USA202515 minVietnamese with English subtitlesAvailable Online, Documentary, History
Hoa Thi Le and Hue Nguyen Che flee the Vietnam War by boat and become background extras in 1979's Apocalypse Now. Written by their daughter, Cathy Linh Che, this story explores the interplay between fact and fiction.
IN PERSON & ONLINE: This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated).
Christopher Radcliff
Christopher Radcliff is an award-winning filmmaker whose work has screened worldwide and online via Criterion, Short of the Week, and Lé Cinema Club.
8 Nov, 2025 6:30 pm
TIFF Lightbox C4PG
CONTENT ADVISORY
depictions of war/armed conflict, guns/gunfire
Canada202416 MinEnglishAvailable Online, Directed By Women, Drama, History
On the evening of the 1987 "Easter Epic" hockey playoff game, a young Cambodian girl grapples with her Canadian identity in a small town in rural Ontario.
IN PERSON & ONLINE: This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
Alejandro Yoshizawa & Y-Dang Troeung
Alejandro Yoshizawa is a Vancouver-based filmmaker specializing in grassroots and marginalized people’s stories, oral histories, and community documentaries.
Y-Dang Troeung (張依蘭) (ទ្រឿងអ៊ីដាង) was a writer and scholar based in Vancouver, who passed away in fall 2022 of pancreatic cancer.
This film is part of the Shorts Presentation: AN UNFAMILIAR TALE shorts programme.
16 Nov, 2024 12:00 pm
TIFF Lightbox C4PG
Canada20246 minKoreanWorld PremiereAvailable Online, Directed By Women, Drama, Family-friendly, History
After decades of separation, two brothers reunite at a rare event where families from both sides of the Korean border come together.
This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
*Ellen Yuna Ahn
Ellen Yuna Ahn is an emerging Korean Canadian filmmaker based in Toronto. Drawing from her background in performance art and theatre directing, Ahn is drawn to stories that delve into intimate character studies and explore abstract concepts.
This film is part of the Shorts Presentation: UNSUNG VOICES 13 shorts programme.
16 Nov, 2024 2:30 pm
TIFF Lightbox C3
Indonesia202311 minHungarian, IndonesianAvailable Online, Directed By Women, Documentary, History
A daughter learns about her mother’s roots in Indonesia through a language lesson, unravelling the mother’s painful longing for home.
IN PERSON & ONLINE: this film is scheduled to be presented with subtitles for all spoken dialogue (no sound cues indicated)
Andrea Suwito
Andrea Suwito is a filmmaker from Semarang, Indonesia. Her films have been screened at Sheffield Doc/Fest, Doc Edge International Film Festival and Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival, amongst others.
This film is part of the Shorts Presentation: LOVE IS LOVE shorts programme.
17 Nov, 2024 1:00 pm
TIFF Lightbox C4
Canada, South Korea202432 MinEnglish, Korean, FrenchAvailable Online, Directed By Women, Documentary, Experimental, History
A prismatic exploration recounting the 1950s visit of Parisian elites led by Chris Marker and Claude Lanzmann in the newly formed Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the communist state that claims the allegiance of the filmmaker’s grandmother during the Korean War.
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)
*Helen Lee
Helen Lee is a Seoul-born, Toronto-based filmmaker whose works explore intersectionalities of place, identity, and sexuality. She works in fiction and essay films, featuring diasporic gendered subjects from feminist and transnational perspectives.
This film is part of the Shorts Presentation: UNDERCURRENTS shorts programme.
17 Nov, 2024 4:00 pm
TIFF Lightbox C4CONTENT ADVISORY
Depictions of war, conflict, trauma, and slight nudity; mentions of suicide
Canada202485 minEnglish, Cantonese and ToisaneseWorld PremiereAvailable Online, Directed By Women, Documentary, First Feature, History, Immigrant stories, Women Filmmakers
In 1923, Canada passed the ironically named Chinese Immigration Act — better known as the Chinese Exclusion Act — which for the next 24 years barred virtually any Chinese person from entering the country. They were the first ethnic group to be singled out in this way.
In her directorial debut, award-winning actor and playwright Keira Loughran traces her family’s history to show the act’s devastating impact on the Chinese community, focusing on her grandmother, activist Jean Lumb, who was the first Chinese Canadian woman to receive the Order of Canada. Among the many incidents igniting Lumb’s activism was the shocking revocation of her Canadian citizenship when she married Loughran’s Chinese-born grandfather — a lesser-known requirement of the act.
Loughran also connects Canada’s discriminatory practices to the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic, when China was blamed for the virus, ultimately revealing the strength and resilience of a community.
