This film is part of the Shorts Presentation: AN UNFAMILIAR TALE shorts programme.
USA202414 MinFarsi, EnglishAvailable Online, Directed By Women, Drama, Experimental, Romance
On a seemingly prosaic day, Bita, an Iranian woman with terminal cancer, comes to grips with her changing relationships with her family as life transforms and slips away.
This film is scheduled to be presented with subtitles for all spoken dialogue (no sound cues indicated)
*Sara Boutorabi
Sara Boutorabi is an Iranian American filmmaker based in New York City, and originally from California. She graduated from UC Berkeley and is an MFA candidate in screenwriting at Columbia University.
This film is part of the Shorts Presentation: AN UNFAMILIAR TALE shorts programme.
16 Nov, 2024 12:00 pm
TIFF Lightbox C4PG
USA202414 MinEnglish, Korean, Spanish, Mandarin2slgbtq+, Available Online, Directed By Women, Drama, Experimental
Today is Parents' Day at the Sweetwater Boarding School for English Learners. When A, B, C, and D discover that none of their families are coming, they decide to hatch a different plan.
IN PERSON: This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
ONLINE : This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
Yvonne Zhang
Yvonne Zhang is a British Chinese director and writer who uses fables, dream logic, and digital worlds to explore the diasporic experience.
This film is part of the Shorts Presentation: AN UNFAMILIAR TALE shorts programme.
16 Nov, 2024 12:00 pm
TIFF Lightbox C4PG
USA20245 MinMarathi2slgbtq+, Animation, Available Online, Directed By Women, Family-friendly, First Films, Music, Romance
This Bollywood-inspired hybrid animated music video features Aadarshini, an anxious Indian American girl who feels out of place at an Indian wedding, until she learns to make space for herself in her culture through Parvati, a traditional dancer who catches her eye.
IN PERSON & ONLINE: No dialogue (No audio + visual descriptions)
Nimisha Mahatme
Nimisha Mahatme is a Bay Area visual development artist working in film and television. She enjoys creating characters and worlds! She loves having characters that range from different diversities, cultures, and sexualities.
This film is part of the WEE ASIAN shorts programme.
23 Nov, 2024 10:00 am
Innis Town HallGA
USA202311 MinEnglishAction, Available Online, Directed By Women, Family-friendly, Science Fiction
Tessie, a 13-year-old science prodigy, journeys into her grandma's deteriorating mind to save one precious memory they have together.
IN PERSON: This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
ONLINE: This film is scheduled to be presented with subtitles for all spoken dialogue (no sound cues indicated)
Grace Hanna
Grace Hanna is a Filipino American filmmaker. Their film, Halcyon Days, is sponsored by Film Independent and received Panavision’s NFP Grant. Their short, Lola, won the Directorial Debut Award at Indy Shorts.
Canada, Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore, USA2023-2024TRT: 86 minVarious languages
Trivial or not, these short films push and push ... and push. Is it provocation, retaliation, or sheer determination? Regardless of the answer, how far might you be willing to go?
For: non-believers; genre buffs; task achievers
Canada20249 minEnglishAvailable Online, Comedy, Drama
Pressured into giving away his clothes, an emasculated young man obsessively attempts to reclaim his cherished sweater before it vanishes into the donation abyss.
This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
*Maziyar Khatam
Maziyar Khatam is an Iranian Canadian director and writer who is passionate about telling offbeat and revealing stories. He is also the co-owner of Funny Bone Pictures, a production company in Toronto.
Ireland, Malaysia202423 minMalay, English, MandarinDirected By Women, Drama, Horror
Set in Malaysia's National Service training camp, Jia Hui, a female ethnic-Chinese trainee, is commanded by her teacher to lead her multiracial female comrades in washing stained sanitary pads in the middle of the night.
This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
This title is not available digitally – join us in-cinema to watch!
Mickey Lai
Born in Malaysia, Mickey Lai is a filmmaker who graduated with a master of film and TV production at MetFilm School in London. Lai is interested in telling stories about diverse cultural values, mortality, and self-identity.
