Reel Ideas brings storytellers, artists, and industry voices together to share how the work gets made, the risks that push stories forward, and the ideas that challenge what audiences expect. Discover new work, meet the people shaping what comes next, connect with future collaborators, and take home the skills and insight to bring your own vision to life.
Ashley Duong’s Ba’s Book, Reel Asian’s opening night film, begins with her father’s memoir and unfolds with the process of recreating her family’s history of war, displacement, and migration from Vietnam. Duong will unpack the creative choices behind the film — from form and performance to image and editing — and how each became a way of making space for her family while finding authenticity in the process of telling their story.
THURS, NOV 12 AT 2PM
RENT A PLUS-ONE, one of the first vertical series to receive funding from the Canadian government, offers a case study in what happens when filmmakers build for a vertical frame. The session examines how filmmakers can use verticals to work within limited resources, reach audiences online, and open new pathways to financing and distribution.
MON, NOV 16 at 6:30PM
Drawing on the Disability Screen Office’s newly launched Reframing Access: A Best Practices Guide on Disability Inclusion in Canada’s Screen Industry, this conversation will explore how filmmakers can establish inclusive accessibility practices across all stages of production and beyond.
TUES, NOV 17 at 6:30PM
The discussion will also examine the cinematographer's relationship with the director, including how creative dynamics shift between independent film and television, and how fluidity and trust between the two can shape a safe, efficient, and collaborative production.
WED, NOV 18 AT 6PM
Writers from Reel Asian’s TV Writing Program bring their original series to the table for a live reading of selected scenes, presented in collaboration with ACTRA Toronto. Professional actors will bring the characters and stories to life, followed by a reception with the writers, performers, and industry guests.
THURS, NOV 19 at 7:30PM
Hear from directors, producers, and creatives working across music and visual media about building worlds around songs, collaborating with artists, and finding new ways to connect music and image while navigating tight budgets and production schedules.
Fri, Nov 20 at 7:30PM
Celebrating 20 years of Reel Asian’s pitch competition, five finalist filmmakers will take the stage to pitch their projects to a live jury and audience. One will win a prize package designed to help bring their short film to life, including a cash award, in-kind studio packages, and the opportunity to screen the completed film at the 31st edition of the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival.
SAT, Nov 21 at 7PM
RENT A PLUS-ONE, offers a case study in what happens when filmmakers build for a vertical frame. Its creators unpack their journey from traditional web series to vertical.
16 Nov. 6:30 pm
Drawing on the Disability Screen Office’s newly launched REFRAMING ACCESS: A BEST PRACTICES GUIDE ON DISABILITY INCLUSION IN CANADA'S SCREEN INDUSTRY, this conversation will explore how filmmakers can establish inclusive accessibility practices across all stages of production and beyond.
17 Nov. 6:30 pm
Celebrating 20 years of Reel Asian’s pitch competition, five finalist filmmakers will take the stage to pitch their projects to a live jury and audience.
21 Nov. 7:00 pm
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
