The documentary had always been in the back of Thomas' mind, ever since he had seen it on television as a child: the Chinese Buddhist temple on a hill shrouded by mist, the small children training to become Kung Fu masters and the beauty of martial arts. 'I stepped on a plane without a real plan,' Thomas says. 'When I arrived in Shaolin, everything was much bigger and less romantic than I had envisioned. It turned out to be one of China’s biggest tourist spots.' Still, Thomas stayed and came back repeatedly, each time reaching a bit further behind the strong walls of the temple grounds. When some of the monks he met in China toured worldwide with Sutra - a show by choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui - Thomas went along for the ride. 'I'm drawn to the dramatic character and the power of Kung Fu. There’s a kind of magic and mystery to it, even when you’ve experienced what goes on behind the curtains.’