IRON & SILK

br /> Described as “an exquisite and wise character study of two cultures clashing and reluctantly embracing,” IRON AND SILK is the true account of screenwriter Mark Salzman's two year sojourn in China. Driven by his passion for kung-fu movies, Salzman learned to speak Chinese while washing dishes in a Chinese restaurant. He later graduated from Yale with degrees in Chinese language and literature, and with China's doors open to the West, grabbed his first opportunity to go to that country to teach English to a group of teachers. His apprenticeship to the legendary martial arts master Pan Quinfu is one of many rich and colorful relationships which give IRON AND SILK its unique spirit. Salzman and the many characters who influenced him in China delightfully play themselves in this stunning on-location biography.