From Western Sydney to Arizona: Maria Tran brings indie action comedy Echo 8 Beyond to its world premiere

The Vietnamese-Australian filmmaker will attend the US Martial Arts Film Festival in Tempe for a world premiere, audience Q&A and practical workshop on making action films with a small budget.

TEMPE, ARIZONA — Independent actor, filmmaker and martial artist Maria Tran is bringing her community-powered approach to action cinema to Arizona, with the world premiere of Echo 8 Beyond on Saturday, 17 October 2026, at Pollack Cinema.

Presented by the US Martial Arts Film Festival, the screening will give audiences their first look at the Australian action comedy, followed by a Q&A with Tran. Earlier that day, she will lead Action Beyond the Fight, a workshop exploring how independent filmmakers can get their ideas made and reach audiences with limited resources.

An unlikely team. A dangerous mission. A past that won’t stay buried.

Directed by Maria Tran and Takashi Hara and written by Elizabeth H. Vu, Echo 8 Beyond follows a former assassin living off-grid who is dragged back into chaos involving a child-kidnapping syndicate known as Zodiac, a ticking bomb and a band of misfits she never asked to work with.

What begins as a mission becomes deeply personal, forcing her to confront the fractured identity she has been running from.

Combining martial arts action with humour and emotional stakes, the film continues the cinematic world established in Echo 8. Its filmmaking approach draws on Tran’s background in DIY production and the creative community of Western Sydney.

Making action cinema with what you have

For aspiring filmmakers, actors and martial artists, Tran’s Action Beyond the Fight workshop offers a practical look at the work behind independent action filmmaking.

The session will explore choreography, screen fighting and performance, alongside raising funds, stretching a budget and building a team that believes in the project. It will also address creating opportunities and finding pathways to audiences across multiple platforms.

Tran brings experience as an actor, director, producer, martial artist and educator. Her screen credits include Paramount+ series Last King of the Cross, and she serves as a Sundance Collab Community Leader.

The workshop and premiere offer Arizona audiences an opportunity to meet a filmmaker working across both sides of the camera and hear directly about the process of bringing a small-budget action feature to the screen.

Event details

Date: Saturday, 17 October 2026
Venue: Pollack Cinema, 1825 E. Elliot Road, Tempe, Arizona

Action Beyond the Fight workshop: 11:15 am–12:15 pm
Echo 8 Beyond world premiere and Q&A: 12:25 pm–2:45 pm

Tickets and festival information: www.usmaff.com
Use promo code ECHO8 to save 15%.

Media enquiries and interview requests:
Echo 8 Trilogy Team
echo8trilogyteam@gmail.com

ENDS