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Iron and Silk poster
6.2 / 10(10 votes)IMDb19911h 32mJapan, United States of America

Iron and Silk

“As a student in America, he searched for ancient wisdom. As a teacher in China, he learned to find it within himself.”

Synopsis

Iron and Silk is a 1990 movie based on the eponymous book by American writer Mark Salzman. It details his journey to China after college to study Chinese wu shu, better known in the west as kung fu, and to teach English. Though not trained as an actor, Salzman starred as himself, as did Pan Qingfu, who claimed no one else could portray him on film. Salzman's experiences occurred in Changsha, Hunan, though the film was shot in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. (Wikipedia)

Release History & Theatrical Window

World Premiere

Sundance Film Festival

Festival / Special Debut

Theatrical Premiere

February 15, 1991

Wide Cinema Exhibition

Key Information & Fast Facts

Director
Shirley Sun
Screenplay & Story
Mark Salzman, Shirley Sun
Original Score
Michael Gibbs
Original Title
Iron and Silk
Country of Origin
Japan, United States of America
Spoken Languages
English
Runtime
1h 32m
Production Studios
TBS, SUN-Productions

Creative Leadership & Key Crew

Director

Shirley Sun

Screenplay & Story

Mark Salzman, Shirley Sun

Original Score & Music

Michael Gibbs

Director of Photography

James Hayman

Film Editing

Geraldine Peroni, James Y. Kwei

Producers

Shirley Sun

Department Leadership Roster

Mark Salzman

Writer

Shirley Sun

Director

Shirley Sun

Writer

Geraldine Peroni

Editor

Shirley Sun

Producer

James Hayman

James Hayman

Director of Photography

Michael Gibbs

Michael Gibbs

Original Music Composer

Calvin Tsao

Production Design

James Y. Kwei

Editor

Age Classification & Content Advisories

Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.

International Certification Matrix

France (CNC)U

Tous publics — Universal audience.

Official cinematic photography and background stills for Iron and Silk.

Featured In Curated Collections

Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Iron and Silk.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Iron and Silk

Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.

What is Iron and Silk about?

Iron and Silk is a 1990 movie based on the eponymous book by American writer Mark Salzman. It details his journey to China after college to study Chinese wu shu, better known in the west as kung fu, and to teach English. Though not trained as an actor, Salzman starred as himself, as did Pan Qingfu, who claimed no one else could portray him on film. Salzman's experiences occurred in Changsha, Hunan, though the film was shot in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. (Wikipedia)

Who directed Iron and Silk?

Iron and Silk was directed by Shirley Sun.

Who stars in Iron and Silk?

The principal cast of Iron and Silk includes Mark Salzman, Qingfu Pan, Vivian Wu, Hangcheng Dong, Xihong Jiang.

When was Iron and Silk released and how long is it?

Iron and Silk was released in 1991 with a total runtime of 1h 32m.

Who composed the musical score for Iron and Silk?

The original motion picture soundtrack for Iron and Silk was composed by Michael Gibbs.

What is the age rating and content advisory for Iron and Silk?

Iron and Silk holds official age classifications: FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.).