FCSyndicate can confirm that independent filmmaker Jon Truei will make his online premiere in July with kung fu action comedy, The 44th Chamber Of Shaolin. Produced by Mary Pomilla, the shortfilm stars Marshieh Johnson and Santino “Mario” Marin, along with Samuel Dunning and Robert Samuels, and was shot in 2021 prior to screening a year later in New York City, and making its film festival run in the following months.
The 44th Chamber Of Shaolin is set in the suburbs and follows a dispirited Sifu (Marin) resigned to operating on airplane mode and teaching the few students he has left at makeshift kwoon in his backyard. When a kid (Johnson) desperate to learn kung fu to defend himself proffers him for lessons, what follows is an out-of-this-world experiment in self discovery inspired by beloved tropes of classic Hong Kong comedy akin to the likes of Stephen Chow and Wong Jing, with action sequences coordinated by Joey Min.
Development efforts remain pending as Truei aspires to turn The 44th Chamber Of Shaolin into a feature film; I’m told that Truei completed his script as of 2023 and has polished it since, refining it with a very defined shooting plan as of late 2024, and all that’s needed now are the right partners to make the investments to finally crank-in and bring his concept to fruition.
An exact date remains pending for the shortfilm premiere, which should come at any time between this Sunday and the rest of July. In the meantime, FCSyndicate can proudly share an exclusive clip from the short which you can view below. Check it out, and follow @jontruei on Instagram to keep your finger on the pulse.
