Jackie Chan was presented with the prestigious Pardo alla Carriera, Locarno Film Festival’s career achievement award, as reported by Variety. During a masterclass at the Swiss event, the 71-year-old actor reflected on his early career and even reenacted his brief role in Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon. Chan, who once revealed that Lee accidentally struck him with a stick during filming, said the mishap didn’t stop him from completing the scene. “I’m no Superman. I get scared. Before every stunt, I think, ‘Am I going to die this time?’” he admitted.

Recalling his childhood, Chan shared that his father enrolled him in a martial arts school because he was “lazy and naughty” and didn’t enjoy studying. “When I was young, I loved fighting. Later my father asked if I liked the school, and I said yes — because I could kick the teacher, punch someone, whatever I wanted,” he joked.

Chan began his career as a stuntman, appearing in Lee’s Fist of Fury, before transitioning into acting. He also revealed that he never wanted to be limited to just performing, choosing instead to learn every aspect of filmmaking. “I do everything myself. Now I tell filmmakers: if you only know how to direct, that’s not enough,” he said. His directing credits include Police Story, Police Story 2, The Fearless Hyena, and The Young Master, among others.

Festival artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro praised Chan’s impact, saying, “He literally reinvented what an action film is. There is before Jackie Chan, and there’s after.” While accepting the award, Chan recalled a conversation with his father, who once asked him at age 60 if he could still fight. “I didn’t know how to answer then,” Chan said. “But now I’m 71, and I still can fight.” Most recently, Chan appeared in Karate Kid Legends, the sixth installment in the Karate Kid series, starring Ben Wang.