Canada20237 minEnglish, CantoneseAvailable Online, Drama
Left home alone, 10-year-old Alex watches his older brother, Quinn, play video games. When his efforts for attention are neglected, Alex sparks a fight that takes a serious turn.
IN PERSON: This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
ONLINE: This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
*Noah Nicholson
Noah Nicholson is a Chinese Canadian filmmaker based in Toronto. Focused on stories about youth and family, Nicholson aims to explore complicated familial relationships through a realist lens.
Singapore202410 minMandarin, English Animation, Available Online, Comedy, Directed By Women, Drama
Grace Lee, an overworked mom in Singapore, collapses at work. She gets admitted into the hospital, where she finds newfound freedom as a patient.
This film is scheduled to be presented with subtitles for all spoken dialogue (no sound cues indicated)
Calleen Koh
Calleen Koh is a Singaporean BAFTA-nominated animation filmmaker, currently at CalArts for the experimental animation MFA programme. Enamoured by dark comedy, her films are known for their subversively irreverent energy.
Canada202424 minEnglishAvailable Online, Directed By Women, Horror
On the brink of getting fired from her restaurant by its new owners, Marielle Lau, a visionary chef and master fermenter, develops an incendiary new dish with a bewitching ingredient she’s convinced will save her career.
IN PERSON: This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
ONLINE : This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
*Priscilla Galvez
Priscilla Galvez is a Toronto-based director and producer. Her films have premiered at international film festivals including TIFF, DOC NYC, Fantastic Fest, and SXSW.
USA202413 minEnglish, Tagalog2slgbtq+, Available Online, Directed By Women, Drama
Yaya and Louie, two baby goths, prepare to summon the ghost of Edgar Allan Poe, but a series of unexpected obstacles jeopardize the entire spooky spectacle — and maybe even their friendship.
IN PERSON: This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
ONLINE: This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
Andrea A. Walter
Andrea A. Walter is a British Filipino filmmaker whose work premiered at SXSW and Inside Out. They are a 2024 Women in Film Cinematography fellow and mentored by Lilly Wachowski.
16 Nov, 2024 7:30 pm
TIFF Lightbox C3AA
CONTENT ADVISORY
Depictions of violence, Animated depictions of mental illness, self-harm, blood, gore, Depictions of gore; body horror
Please find a list of local and affordable resources below that are arranged alphabetically by name, with the focus or format of their support.
DIGITAL SHORTS
All shorts are available online via a Shorts VOD Pass. Valid from 10AM on Monday, Nov 18 thru 11:59PM on Sunday, Nov 24, 2024.
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This programme is presented with a mix of open captions, English subtitles, and no captions. Wheelchair spaces and step-free seating is available for this screening – click below to book accessible seats.
Seemingly stagnant on the surface, in motion underneath. These five short films trace and retrace what movements and stories might exist within us and beyond, pulling us in unexpected directions.
Trouble seems to follow Jie and his family. Training to be a competitive fencer, Jie is lost, haunted by the childhood memory of a near-drowning incident with his menacing older brother Han. Years later, a teenage Han is imprisoned after killing a competitor during a fencing match (by accident, he swears). Meanwhile, Jie's mother has been spiteful and distant ever since, with no love to give her younger son. So when Han is finally released from prison, Jie is desperate to have some family love restored — and eager for some helpful fencing and boyfriend dating tips, too. But is Han’s reformed presence for real?
After a mysterious encounter leaves her daughter Sumi in a coma, Sara rushes from South Korea to Winnipeg to be by her side. As Sumi heals, Sara begins to unpack details of her life that her daughter never shared with her. On a mission to find a husband to take care of Sumi when she wakes, Sara ventures into the daunting unknowns of dating apps and Winnipeg winters, and finds out more about herself than she planned.
Canada, Taiwan, U.K., USA2023-2024TRT: 49 minVarious languages
Loud and expressive, reflexive yet playful, this programme, in the spirit of Creatura, makes room for all our mushy and monstruous emotions. Come for the screening, stick around for the delightful arts activities for all ages to enjoy together!
