Lion on the Mat

Directed by Asali Echols

This short documentary follows Mai Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American martial artist, as she trains for an upcoming Jiu Jitsu match. We witness how she mentally, as well as physically, prepares, balancing the demands of regular life—job, being a single mother—with training. As we gradually learn more about her past, we understand her commitment to martial arts as a way to recover from the trauma of her abusive childhood and ex-husband.