Accessibility
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ASL interpretation will be provided for the intro and Q&A for this presentation. Wheelchair spaces and step-free seating is available for this screening – click below to book accessible seats.
USA202383 minEnglish, Urdu with English subtitlesCanadian PremiereComedy, Family-friendly, First Feature
When 13-year-old Ilyas’s parents yank him out of his comfortable Islamic private school and force him to adjust to life in public school, he develops a plan to change their minds. After a staged fondness for non-halal food and explicit music fails to sufficiently scandalize his parents, Ilyas asks his whip-smart former classmate, Yasmeen, to help devise a more foolproof plan. However, underneath those faux concerns, what really preoccupies prepubescent Ilyas is his wispy, dark mustache growing much sooner than that of his peers, prompting a self-loathing born and reinforced by the taunting and teasing of classmates.
Director Imran J. Khan’s gently humorous and refreshing take on the Muslim American coming-of-age experience, as well as lead Atharva Verma’s impeccable performance as the charming and determined Ilyas, are the perfect combination in this timeless, hilarious, and heartwarming journey of pre-teen self acceptance.
– Mariam Zaidi
Atharva Verma
Rizwan Manji
Ayana Manji
Hasan Minhaj
Meesha Shafi
Alicia Silverstone
OFFICIAL SELECTION
SXSW, 2023
Imran J. Khan
Pakistani American filmmaker Imran J. Khan has written and directed award-winning short films including Prom (2016). He was also on the editing teams for Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021) and Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022). He recently was selected to the Pillars Artist Fellowship, created by Pillars, Riz Ahmed, and Left Handed Films.
PG
12 Nov, 2023 7:30 pm
TIFF Bell Lightbox C2–
ASL interpretation will be provided for the intro and Q&A for this presentation. Wheelchair spaces and step-free seating is available for this screening – click below to book accessible seats.
Join us for a Q&A immediately after the theatrical presentation with director Imran J. Khan and actor Atharva Verma.
Join us at CSI Spadina for the Centrepiece Gala Party after the screening of MUSTACHE.
10PM-12AM at CSI Spadina
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This space is wheelchair and step-free accessible via a series of ramps at the
main entrance. The rest of the venue, including the accessible washroom,
is all on one level. This event may include loud music, flashing lights, and
crowds. A calmer, quieter respite room is available for those with environmental
sensitivities. Click here to advise us of your access needs.
Six fearless emerging filmmakers embarked on a summer-long filmmaking journey online. We’re proud to present their world premiere here in the 12th edition of Reel Asian’s filmmaking program.
Initiated in 2002 by Yuni Hadi (Singapore), Amir Muhammad (Malaysia) and Chalida Uabumrungjit (Thailand), S-Express has become an annual showcase of programming from Southeast Asia, spotlighting the abundant filmmaking talent and a nuanced insight into the stories of each participating region. This year, Reel Asian presents S-Express Malaysia, programmed by Chong Lee Yow of Mini Film Festival, featuring five films depicting one's ability to (un)trap themselves from limitations set upon them, be it bodily, mind, or soul, to achieve relief and victory.
At the heart of Baby Queen is a tender and joyful relationship between Singaporean drag queen Opera Tang and her 90-year-old grandmother, who makes many of her performance costumes.
Founded in Toronto in 1997, Reel Asian is Canada’s largest pan-Asian film festival and a year-round cultural organization dedicated to championing Asian and Asian diasporic artists and storytellers. What began as a grassroots film festival has grown into a national platform supporting filmmakers and audiences through screenings, education, industry initiatives, artist development, and community programming presented across Toronto, the GTA, and online across Canada.
401 Richmond Street West, The Commons (Suite 448)
Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3A8 Canada
(416) 703 – 9333
info@reelasian.com
Charitable number: 870021383RR0001