For: family gatherings; those seeking a relaxed screening; reruns; hands-on
USA202311 MinEnglishAction, Available Online, Directed By Women, Family-friendly, Science Fiction
Tessie, a 13-year-old science prodigy, journeys into her grandma's deteriorating mind to save one precious memory they have together.
IN PERSON: This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
ONLINE: This film is scheduled to be presented with subtitles for all spoken dialogue (no sound cues indicated)
Grace Hanna
Grace Hanna is a Filipino American filmmaker. Their film, Halcyon Days, is sponsored by Film Independent and received Panavision’s NFP Grant. Their short, Lola, won the Directorial Debut Award at Indy Shorts.
USA20245 MinMarathi2slgbtq+, Animation, Available Online, Directed By Women, Family-friendly, First Films, Music, Romance
This Bollywood-inspired hybrid animated music video features Aadarshini, an anxious Indian American girl who feels out of place at an Indian wedding, until she learns to make space for herself in her culture through Parvati, a traditional dancer who catches her eye.
IN PERSON & ONLINE: No dialogue (No audio + visual descriptions)
Nimisha Mahatme
Nimisha Mahatme is a Bay Area visual development artist working in film and television. She enjoys creating characters and worlds! She loves having characters that range from different diversities, cultures, and sexualities.
USA20237 MinNo DialogueAnimation, Available Online, Directed By Women, Family-friendly
A little girl shoots down from the heavens to spend her birthday with her family.
IN PERSON & ONLINE: this film is scheduled to be presented with no dialogue (No audio + visual descriptions)
Mitra Shahidi Malus
Mitra Shahidi is an award-winning Iranian American story artist, director, and screenwriter, born and raised in Istanbul. She currently works for Pixar and lives in the Bay Area.
South Korea20234 MinNo DialogueAnimation, Available Online, Directed By Women, Family-friendly
A young girl's birthday overlaps a memorial service, and she struggles to blow out her candles while avoiding adults who prioritize rituals over birthday celebrations.
IN PERSON & ONLINE: No dialogue (no audio + visual descriptions)
Kim Jungsoo
Kim Jungsoo is an animator based in Seoul. Her filmography includes Insomnia (2017) and Dear. J (2021).
Canada20235 MinNo Dialogue2slgbtq+, Animation, Available Online, Experimental, Family-friendly, Horror, Science Fiction
Gaze into a wondrous abyss. But what happens when you look at something too hard for too long?
IN PERSON: This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
ONLINE: No Dialogue
Constant Yen
Constant Yen is a Toronto-based artist and animator. Their practice involves creating spontaneous and playful experimental work combining analog and digital mediums.
Canada20242 MinNo DialogueAnimation, Available Online, Directed By Women, Family-friendly
For people living with structural dissociation, falling asleep can be a challenge, as multiple contradictory thoughts conspire to keep them awake. Director Michelle Ku draws on her experience with somatic healing to put these thoughts to rest, in a few vivid minutes of hand-painted animation.
IN PERSON: This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
ONLINE: No dialogue (no audio + visual descriptions)
Michelle Ku
Michelle Ku is a visual artist and animation filmmaker living in Mohkinstsis/Calgary. Mainly working with acrylic paint and traditional materials, Ku explores her personal healing journey, the mind-body-spirit connection, and childhood memories.
Taiwan, UK20234 MinEnglishAnimation, Available Online, Directed By Women
A poetic narrative and self-portrait through experimentation in 2D animation, stop-motion and sound, this short film delves into a self-searching and healing journey, exploring the relationship between emotion and space.
IN PERSON: This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
ONLINE: This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
Chu-Chieh Lee
Chu-Chieh Lee is a Taiwanese animation director and illustrator based in London, U.K. She finished her master’s in narrative animation at the Royal College of Art. Her clients include LinkedIn, Google, Nestlé, and BBC.
Canada202411 MinNo DialogueAnimation, Available Online, Directed By Women, Family-friendly
A road trip traces a transition from grief to acceptance, through valleys, junctions, and detours. Detours Ahead reflects the director's meditation on solitude, and articulates her shifting relationship with place.
