*Only one copy of the Wu-Tang Clan’s “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin” will ever legally exist. Now the man who helped bring that album to life gets his own spotlight in “The Disciple: A Wu-Tang Fable,” a new documentary premiering Oct. 16.
The film follows Cilvaringz, a Dutch-Moroccan rapper and producer who started out as one of the group’s biggest fans. Over decades, his persistence carried him from outsider status into the Wu-Tang Clan’s inner circle. Along the way, he learned directly from the artists he idolized as a kid.
Chief among those mentors was The RZA, whose guidance shaped much of the journey on screen. Under his influence, Cilvaringz grew from a devoted listener into an unlikely protege. That bond eventually led to one of modern music’s boldest experiments.
The result was “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin,” a 31-track album sealed inside an ornate, handcrafted silver box. Rather than reaching the public, the lone copy went to auction and sold to the highest bidder in 2015.
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That scarcity was the whole point. The project served as a protest against how the digital age treats music, and as a case that songs still carry real value as art. In the years since, the album has fueled heated debate about technology, creativity and who gets to own art.
At its heart, however, the documentary also tells a more personal story. It explores just how far one fan was willing to go to earn a place among his heroes.
Joanna Natasegara, an Academy Award-winning producer, directs the film in her first feature. She also serves as a producer. Her previous credits include “The White Helmets” and “The Edge of Democracy.”
Abigail Anketell-Jones, Lauren Dark and Vanessa Kirby round out the producing team. The RZA joins the project as an executive producer alongside Joe Gebbia, Jason Ropell and Abazar Khayami.
Film4 is also on board, with David Kimbangi, Farhana Bhula and Ollie Madden serving as executive producers. Trevor Burgess, Gary Hess and James Costa hold the same title for Bird Street Productions. Watch the official trailer below.
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