Are you a South Asian film creative living in Toronto? Want to connect to others in the diaspora for a night of networking? Reel Asian is proud to host this casual mixer by and for the South Asian community of creatives. Come and meet other South Asians working in the media arts and explore networking opportunities in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Free with light refreshments available!
Along with other South Asian members of Reel Asian’s staff, our programmers Mariam Zaidi & Samir Ballou and programming coordinator Vidhya Elango will be on hand to talk about South Asian representation and how Reel Asian supports storytellers from all across the diaspora.
Mariam Zaidi
Programmer
Mariam Zaidi is a South Asian filmmaker, film programmer, and arts manager based in Toronto. Zaidi’s work has been funded and supported by the CBC, LIFT, TAC, OAC, CCA, BravoFACT! FACTOR Canada, and the NFB. Alongside her independent film work and programming at Reel Asian, Zaidi is currently Associate Programmer at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.
Samir Ballou
Industry & Education Programmer
Samir is a screenwriter, educator, and film festival coordinator based in Toronto. His love for character-driven cinema drove him to study Media Production at Ryerson University, so that he could learn to write television series with characters he wished he’d seen growing up. Fun fact: Samir grew up on a tiny island called Mayotte and has swam next to a pod of dolphins.
Vidhya Elango
Programming Coordinator
Vidhya Elango is a South Asian-Canadian researcher and cultural worker, usually based in Toronto. She is interested broadly in migration, language, place-making, and their intersections. She holds an MA in Linguistics from the University of Toronto and has worked as a curator with the Toronto Ward Museum. You can usually find her biking around the city or inhaling hot takes on Twitter.
SAT APR 22, 2023
6:00PM – 8:00PM
FREE TO ATTEND
401 Commons
401 Richmond St W, 4th Floor
Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival is a unique showcase of contemporary Asian cinema and work from Asia and the Asian diaspora. Works include films and videos by artists in Canada, the U.S., Asia and all over the world. As Canada’s largest Asian film festival, Reel Asian provides a public forum for Asian media artists and their work, and fuels the growing appreciation for Asian cinema in Canada.
401 Richmond Street West, The Commons (Suite 448)
Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3A8 Canada
(416) 703 – 9333
info@reelasian.com
Charitable number: 870021383RR0001