IN PERSON & ONLINE: No dialogue (audio + visual descriptions)
Esther Cheung
Esther Cheung is a filmmaker and director from Toronto. She is known for her poetic approach to story and is inspired by her relationship with place. Currently based in Vancouver, she is working on the animated feature Tangles.
23 Nov, 2024 10:00 am
to 23 Nov, 2024 3:00 pm
Innis Town HallWee Asian is free and drop-in. Screenings take place at 10AM and 1:00 PM.
No tickets required!
Wee Asian short films and digital colouring pages are available online with a FREE Wee Asian Pass. Valid from 10AM on Monday, Nov 18 thru 11:59PM on Sunday, Nov 24, 2024.
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This programme is presented with a mix of open captions, English subtitles, and no captions. Wheelchair spaces and step-free seating is available for this screening – click below to book accessible seats.
Cozy up in the cinema with these two read-along sessions by two local authors!
A fun and touching debut that explores the power of finding your voice.
Rudābeh (Rudy for short) loves to talk, sing, jump and shout. There’s just one problem: the adults in her life are always telling her that she is SO LOUD. When her grandmother (Māmān Bozorg) visits from Iran for the first time, Rudy worries that she might be too loud for her. But as she tries to be quieter, Rudy starts to feel less and less like herself. Listening closely to the many sounds in her world—from husky howls and streetcar chimes to Māmān Bozorg’s roaring sneezes—Rudy tries to figure out the full range of her own voice, discovering along the way the joy in being loud.
Post-reading, stick around for a fun creative workshop with author Sahar Golshan!
11:30AM–12:30PM
Sahar Golshan
Sahar Golshan is the author of So Loud! a picture book published in 2024 with Annick Press. So Loud! is illustrated by Shiva Delsooz. Sahar is a writer, a language learner, and the director of the short documentary KAR (2019). She is a winner of the Marina Nemat Award for Creative Writing in Non-Fiction and the Air Canada Short Film Award. Her writing has appeared in Room, Taclanese, Shameless, The Ex-Puritan, and Tongues: On Longing and Belonging through Language. She has enjoyed teaching and facilitating workshops in academic and community spaces like the University of Toronto, the University of Guelph, and the Toronto Public Library.
“Wherever he goes, Rain Boy brings wet—which means he’s not very popular. Sun Kidd brings sunshine everywhere she goes, so everyone loves her. Only Sun Kidd sees what’s special about Rain Boy. But when she invites him to her birthday party, disaster strikes, and Rain Boy storms. Now the world is nothing but rain. Will the other kids ever love Rain Boy for being himself? And. more importantly, can Rain Boy learn to love his rain?
3–3:30PM
Dylan Glynn
Dylan Glynn is a painter, author and animator based out of Toronto, Canada. His multidisciplinary practice which includes a broad selection of traditional media (watercolour, oils, pen and ink, collage), 2d cel-animation, and Photoshop is unified by Glynn’s signature application which they describe as “one-shot, first-thought best-thought, perfectly imperfect”. The immediacy of Glynn’s work also lends itself to a sense of naivety as seen in their debut picture book Rain Boy, released in the spring of 2020 by Chronicle Books.
From 12-4pm, participate in a range of delightful arts activities on a drop-in basis!
Come and meet your new companion, Beanie Munster. Together, you can customize, accessorize, and discover its full characteristics and backstory!
12–4PM Drop-In
Boris Yu
Boris Yu is an ENTP-T Debater (last checked 2022) who straddles the realms of art and design imagining speculative futures related to space, emotions, and systems. He’s learning to approach the eddies in his day to day as moments to build stillness within the chaotic pressures of our current culture.
Colour in your own troupe of fantastical creatures in mid-flight, dreamed up by artist Wenting Li as part of the RA:X Creatura installation. Transform them into keychains so that they may fly with you home and wherever else you journey to.
