ABOUT THE TEA MOVIE

Journey into China's Forbidden Mountains

The Most Incredible Tea Story Ever Told

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Journey into China’s forbidden mountains and unearth 5,000 years of tea culture, ancient mysteries, and the heist that changed the world.

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“A love letter to tea.”
— James Norwood Pratt, American Tea Sage

TEA: THE DRINK THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

The Most Incredible Tea Story Ever Told

Tea is more than a drink. It’s a 5,000-year love story between humanity and a single, humble leaf.

This tea movie journeys inside China’s forbidden Wuyi Mountains, where generational tea masters still practice the ancient art of tea-making hidden from the outside world. Through stunning cinematography, never-before-filmed Zen tea ceremonies, and intimate Gong Fu Cha tea tastings, viewers discover how prized Oolong and Black tea are crafted by hand — the same way they have been for centuries.

But tea’s story reaches far beyond the mountains. From sacred Chinese traditions to the daring tea heist that reshaped global trade, this tea documentary reveals how tea fueled the rise and fall of empires, ignited the American Revolution, and quietly shaped the world you live in today.

Whether you’re a lifelong tea lover or just discovering the leaf, TEA: The Drink That Changed The World will transform how you see your daily cup — forever.

WHY PEOPLE LOVE THE TEA DOCUMENTARY

A love letter to tea.

James Norwood PrattAmerican Tea Sage, Author of “New Tea Lover's Treasury

The photography is breathtaking; the storytelling completes the experience. By far, the most enchanting experience of tea that I have seen.

FaithAnn BailesWorld Tea Conference + Expo

The film has captured the essence of tea's history in a beautiful way that honors the beverage's rich traditions and communal spirit. Quite an accomplishment! Secondly, the cinematography is mesmerizing!

Bruce RichardsonBoston Tea Party Ships & Museum Tea Historian, Author of “A Social History of Tea

A VISUAL JOURNEY THROUGH THE ENCHANTING TEA WORLD

From the mist-covered peaks of the Wuyi Mountains to the ancient Da Hong Pao mother trees, and historical images, these captivating visuals depict breathtaking beauty and rich cultural heritage at the heart of this TEA Documentary. Each frame tells a story of culture, craftsmanship, and connection over the millennia, between people and tea. The enduring tea tradition — this is a cup of humanity.

Stream now “TEA: The Drink That Changed The World” Ad-Free on Amazon.

WHY IS THIS TEA MOVIE IMPORTANT?

Similar to wine-making in France, tea is a living art-form passed down from the monks to the populace in Chinese culture.

In TEA: The Drink That Changed The World, you’ll journey into the forbidden tea regions of China, Wuyi Mountains in Fujian Province, and witness the origin stories of Black tea – Lapsang Souchong and Oolong tea, told by generational tea masters.

You’ll see never-before-filmed Oolong tea-making techniques invented by the Buddhist monks in the Qing Dynasty (mid 1600’s) and passed down from father to son for generations in Wuyi Shan.

From there, you’ll enter beyond the guarded gate of the mystical tea realm, and witness tea’s riveting journey from a humble Chinese drink into a history-changing global phenomenon.

This remarkable tea movie unearths centuries-old buried secrets, revealing in glorious footage history’s most audacious tea heist – forever transplanting China’s cultural icon and national trade across the ocean to India and beyond.

TEA: The Drink That Changed The World promises to change the way you look at your cup of tea. You will gain a deeper appreciation and love for your daily cuppa.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM THIS TEA MOVIE

Nine Chapters. One Extraordinary Journey.

Inspired by Wuyi Shan’s historic landmark, the River of the Nine Windings, the TEA Documentary presents the epic adventure of this divine beverage in nine glorious chapters:

Chapter I. Legend of Da Hong Pao
Chapter II. Origin of Tea
Chapter III. Oolong in the Making
Chapter IV. Gong Fu Cha Ceremony
Chapter V. The Crown Jewel of Tea (about Lapsang Souchong Black tea)
Chapter VI. Early Tea Trade
Chapter VII. America’s Thirst for Tea
Chapter VIII. A Gold Rush for Chinese Tea
Chapter IV. The Great Tea Raid

Each chapter reveals key aspects of tea’s remarkable journey from China to becoming a global phenomenon. The final chapter culminates in Robert Fortune’s historic tea heist, which transplanted tea from China to India and beyond.

In addition, you’ll discover other unexpected facts steeped in TEA: a simple drink yet flowing with boundless wisdom and humility.

You’ll learn about the “TEA TERROIR,” which makes Wuyi Rock tea or Wuyi Oolong tea, the most exquisite tasting (and also the most expensive) tea in the world.

Have you heard of “Yen Yuen?” It means “Rhythm of the Rock.” Onscreen, tea masters expound on the “Rock Terroir” while performing traditional Oolong tea tastings or Gong Fu Cha.

MEET THE FILM CREW - AN EAST-MEETS-WEST BREW

Tea Drinkers. Culture Lovers. Storytellers.

Christy Hui

Director, Writer and Producer

Award-winning storyteller, Christy Hui is known as the creator of XIAOLIN SHOWDOWN and XIAOLIN CHRONICLES. Her latest film, TEA: The Drink That Changed The World, features how tea changed the world. A tea aficionado, Christy takes great pleasure in narrating the film. She looks forward to sharing her love for tea with all the tea drinkers in the world.

Marco Solorio

Director of Photography

Marco Solorio is an award-winning feature filmmaker, skilled in cinematography, editing, scoring and sound design. With over three decades in media creation, he enjoys sharing his experiences and knowledge with the filmmaking community as a published author and international speaker.

MEET THE TEA MASTERS, HISTORIANS & TEA ARTISTS

Bruce Richardson

Tea Maestro and Historian

Mr. Jiang Yuan-Xun 江元勋

Wuyi Heritage Tea Master “Lapsang Souchong” 24th Generation>

Mr. Huang Xian-Yi 黄贤义

Wuyi Heritage Tea Master “Da Hong Pao” 11th generation

Mr. Huang Sheng-Hui 黄圣辉

Wuyi Heritage Tea Master “Da Hong Pao” 12th generation

Linda Zhang

Tea Artist & Connoisseur

Duer Zhang

Wuyi Tea Maker

The Monks

Buddhist Monks

Evan O’Brien

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum Director

PRESENTED BY ACTIONFLIKS

ActionFliks Media is an award-winning studio known for creating TV franchises, including XIAOLIN SHOWDOWN, produced by Warner Bros. Animation, and XIAOLIN CHRONICLES, a US-French co-production. Xiaolin Showdown aired on Cartoon Network worldwide for four seasons, earning two Emmys.

XIAOLIN CHRONICLES aired on Disney XD, Netflix, and Cartoon Network International, winning a Telly Award for best children’s programming in 2018. This 26-episode series is now streaming free on Amazon.

TEA: The Drink That Changed The World is the studio’s latest production, a 90-minute live-action documentary, now streaming on Tubi, Amazon, YouTube, Google Play, and more.

"WHY I MADE THIS TEA MOVIE?”

“Tea found me. And I am grateful to share this cup with you. I made this film because tea’s extraordinary story deserves to be told—fully, beautifully, and truthfully. Tea is not just a beverage. It’s a bridge between cultures, generations, and hearts. I hope this tea movie inspires you the way tea has inspired me.” Christy Hui. Read more.