Fighting Spirit 2026 will take place at the Rio Cinema on the 4th, 5th, and 6th September, see below for the schedule.
SCHEDULE
FRIDAY 4TH SEPTEMBER
6.15PM - Opening film - Mexicali (18) plus short film Night Shift
Mexicali is the debut feature of stunt coordinator, now director, Luke LaFontaine (Avengement) and is written and produced by FSFF patron Jesse Johnson. Bren Foster (Life After Fighting/The Beast) plays Joe; an ex-fighter with a certain set of skills. Joe still fights in underground tournaments, to help his partner, Estrella (Tania Raymonde) whose avocado farm becomes a target for a criminal gang. In the mix, Kris Van Damme (son of JCVD) plays a suitably unlikeable baddie.
Fans of classic American martial arts films are sure to feel at home here. The opening fight scene has echoes of Bloodsport with gritty hand-to-hand action, and Foster displays some great moves that are worthy of a rewind if you have the setup to do so. The chemistry between Estrella and Joe is believable and relatable (being characters that compliment each other and fill the gaps in each others weaknesses — yin yang if you like). There are moments (like Estrella's training sequence) that seem to give a nod to John G Avildsen (who LaFontaine met as a teenager when he was in Karate Kid, playing a crowd role in the final tournament). In the closing act we get more guns and explosions, but we also find that Joe's character has gone from fighting battles solo to working with a team - the magnificent three if you like.
This feature will be preceded by the short film “Night Shift”.
SATURDAY 5TH SEPTEMBER
10.00AM - Short Films in Competition Part 1 (18)
In our Short Films Screening we will be showing a mix of fiction and documentaries, all produced by film makers from around the world. Whether you like traditional kung fu, modern hard hitting action, or real life stories, there will be something for you! The films in this section will be: Mixed Bag, Being A Fighter, The Turning Point, Scripted Pain, Spirit Moves - Me And Gee Gee Willie , Elsewhere Fragments: Krieg, Reprise, Time, Bangkok Dragons, Beyond The Mat, Still Yours, My Hero, One More Opening Sequence, Till Theft Do Us Part, Floor, Reborn
2.00PM - Project Sifu Part 2: Panel Talk
Amid rising concerns over youth violence in the UK, Project Sifu follows a unique pilot initiative that merges martial arts training with action filmmaking to empower young people through creativity, discipline, and cultural exchange. Set in Sheffield and co-created by film scholar Dr. Wayne Wong and Fighting Spirit Film Festival founder Soo Cole, the project brings together a diverse group of students—many with no prior martial arts or filmmaking experience.
Over 12 weeks, participants learn techniques ranging from Wing Chun to cinematic choreography, supported by a team of industry professionals. Through physical training, stunt practice, film production, and reflections on cultural identity, Project Sifu documents their personal transformations and the creation of their own short action film. It is both a celebration of martial arts cinema and a heartfelt exploration of confidence-building, cross-cultural dialogue, and the joy of collaborative learning. The first Project Sifu culminated in a short film that was screened at FSFF 2025.
This is a special panel and catch up with scholar, author and director Wayne Wong, and some of the participants who worked on the follow up to Project Sifu 2025. This time the project included a series of stunt workshops, taking the documentary and short from 2025 on tour and making another short with some new faces. In collaboration with Sheffield University, Geez A Gi and FSFF.
4.00PM - Charity Screening - EJ’s Warriors Part 3 (18) plus short film PEN.
A continuation of the EJs Warriors series, chronicling the martial journey of the young students of EJs Warrior Karate Academy, Columbus, Ohio.
Part 3 picks up the story, with Sensei EJ and The Warriors en route to international tournaments in Brazil, Greece and Paraguay and details the obstacles involved in navigating the road to success, and ups and downs felt by the kids and their loved ones.
An uplifting and inspiring documentary. All proceeds from this screening will be donated to charity.
Preceding this screening will be the short film “PEN”.
8.15PM - Valkyries (18) + Q&A with director Carmen Torner
Valkyries follows two female MMA fighters - Mariona, a young Catalan athlete starting her amateur journey, and Emily, a Brazilian professional who has built her life through the cage.
Over four years, the film captures their parallel paths as they battle in and out of the ring, confronting trauma, love, family, and identity. A visceral portrait of strength, tenderness, and survival.
This feature will be accompanied by an introduction and Q&A with the director Carmen Torner
SUNDAY 6TH SEPTEMBER
10.00AM - Short Films In Competition Part 2 (18)
In our Short Films Screening we will be showing a mix of fiction and documentaries, all produced by film makers from around the world. Whether you like traditional kung fu, modern hard hitting action, or real life stories, there will be something for you! The films in this section will be: Way Of War, Story Of The Dragon, Copy Protection, What Remains, Cantrik, Dragon Tiger ,In Celebration of Rochelle Ashana, Mutiny, Hunted, Stronghold, Nak Muay, The Eagle's Sun, Happy Cooking, This Is Our Legacy, Checkov's Bun.
