Photo of The Sensei

The Sensei

General Info

  • Website

    TheSenseiMovie.com
  • Directors

    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

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Blurbs

About me:

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“YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO DEFEND YOURSELF
Against hatred...
AND SELF-HATRED”

THE SENSEI

WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY D. LEE INOSANTO

“a film that will change hearts and minds”....

                  Thomas Howard Jr.,
 Education Director....

                         MATTHEW SHEPARD FOUNDATION....


“A masterful job of restoring spiritual integrity to the martial arts”........

                  -Michael Guillen
 Education Director....

                        THE EVENING CLASS / GREENCINE DAILY....


“'THE SENSEI' has awakened Hollywood."........

                  -Jay Fermin
 Education Director....

                         PINOY WIRED....


“A different kind of martial arts film.”........

                  -Phillip W. Chung
 Education Director....

                         ASIAN WEEK....


"The Sensei" Las Vegas SCREENING

LAS VEGAS Premiere
with DIANA LEE INOSANTO Director/Actress


Friday, November 13, 2009

Screenings: 7:15 pm / Q & A FOLLOWING

Where:
University of Nevada
4505 S. Maryland Parkway
Las Vegas, Nevada|29 89154


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


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



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


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


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


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


  • 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

     

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Who I'd like to meet:

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  • Status: Single
  • Zodiac Sign: Gemini

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