado Springs:     Pike's Peak Lavender Film Festival
  Cornerstone Arts Center
  WWW.PPLFF.ORG/2008.PHP
  Call 719-38-MOVIE
  
  

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• 10/12: Philadelphia, PA:     Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival
  Asian Arts Initiative
  www.PhillyAsianFilmFest.org
  
  
  

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• 10/15: Rochester, NY:     Image Out Film Festival
  Little Theater
  www.imageout.org/2008Festival.htm
  Call: 585-271-2640
  
  

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• 10/18: Beverly Hills, CA:     La Femme International Film Festival
  Fine Arts Theatre
  www.lafemme.org
  Phone: 310.441.1645
  
  

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• 10/22: Washington, D.C.:     Reel Affirmations Film Festival
  Sixth and I Synagogue
  www.reelaffirmations.org
  
  

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• 10/24: Seattle, WA:     Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival
  Admiral Twin Theater
  www.seattlequeerfilm.com
  Call 206-323-4274
  
  

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• 11/9: Chicago, IL:     Reeling Film Festival
  Admiral Twin Theater
  www.reelingfilmfestival.org
  CALL 773-293-1447
  
  

  Synopsis: 
          
  THE SENSEI is about a lonely gay teen named McClain growing up in a small town in Colorado during the dawn of the AIDS epidemic. Constantly the target of hate and bullying, after a near fatal beating by three school mates, he finds himself the secret student of a woman "sensei" named Karen who teaches him the martial ways to protect himself and the path to inner peace. But there are some lessons in life that don't come easy.

  (THE SENSEI is endorsed by civil rights groups like the Matthew Shepard Foundation, Human Rights Campaign (Dallas), and the Hate Crimes Bill Act- lead by Senators Ted Kennedy and Gordon Smith.)

  CAST:

  • Louis Mandylor (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding, THE QUEST”)
  
  
  • Keith David (“CRASH, There's Something About Mary”)
  • D. Lee Inosanto (“THE PRODIGY”)
  • Mike Olaskey (“3 Ninjas, High Noon at Mega Mountain”)
  • Tzi Ma (“RUSH HOUR, Alpha dog”)
  • Sab Shimono (“Southland Tales, Waterworld”)
  • Emily Kuroda (“Gilmore Girls”)
  
  
  and introducing...
  
  
  • MARK MCGRAW 

  ADDITIONAL CAST:
  
  Gina Scalzi, Tim Lounibos, Bryan Frank, Michael Hake, Germaine Deleon, Michael Auteri, Michael Yama, Spice Williams, Erik Bettz, Cesar Lomeli, and Jonathan Camp.

  
  

  DIRECTORS COMMENTS:

  My movie mirrors the political and social struggles still happening today. With the recent murder of Lawrence King who ironically lived in my area (http://www.rememberinglawrence.org/) I am glad that I took the path to make this film despite the hardships and politics my producers and myself endured. I was motivated to make my film years ago after the senseless murder of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming 1998. Lawrence King's case only bears in mind the need to create more awareness about tolerance and diversity.

  Presently, THE SENSEI is endorsed by civil rights groups like the Matthew Shepard Foundation and the Hate Crimes Bill Act (www.hatecrimesbill.org), which was lead by Senator Ted Kennedy and Senator Gordon Smith. We’ve also have the support of those involved with Human Rights Campaign, Simon Wiesenthal Center: Museum of Tolerance, and Rainbow Alley to name a few.

  However, as a Writer/Director/ Producer, the road to making THE SENSEI was not easy. THE SENSEI made international headline news in 2005 when the Associated Press got wind of our struggles. Two ultra conservative school districts (one of them that governed Columbine High School) would not allow us to film due to "questionable values" as one administrator stated. 

  As a Writer/Director/ Producer, the road to making THE SENSEI was not easy. THE SENSEI made international headline news in 2005 when the Associated Press got wind of our struggles. Two ultra conservative school districts (one of them that governed Columbine) would not allow us to film due to "questionable values" as one administrator stated. As I have always stated in the press, THE SENSEI is a movie about respect, tolerance and personal growth. Pretty good values to me!

  Join The Sensei movement!

  --D. Lee Inosanto
  
  www.TheSenseiMovie.com