Xu Haofeng doesn't look like a martial artist. He wears black-rimmed glasses and speaks softly. But he is indeed a veteran kung fu practitioner - and filmmaker.

In a hallway at the Beijing Film Academy, where Xu also teaches filmmaking, he showed China Daily the skills needed to use a particular sword in his latest movie, The Hidden Sword.

The film won the best artistic contribution award at this year's Montreal World Film Festival on Sept 4, making Xu the first Chinese from the mainland to claim the honor.