12–4PM Drop-In
Wenting Li
Wenting Li is an artist and illustrator born in Sichuan, China, and living in Tkaronto/Toronto. Working across multiple mediums including installation, print + digital publications, drawing and painting, comics and murals, Li is currently thinking about communally possible futures, everyday routines, scifi and fantasy, specificity within the telling of stories, and leaving the door open to creatures.
Add fragments of your memory and stories of Reel Asian along with your personal archives into this year's festival creative IMAGE LULLABY
12–4PM Drop-In
Agnes Wong
Agnes Wong is a multidisciplinary designer, artist, and curator based in Tkaronto/Toronto and Hong Kong. Through an experimental approach, Agnes’ creative practice seeks to integrate themes of displacement, fragmentation, and temporality together in an interdisciplinary blend of digital and moving image, photography, graphic design, text, and print matter. She holds a BFA (Honours with Distinction) in Publications from OCAD University (2023) and has completed her propaedeutic studies at Design Academy Eindhoven, Netherlands. She is also the founder of Forever Gift Shop.
Courtesy of The Beguiling and Annick Press, discover a new world or meet your next favourite author from this selection of books!
12–4PM Drop In
Animator Akash shows you that getting a start in animation is as easy as using LEGO and things at home that will help you learn fundamentals and understand stop-motion.
ONLINE
Akash Jones
Akash Jones is an emerging director/animator whose work tells stories true to his culture and brings worlds to life. A TMU graduate currently making his mark in the industry.
Through the lens of directors Tadashi Nakamura and Quyên Nguyen-Le, this compelling documentary captures the bold journey of visionary artist-activist Nobuko Miyamoto. From her upbringing in a Japanese American internment camp to her breakthrough as a performer in films and on Broadway, Miyamoto reflects on how her personal encounters with racial injustice inspired her blending of artistic endeavours with Asian American advocacy. Her thoughtfully created music, dances, and theatre productions carry on to bridge cultural divides and facilitate mutual support among BIPOC communities.
It’s the holidays, and Ben Santhanaraj shows up to Sri Lanka to see Suzanne Hopper, his long-distance partner who works there. Unfortunately, Suzanne’s been informed she now has to work through the holidays, thwarting their dream vacation plans (and his amorous intentions). They decide to go along with their itinerary, her laptop in tow, but nothing seems to work out as planned, leading to candid conversations and chaotic twists. Will their relationship endure — or have they grown too far apart?
Trouble seems to follow Jie and his family. Training to be a competitive fencer, Jie is lost, haunted by the childhood memory of a near-drowning incident with his menacing older brother Han. Years later, a teenage Han is imprisoned after killing a competitor during a fencing match (by accident, he swears). Meanwhile, Jie's mother has been spiteful and distant ever since, with no love to give her younger son. So when Han is finally released from prison, Jie is desperate to have some family love restored — and eager for some helpful fencing and boyfriend dating tips, too. But is Han’s reformed presence for real?
USA20237 MinNo DialogueAnimation, Available Online, Directed By Women, Family-friendly
A little girl shoots down from the heavens to spend her birthday with her family.
IN PERSON & ONLINE: this film is scheduled to be presented with no dialogue (No audio + visual descriptions)
Mitra Shahidi Malus
Mitra Shahidi is an award-winning Iranian American story artist, director, and screenwriter, born and raised in Istanbul. She currently works for Pixar and lives in the Bay Area.
This film is part of the WEE ASIAN shorts programme.
23 Nov, 2024 10:00 am
Innis Town HallGA
CONTENT ADVISORY
Depictions of loss
USA2024110 minEnglishCanadian PremiereAvailable Online, Comedy, Drama, First Feature, Romance
It’s the holidays, and Ben Santhanaraj shows up to Sri Lanka to see Suzanne Hopper, his long-distance partner who works there. Unfortunately, Suzanne’s been informed she now has to work through the holidays, thwarting their dream vacation plans (and his amorous intentions). They decide to go along with their itinerary, her laptop in tow, but nothing seems to work out as planned, leading to candid conversations and chaotic twists. Will their relationship endure — or have they grown too far apart?
