Kayvon Derak-Shanian made his directorial debut with the feature documentary Empty Hand, which follows four competitors as they train to face their fiercest rivals in pursuit of the National Karate Championship title. Hailed by Black Belt Magazine as “A MUST SEE… the first real Karate movie in years,” the film premiered at DOC NYC to critical acclaim.
His second film, The Real Miyagi, chronicles the life and legacy of Fumio Demura - regarded as one of the greatest karate masters of our generation. Featuring Steven Seagal, Dolph Lundgren, and Michael Jai White, the film won seven international awards and was acquired by Netflix for worldwide distribution from 2015 to 2022.
In 2018, Kayvon released his third documentary, Make America Laugh Again, which opened theatrically in New York and Los Angeles to strong reviews. The film went on to win the Audience Award at Cinequest and qualified for consideration at the 91st Academy Awards in 2019.
Kayvon returned to the Karate Kid universe in 2021 with More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story, a deeply personal portrait of the beloved actor behind the iconic character. Featuring Ralph Macchio, Tommy Chong, and Henry Winkler, the film earned a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and was distributed globally.
In 2022, he produced Pepe Serna: Life Is Art, a celebration of the prolific Mexican-American character actor Pepe Serna - a trailblazer who appeared in over 250 films and helped pave the way for generations of Chicanx performers. Starring Edward James Olmos, Eva Longoria, and Cheech Marin, the film premiered at both the Palm Springs International Film Festival and the Austin Film Festival.
Transitioning into narrative storytelling in 2023, Kayvon directed his first short film, Abuelo, a moving drama about an immigrant grandfather who must raise his teenage granddaughter after a tragic accident. Abuelo was Oscar-qualified in 2023.
His second short film, Living in Fear, delves into the undercurrents of prejudice and trauma in post-9/11 America. A poignant exploration of the human spirit amidst fear and misunderstanding, Living in Fear marks Kayvon’s fourth Oscar-qualified film and is currently in contention for the 98th Annual Academy Awards.
