Fire Horse Award Presentation
Tuesday, May 31st, 2022
11:30AM Reception; 12PM Lunch and Presentation
Refreshments and lunch will be served
Clio, 600 King St. West (at Portland)
Tickets: Individuals $150 (with $50 tax receipt); Organizations $200
Tuesday, May 31st, 2022
11:30AM Reception; 12PM Lunch and Presentation
Refreshments and lunch will be served
Clio, 600 King St. West (at Portland)
Tickets: Individuals $150 (with $50 tax receipt); Organizations $200
On the occasion of the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival’s 25th anniversary, the festival established the Fire Horse Award in honour of Anita Lee, Reel Asian founder, longtime executive producer at the National Film Board of Canada and newly appointed Chief Programming Officer for the Toronto International Film Festival. Signifying the beginning of a new and exciting chapter for Asian Canadian media arts, the Fire Horse Award will recognize an Asian-Canadian member of the film and media arts community who has blazed a trail for others to follow, whose work has been transformational, representational and inspiring.
The name of the award was inspired by Anita’s story—according to the Lunar calendar’s zodiac, she was born in the Year of the Fire Horse, which only occurs once every 60 years. People born in those years are said to be change makers: original and creative thinkers, independent and mission-driven leaders.
The Fire Horse Award will recognize the award recipient’s remarkable body of work and its significant impact on the larger community, as well as anticipation of future contributions to the fields of film, television, media arts, and other screen-based practices. The images and stories told about our communities have a powerful influence on how we as Asians see ourselves and how others see us—making the support of authentic voices with lived experience vital.
We are pleased to offer a three-course set menu – please peruse the menu to review your options before buying your ticket.
Individual ticket includes $50 charitable tax receipt.
If you are interested in purchasing $200 tickets through your organization or institution, please email firehorse@reelasian.com.
Nobu Adilman
Filmmaker, artist and co-founder of Choir!Choir!Choir
Nobu Adilman makes stuff for you to listen to and watch. When he’s not doing that, he’s using his powers for good as the co-founder of Choir!Choir!Choir! and a longtime advisory member of Reel Asian.
Ana Serrano
President & Vice-Chancellor, OCAD University
An innovator and global visionary leader in digital media, President Serrano has a strong sense of the value of art and design education and research coupled with a record of success effectively managing financial resources and high-performing teams. She has also been an adjunct professor at OCAD U, advising students in the Digital Futures graduate program, and led the formation of a CFC/OCAD U partnership that began in 2011.
Winner of the 2021 Crystal Award for Digital Trailblazer, an honour bestowed by Women in Film & Television Toronto, and winner of the Digital Media Trailblazing Award at the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards from the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, she brings more than 20 years of experience building award-winning digital experiences, securing public and private sector investment, creating strategic alliances and starting new ventures.
Before coming to OCAD U, she was the Chief Digital Officer of the Canadian Film Centre and launched several unique Canadian start-up accelerators including IDEABOOST, Canada’s first digital entertainment accelerator, with founding partners Shaw Media, Corus Entertainment and Google. An avid volunteer, she is member of numerous boards including Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Open Democracy Project and Toronto Arts Council.
Radheyan Simonpillai
Acting Editor, NOW Magazine / film critic at CTV's Your Morning
Radheyan Simonpillai is NOW Magazine’s acting editor, the film critic for national breakfast show Your Morning on CTV and a pop culture columnist for CBC Radio. Rad also has a Friday Flicks segment on CTV News Channel and contributes to The Guardian.
Warren P. Sonoda
National President, Directors Guild of Canada, BAFTA- and CSA-winning filmmaker
BAFTA and CSA-winning, double Emmy-nominated filmmaker Warren P. Sonoda has directed over 90 episodes of television including Trailer Park Boys, Ghostwriter, Utopia Falls, Murdoch Mysteries, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Odd Squad and just finished 2 episodes of SyFy’s hit series Resident Alien for Amblin/Universal; 11 feature films including Things I Do For Money, Swearnet: The Movie and Coopers Camera; over 160 music videos which garnered 4 MuchMusic Video Awards, 2 ECMAs and 2 CCMAs; he’s received a medal from the Queen, knocked Martin Scorsese out of the Guinness Book of World Records, sits on the boards of BIPOC TV & Film and the Canadian Film Fest, is the first person of colour to be National President of the Directors Guild of Canada and failed Ryerson film school, twice. He lives with his wife Jen Pogue and their rescue dog Scruffie in Toronto, Ontario or at their Sunshack cottage on Lake Cordova.
Individual ticket includes $50 charitable tax receipt.
If you are interested in purchasing $200 tickets through your organization or institution, please email firehorse@reelasian.com.
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