Ben and Suzanne, A Reunion In 4 Parts is the continuation of a 10-year partnership with its lead actors (Sathya Sridharan and Anastasia Olowin) and director Shaun Seneviratne, where they made three short films exploring Ben and Suzanne’s relationship. Seneviratne writes and directs a charming and relatable “will they, won’t they?” romantic comedy deftly placed in a context of interracial dating, gender expectations, and diasporic alienation.
– Aram Siu Wai Collier
Sathya Sridharan
Anastasia Olowin
OFFICIAL SELECTION
SXSW, 2024
Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, 2024
Bentonville Film Festival, 2024
AWARDS
Best Brooklyn Project, Brooklyn Film Festival, 2024
Shaun Seneviratne
Shaun Seneviratne is a writer and director of emo movies. He teaches at the Brooklyn STEAM Center, co-hosts RohmerCast, and runs Redacted Screenings. He’s based in New York City.
15 Nov, 2024 5:30 pm
TIFF Lightbox C4AA
CONTENT ADVISORY
Strobing lights; depictions of smoking, drinking
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This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated). Wheelchair spaces and step-free seating is available for this screening – click below to book accessible seats.
Information on available captions will be added soon, thank you for your patience.
Join us for a Q&A immediately after the theatrical presentation with director Shaun Seneviratne.
Dilber is 27 years old, preparing for her younger sister Rena’s wedding while contemplating her own future. Despite the recent nuptials in the family, their mother continues to put pressure on Dilber to find a husband soon, responding to the heightened anxiety during a time when Uyghur people are being arrested without process or reason. Dilber's friend in Paris convinces her to marry a young Uyghur man in France, a proposition that feels very attractive. But will it work out?
We’re excited to be presenting “Bestiary” at this year’s festival, featuring a troupe of fantastical creatures in mid-flight, dreamed up by artist Wenting Li. Come experience them in transit, full of whimsy and uncanny energy at The Commons, at 401 Richmond during festival hours.
Experience a bit of the Japanese tea ceremony and learn about its history and core philosophies.. Taste some whisked matcha. Hosted by Momo Yoshida, the founder and owner of Momo Tea, an online tea store based in Toronto. RSVP required.
USA202386 minEnglish, JapaneseAvailable Online, Documentary, Family-friendly, First Feature, Sports
What does greatness look like? What does it take to be great? In the documentary Ashima, greatness looks like Ashima Shiraishi, a modest but determined 13-year old Japanese American rock-climbing prodigy. For her demanding father, Hisatoshi, a former Butoh dancer and Ashima’s coach, greatness requires discipline and intense focus. Together, they’ve embarked to South Africa to climb Golden Shadow, a famous V14 boulder, for Ashima to become the youngest woman to ever climb it.
Director Kenji Tsukamoto’s portrait of the Shiraishis was years in the making and captures significant moments in the family’s life. With uncommon access gained from living with the family, Tsukamoto masterfully blends the minute details of the Shirashis' home lives, Ashima’s numerous public appearances, and her dogged attempts at solving Golden Shadow. Raw and unharnessed, like bouldering itself, Tsukamoto crafts a familiar Asian American family story set against sport and celebrity.
– Aram Siu Wai Collier
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Doc NYC, 2023
Visions Du Reel, 2024
Hawaii International Film Festival, 2024
AWARDS
Best Documentary Feature, VC Film Festival, 2024
Audience Award, Asian Film Festival of Dallas, 2024
Audience Award, Asian American International Film Festival, 2024
Kenji Tsukamoto
Born in Fukushima, Japan, Kenji Tsukamoto moved to America as a child, and his family relocated frequently across the country. As a third-culture kid, Kenji found a kindred spirit in the world-renowned climber Ashima Shiraishi, who became the subject of his first feature film.
17 Nov, 2024 4:00 pm
TIFF Lightbox C3GA
The in-cinema screening for Ashima will be at TIFF Lightbox Cinema 3.
This feature film will also be available as a digital screening from Nov 18 – Nov 24.
