World Premiere
Set on Vancouver Island in the 1990s, The Bryce Lee Story follows 13-year-old Bryce, a recent immigrant from China living with his uncle while his father remains behind. Making homemade action movies with his younger sister, Bryce dreams of becoming a filmmaker. But struggling to fit in and facing anti-Asian prejudice at school, he claims to be related to martial arts icon Bruce Lee. The lie captivates the Godard-obsessed leader of the school film club, propelling the kids into an ambitious martial arts production that triggers a chaotic series of events.
In his sophomore feature, Arnold Lim draws from his own upbringing in rural BC to confront the “model minority” myth with warmth, humour, and compassion. Grounded in a distinctly West Coast setting, The Bryce Lee Story balances complex questions of identity and family with an infectious love of cinema. Thoughtfully examining how identity is shaped, performed, and ultimately reclaimed, the film offers an engaging coming-of-age story about the universal pursuit of belonging.
The Oct 10 screening of The Bryce Lee Story is a Relaxed Screening. Relaxed Screenings are open to anyone who could benefit from a more casual, supportive and laid-back experience. Learn more about Relaxed Screenings here.
Oct 5 & 6: Filmmaker Q&A
Presented by
Media Partner
Rickie Wang, Cordelia Chao, Benny Wang
Canada
2026
In English and Mandarin with English subtitles
Violence
Open to youth
Book Tickets
Tuesday October 06
Saturday October 10
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits & Director
Executive Producer
Raymond Massey
Producer
Lynne Lee, Arnold Lim
Screenwriter
Kyle D’Odorico, Arnold Lim, Connor Gaston, Mo Bradley
Arnold Lim
Arnold Lim is a writer & director, recently directing and co-writing his second Telefilm-funded feature film, The Bryce Lee Story. A photo and video journalist for two decades and a Photography Manager for five Olympic Games, Lim won the Director’s Guild of Canada’s Greenlight award for Obscura (옵스큐라,) which won the 2024 Leo Awards for Best Screenwriting and Best Short Film.
Filmography: All-in Madonna (2020)
Northern Lights
See more films in this series
The Bryce Lee Story
A 13-year-old immigrant and aspiring filmmaker falsely claims he's related to Bruce Lee in this Vancouver Island-set film. The Bryce Lee Story is a heartfelt coming-of-age tale about identity, family, and the search for belonging.
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