D. LEE INOSANTO, aka Diana Lee Inosanto, Starring LOUIS MANDYLOR, MIKE O’LASKEY, D. LEE INOSANTO, TZI MA, KEITH DAVID, SAB SHIMONO, EMILY KURODA, MARK MCGRAW, GINA SCALZI, Other Cast:TIM LOUNIBOS, BRYAN FRANK, MICHAEL HAKE, GERMAINE DELEON, JONATHAN CAMP, MICHAEL AUTERI, SPICE WILLIAMS, MICHAEL YAMA, ERIK BETTS, Director of Photography, Mark Rutledge, Edited by Reine Claire, Music Composer Deane Ogden, Other Music by SANCTION, Melissa Lewis, Produced by RON BALICKI, DIANA LEE INOSANTO, TARIK HEITMANN, Co-Produced by Sal Baldomar, Mark Grove, Brad Thornton, Associate Produced by Erin Quill, Chil Kong, Cool Breeze Ballard
Awards
RED CARPET WORLD PREMIERE With THE SENSEI
Celebrity Interviews: Nicole Scherzinger (Pussycat Dolls), Bob Wall (Enter the Dragon), Evan Karagias (WCW Champion), Veteran Actor Bill McKinney (Green Mile, Deliverance) and Cast with Louis Mandylor, Tim Lounibos, Mike Olaskey, and writer-director-actress, D. Lee Inosanto
Festivals
2009 Screenings in New York*****THE SENSEI *****May 22: 7:00pm • May 24: 5:00pm • June 2: 9:00pm************Jacob Burns Film Center364 Manville Road, Pleasantville, NY***Exit 30 Saw Mill Pkwy N/Exit 29 S*****914.773.7663, ext. 410************Tickets available online atwww.burnsfilmcenter.org For info and group sales call Info-Line: 914.747.5555
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!