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This film is being presented with English subtitles for non-English dialogue both online and in person. 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 screening with director Kenji Tsukamoto.
A young, gifted Vincent and his father Tomas run the finest glass workshop in the country, creating delicate, magnificent pieces of art. Their close bond is soon put to the test with the arrival of an army colonel and his young, aspiring violinist daughter Alliz, to their hometown. Amidst the rumblings of an impending war, Vincent and Alliz eventually fall in love, a relationship that is continually opposed and challenged by their fathers.
Join us for an in-depth conversation about Ann Marie Fleming's CAN I GET A WITNESS?, Reel Asian's opening night film this year. This thought-provoking movie examines a near-future society grappling with climate change, mortality, and the value of life. Fleming draws inspiration from her personal experiences, including her time in Vancouver's West End and the environmental upheaval of Stanley Park.
Fresh off its world premiere at TIFF, Amar Wala’s SHOOK serves as an ideal case study for filmmakers, particularly those transitioning from shorts to feature films. Set in Scarborough, Ont., the film captures the area's multicultural essence and reflects on identity, place, and personal growth through rich, site-specific details. This panel explores the craft of the film, the intricate score, and the writing process, capturing a slice of life that local audiences can resonate with. As a family story, SHOOK presents a narrative that showcases the beauty of everyday life, balancing complex personal narratives with broader cultural commentary. By examining Wala’s experience with Shook, we'll shed light on how an honest love letter to a city and its diverse communities can be crafted.
USA202498 minEnglish, KhmerToronto PremiereAvailable Online, Directed By Women, Documentary, Family-friendly, First Feature, Sports
At the heart of this captivating coming-of-age sports film is Ashley Chea, a Cambodian American basketball marvel whose high school career we follow. Hailing from a lower-class immigrant family that sought safety in the U.S. after the Khmer Rouge came to power, Chea is given the opportunity to attend a private school and thus pursue a coveted college basketball career. While her parents work vigorously at their doughnut store and can’t attend her games, Chea bonds with her Japanese American coach, who helps her with doctor's appointments and even attaining her driver’s licence.
Chea must now overcome a serious knee injury and rebuild her sense of self-worth, all in time to impress recruiting college coaches at her upcoming major tournaments. Being highly competitive, she struggles to lead her team to victory and overcome obvious class and racial differences, all while also being a super moody teenager and growing apart from her parents.
– Arisa Chirawu
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, 2024 CAAMFest San Francisco, 2024 Shanghai International Film Festival, 2024
AWARDS
Best Documentary Feature, Austin Asian American Film Festival, 2024
Erica Tanamachi
Erica Tanamachi has an MFA in cinema from San Francisco State University. Her most recent film Winn (2022) won a Reel South Shorts Award and received a distribution deal with PBS. Home Court is her first feature-length film.
17 Nov, 2024 10:00 am
TIFF Lightbox C4PG
CONTENT ADVISORY
Racist language and situations; depictions of guns and gunfire, war and conflict
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This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated). Wheelchair spaces and step-free seating is available for this screening – click below to book accessible seats.
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This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated). Wheelchair spaces and step-free seating is available for this screening – click below to book accessible seats.
Join us for a crafty Happy Hour on Sun, Nov 17, at The Commons, 401 Richmond! Hosted by this year's Festival Creative Artist Agnes Wong, this event features a relaxed journaling and scrapbooking workshop. Bring your own stickers and ephemera to trade, share, or journal with.
Join us for an exclusive Work-In-Progress presentation of SPACE CADET, a captivating animated film directed by Kid Koala. Work-In-Progress events at Reel Asian give audience members a chance to explore the development stages of a piece of work. In this session, we will hear insights from the creative team of SPACE CADET, including director Kid Koala, head of story and production designer Lillian Chan, and artistic director Corinne Merrell, who will guide us through the artistic process and illustrate how animation brings this heartfelt narrative to life.
Family dynamics are complicated. No matter how intimately familiar kin can feel, there's room for surprise to the point where we wonder if we even knew them at all. Which stories and emotions do we hold inside, and which are we ready to share?
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
