Epoch Times: You are the writer, director and producer of “Sandstorm” – how did that happen? Did you ever think to have anyone else direct or produce it?
Michael Mahonen: Before “Sandstorm” I had experience writing screenplays already, so once I became a [Falun Gong] practitioner and started doing various things to let people know about the persecution, I decided to write a script. I didn’t need a director, I knew I could direct it; the first script that I wrote I had already shot the movie in my head, I had basically directed it already; the same with “Sandstorm,” I had that in my imagination.

ET: What was it like getting this movie made?
MM: It was really hard work. I had to do so many jobs that are usually done by individuals full time. When you see these individuals on a set they’re all stressed out, but I had to do them.

ET: Some of your cast members, including your lead actor, had no previous acting experience. What was it like directing an inexperienced cast?
MM: Initially a different practitioner was scheduled to play the lead role and I had prepared him for two weeks. Two days before we were going to shoot, he can’t do it, but everything else was ready to go. Practitioners had opened up their homes, [director of photography/editor] David Chai was flying up from California, and suddenly we don’t have a lead character. I asked around to see if practitioners had other ideas and Rong Tian’s name came up. When I met him I knew that he was the one; I knew that he would be immediately believable as a policeman: big guy, strong presence, a real joker; that playfulness might have something to do with his power as an actor.

ET: Why was it important to have a practitioner in that role?
MM: I think it’s important because his character is conflicted. It wasn’t as important to have a practitioner for that role as it was for the role of The Practitioner, but it would have to be played by someone who really understands how evil this persecution is.

ET: About The Practitioner, Lilli Li, she is someone who was actually tortured in China – how did she get through reliving that?
MM: I heard there was a practitioner in Montréal who experienced [force-feeding]. I asked her through translation what had happened. While she was explaining the force-feeding, I thought she would be perfect in the role. She said “sure” and came from Montreal to shoot. She had no problem with doing the scene; she was focused on doing the job. I personally found it difficult at the time to relish [the experience] as it was happening because there were so many things happening constantly.

ET: How’d you get through it?
MM: Determination. Determination that this could be something really strong and I was also inspired by the performances when I started seeing them. As a practitioner, it was a huge test of tolerance and patience. We shot in two phases and I saw that in the second phase, my patience had improved. It was just a matter of knowing the purpose, having the sense that it would be effective. When you have a strong, clear purpose and an extremely urgent situation … you can see the practitioners in China and see how urgent the situation is; as someone who does the practice and knows the preciousness of the teachings and knowing that this is trying to be eradicated - that also gives a great inspiration.

ET: How has your life changed since you made the movie?
MM: I would have to speak of it in terms of being a practitioner – it has made me take a closer look at myself. As a practitioner, you don’t just do things; you're always trying to improve and be better. In making the movie we didn’t know what was going to happen but since we made it and it’s received these awards, these are all opportunities to become more aware of myself and to improve.