''The Sensei'' is a 2008 independent feature film, written, produced and directed by

Diana Lee Inosanto Diana Lee Inosanto is an American actress, director, former stunt performer, and Martial arts, martial artist. She also wrote and directed the film ''The Sensei'' (2008), and wrote the 2020 children's book ''The Curious Mind of Sebastian''. Per ...

(credited as D. Lee Inosanto).

Plot summary

Set in Colorado, the story takes place in 1985 during the rise of the

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

panic. McClain Evans is a

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late ...

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 fiancé, Mark Corey. After a five-year absence, she returns to her family, who runs a successful

martial arts Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defence; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; ...

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

as Karen Nakano O'Neil *

Keith David Keith David Williams (born June 4, 1956) is an American actor. He is known for his deep voice and screen presence in over 300 roles in film, stage, television, and interactive media. He has starred in such films as '' The Thing'' (1982), ''Pla ...

as the Minister *Michael O'Laskey as McClain Evans * Kerry Knuppe as Brenda *Brad Thornton as Larry Blackbelt * Louis Mandylor as Mark Corey * Sab Shimono as Taky Nakano *

Emily Kuroda Emily Keiko Kuroda (born October 30, 1952) is an American actress. She 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's pre ...

as Flora Nakano *

Michael Yama Michael Yama (November 14, 1943July 30, 2020) was an American actor who regularly voiced for GI Joe. His credits included ''The X-Files'', ''Just Shoot Me'' and ''Lois & Clark'', and he starred on ''Betty White's Off Their Rockers''. Prior to his ...

as Yori Nakano *Tim Lounibos as Simon Nakano O'Neil *

Tzi Ma Tzi Ma (;) is a Hong Kong-American actor. He has appeared in television shows including '' The Man in the High Castle'' and '' 24'', and films including ''Dante's Peak'', ''Rush Hour'', ''Rush Hour 3'', '' Arrival'', '' The Farewell'', ''Tiger ...

as the Buddhist Monk *Mark McGraw as Rick Beard *Jonathan Camp as Craig Beard *Gina Scalzi as Annie Evans *Bryan Frank as Peter O'Neil *Michael Hake as Gary O'Neil *

Ron Balicki Ron Balicki (born September 2, 1963) is an American actor, martial artist and stuntman for various films and television series. He is also a well known martial arts practitioner, teacher, and author. He is a student of and son-in-law to Dan In ...

as Samurai #1 / Sparring Partner Vince

Awards

*Best Feature Writer – La Femme International Film Festival *Honorable Mention, Best Feature Film – Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival *Best Screenplay (Feature Film) –

Hoboken International Film Festival The Hoboken International Film Festival is an annual festival that promotes domestic and international television pilots, screenplays, non-studio films. Awards, with cash prizes, are given for the best submissions. It is held at the Thomas Morahan ...

References

External links

* *
''The Sensei'' profiled by Jane Mee Wong
in

Northwest Asian Weekly The ''Northwest Asian Weekly'' is an Asian American newspaper based in Seattle, Washington's International District. It was founded in 1983 by Assunta Ng, publisher of the '' Seattle Chinese Post'', and published free weekly editions until Ja ...

(Oct. 2008) {{DEFAULTSORT:Sensei, The American independent films American LGBTQ-related films Films about Japanese Americans American martial arts films Films directed by Diana Lee Inosanto Films set in Colorado Films set in the 1980s HIV/AIDS in American films 2000s English-language films 2000s American films 2008 LGBTQ-related films