Filmmaker Ian Tuason’s debut feature The Undertone, recently acquired by A24, transforms the intimacy of caregiving and the eerie power of audio into a chilling, single-location horror story. The film traces its origins from an experimental podcast idea. Drawing on his personal experiences and love of the genre, Tuason crafts a work that balances vulnerability, innovation, and fear.
Tuason will join Ana Serrano, to reflect on the creative journey behind The Undertone. Together, they’ll explore the film’s evolution — from its early drafts to its visual and sonic design — while also discussing how collaboration, mentorship, and digital storytelling practices shaped Tuason’s approach. By examining how a deeply personal story can resonate with audiences and attract a major distributor, this session will offer insight into the intersections of craft, risk, and support systems in independent filmmaking.
Ian Tuason
Filmmaker
Ian Tuason is a Toronto-based filmmaker and the writer and director of The Undertone, sold to A24 Films in July 2025 following its premiere at the Fantasia Film Festival where it won Best Canadian Feature. Tuason is currently in development for his next feature, soon to be announced.
Ana Serrano
President and vice-chancellor of OCAD Univerisity
Ana Serrano is an award-winning visionary leader with more than 25 years of experience in transforming organizations and creating cutting-edge programs to strengthen innovation and skills-building in the arts and culture sector and creative industries. Since July 2020, Ms Serrano has been President and Vice-Chancellor of OCAD University, Canada’s largest and oldest art and design university. She was previously Chief Digital Officer of the Canadian Film Centre and founder of the CFC Media Lab.
14 Nov, 2025 7:30 pm
OCADU Auditorium MCA 190No advance ticketing is available for this event. Free same-day tickets will be distributed on a first-come/first-served basis at the venue starting at 7PM on the day of the presentation.
The venue is located on the ground floor with level entry at the entrance. The entrance to the building is accessible from the sidewalk by ramps.
If you require accessibility accommodation for this event, please click the link below.
Reel Asian and the Writers Guild of Canada present a candid conversation on the pathways and pitfalls of building a sustainable career in screenwriting.
In collaboration with the Independent Media Arts Alliance, Reel Ideas will co-host a three-day mini-conference focused on artist advocacy, fair pay, and building an equitable arts ecosystem.
Join us for the closing event of the 29th Reel Asian, "So You Think You Can Pitch" Live Finale. Five emerging filmmaking teams will compete for a prize package to help realize their short films.
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
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