2.00PM - Late Night At The Rio - The Kung Fu Years
The Rio Cinema is one of the oldest cinemas in London, and has a rich history of screening Kung Fu Films throughout the years. This free panel talk will look back as the history of the Rio Cinema as a hub for the scene, and explore the wider context of the kung fu genre explosion in the 70s/80s, and it’s enduring legacy. This is a free event.
The panel guests will be:
Silvio Simac (Undisputed 3, Man Of Tai Chi, Transporter 3), a world champion martial artist and international action actor who has featured in over 40 film and TV productions.
Rochelle Ashana (Kickboxer, Blade), an actress and stuntwoman with decades of experience in the film industry
Esmond Francis, Founder of Martial Way Training, a kickboxing school based in Tottenham. Esmond is also a Fighting Spirit team member and a huge kung fu film buff!
Matt Routledge (The Medallion, Mersey Cop, Beyond Illusion), a martial artist, stuntman, film director, and FSFF alumni
Mike Fury, a journalist and author, who wrote the acclaimed “Life Of Action” book series. Mike is also a judge for FSFF’s short film awards.
Rick Baker, a film insider who runs the Kung Fu Cafe. Rick has been involved in Kung Fu Cinema in the UK for over 30 years as a distributor, event coordinator, and journalist.
3.30PM - Princess Khulan - The Mongolian Wrestler, short film Lutadora + Q&A with Dino Argentiero
The documentary Princess Khulan tells the story of 10-year-old Khulan, who lives in the mountains near Ulaanbaatar and dreams of winning Olympic gold in wrestling.
Trained by her father, an experienced wrestler, she strives to achieve her goals despite the limited recognition and prestige of women’s wrestling in Mongolia.
Her journey is intertwined with the legend of Khutulun, a 13th-century warrior princess and elite wrestler, who was believed to be a descendant of Genghis Khan.
This screening with be accompanied with an introduction and Q&A by Director Dino Argentiero
Preceding this film will be the short documentary “Lutadora”.
6.00PM - Bloodsport (18) plus short film Jisu Han
7.45PM - Short Films Award Ceremony
The mythology surrounding Bloodsport is almost as fantastic as the film, which is certainly a contender for most influential American martial arts film of all time, and one that catapulted Jean Claude Van Damme to a superstar of the genre and an icon of martial arts in the 80s and 90s.
Legend has it that Cannon Films hated the film so much, it took star Van Damme going on the road and promoting it himself, before the film got an American release. While the accuracy of that claim is sketchy at best (the film was released across America before it set records in Malaysia) it’s certainly true that Bloodsport went on to enjoy cult status on VHS and is beloved by fans worldwide.
Originally marketed as the true story of co-writer Frank Dux’s life, Bloodsport stars JCVD as Dux, an elite fighter who has been recruited by the American Defence Agency as a special operative. Dux goes AWOL and heads to Hong Kong to take part in the Kumite, a secret martial arts competition held every five years by the International Fighting Arts Association.
The elaborately choreographed fights are a sensational showcase of peak-Van Damme’s skills and each one is more thrilling than the last. It’s fully fitting that a modern play on a ‘Han’s Island’ style of tournament, JCVD must face-off against the mighty Bolo Yeung in the finale.
Fighting Spirit is proud to present a true classic of American martial arts films. Don’t miss it on the big screen!
Preceding this screening will be the short film “Jisu Han”.
Following this screening will be the short films award ceremony. Entry to the awards ceremony is free but attendees will need to register for a ticket via our Eventbrite. If you have a ticket for Bloodsport awards entry is included in the ticket.
8.50PM - Closing film - Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In《九龍龍城寨之圍城》plus short film Through The Vast World
Based on the novel and manhua by Yuyi, Twilight of the Warriors takes high-concept action to new heights, as Chan Lok-Kwan (Raymond Lam) descends into the dark and chaotic underworld of the Kowloon Walled City (recreated and reimagined for the film).
On the run from Mr Big (played by living legend and action maestro Sammo Hung) Chan must navigate the warren-like city populated by underground figures Cyclone (Louis Koo) gangs, and the devilish Philip Ng (in a career best performance as the manic enforcer King).
No stranger to gritty and highly cinematic action, director Sui Cheang (SPL II) keeps the pace, with tight storytelling and tense atmosphere — which is complimented by Tanigaki Kenji’s (Raging Fire, The Furious) stylish, hard boiled and flashy action — and stellar performances by the main cast.
Twilight of the Warriors swept the board at the 2024 Hong Kong Film Awards, making it one of the most recognised and culturally important Hong Kong martial arts action films of the decade, and is an absolute blast on the big screen.
Preceding this screening will be the short film “Through The Vast World”.