Country boy brings ancient kung fu to the MMA cage. Chaos ensues.
Rural kung fu whiz Qiang travels to the big city to visit his friend Lung, who's taken up Xanda, a new martial art that fuses multiple styles. When Lung is grievously wounded by the Xanda champ, Qiang trains in the sport to seek revenge in the ring.
Stunts
No wires, no CGI, just actual pain and commitment
Practical Effects
Xanda fights blend sanda, Muay Thai, and desperation
Direction
Marco Mak's gritty handheld chaos in underground rings
Director
Marco Mak Chi-Sin
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Xanda was a real short-lived combat sport promoted in China during the early 2000s, making this essentially a feature-length advertisement that accidentally became cult.
The film captures anxiety about rural migrants flooding cities—Qiang's fish-out-of-water story mirrors millions of workers' experiences, just with more face-kicking.
HK