– Deanna Wong
Keira Loughran
Keira Loughran is a fourth-generation Chinese Canadian theatre artist and filmmaker who has tackled many creative projects that explore her cultural roots and reflect Canada’s multicultural past and present.
16 Nov, 2024 12:00 pm
TIFF Lightbox C3GA
Tickets for the in-cinema presentation have gone into advance rush. No more public advance tickets are available. Please join the rush line on the day of the screening when we will release unclaimed holds and reserves.
We can usually get everyone in the rush line in but rush tickets are strictly subject to availability and not guaranteed. Rush lines start an hour before the first screening of the day so the earlier you join the rush line the better your chances.
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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 screening with director Keira Loughran, producer Craig Thompson, and Helen Lee, a participant in the film.
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?
Amir is an aspiring chef trying to get ahead, but he can’t seem to break out and meet his own expectations or those of his parents, while his favoured younger brother Mahyar can seemingly do no wrong. When news from Iran arrives that a family friend has died and passed his entire inheritance solely to Mahyar, the mystery of the gift’s provenance begins to unravel the family's story, the image of their parents, and the relationship between the two brothers.
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.
Canada20244 minEnglish2slgbtq+, Available Online, Directed By Women, Family-friendly, History
The music video for One Thing I Can Afford, by Louie Sanchez, broadly addresses queer and trans friendship in the diaspora, Filipinx masculinities, and everyday enactments of transgenerational care.
IN PERSON: this film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
ONLINE: his film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
*Casey Mecija
Casey Mecija is an accomplished multidisciplinary artist, primarily working in music and film. She is an assistant professor at York University in the department of communication and media studies.
This film is part of the Shorts Presentation: LOVE ISLAND shorts programme.
15 Nov, 2024 8:00 pm
TIFF Lightbox C4GA
USA202460 minEnglishToronto PremiereAvailable Online, Documentary, History
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.
Interweaving intimate interviews and rare archival materials with evocative cinematography, Nakamura and Nguyen-Le tell the remarkable story of Miyamoto not only as a resilient community “artivist," but also as a loving friend, partner, and mother. This heartfelt recount is timely, encouraging the audience to reinforce collective resistance and solidarity amidst ongoing systemic racial oppression.
– Steffi Ng
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, 2024
CAAMFest San Francisco, 2024
AWARDS
Best Documentary, CAAMFest San Francisco, 2024
Quyên Nguyen-Le, Tadashi Nakamura
Tadashi Nakamura is an Emmy-award winning filmmaker and the director of the Watase Media Arts Center, a production company of the Japanese American National Museum.
Quyên Nguyen-Le (they/them) is a Daytime Emmy-nominated queer Vietnamese filmmaker born to refugee parents where Chumash and Tongva lands meet (San Fernando Valley, Los Ángeles).
This programme is preceded by FILE NO. 2304.
19 Nov, 2024 7:00 pm
Innis Town HallGA
Ticketing is required for this presentation, but tickets are free. Limit 2 tickets. This event will have open seating – sit anywhere in the venue that isn’t specifically reserved.
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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 Q&A immediately after the screening with directors Tadashi Nakamura and Quyên Nguyen-Le modated by Vidhya Elango.
Vidhya Elango
Moderator
Vidhya Elango is a researcher and cultural worker living in Toronto. Her interests include diaspora, place-making, language, and their intersections. Currently, she is the Heritage Manager — Exhibition and Research at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto.
The 28th edition of Reel Asian is about to unfold! Celebrate with us at our Festival Launch Party, co-hosted by New Ho Queen!
So you have a great idea for a documentary—what’s next? Join our panel of Producers and Directors as they break down the journey of transforming a concept into a compelling finished project. From the early stages of research, fundraising, and story development, to navigating production challenges and securing distribution, this discussion will cover the essential steps and strategies for bringing a documentary idea to life. Gain insights on pitching to funders, the importance of crafting diverse and authentic narratives, and how to collaborate with key stakeholders in the industry. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your approach, this session will provide valuable takeaways from experienced professionals who have successfully turned their ideas into reality.
Five oblivious youths, a video camera, a remote rundown villa, and a creepy caretaker. Doesn’t it sound like the perfect recipe for a horror film? A mysterious death that soon follows takes the story on a route beyond the fourth wall. The group find out that they’re characters of The Draft! of a screenplay, and that their smarts will dictate their survival.
Canada, India, Sri Lanka202318 minTamil with English subtitlesDrama, History
In a small village in northern Sri Lanka, a young girl is forced to confront the consequences of a deadly civil war as a wounded freedom fighter is brought into their home.
*Kalainithan Kalaichelvan
Kalainithan Kalaichelvan is a Tamil Canadian writer, director, and producer whose films have screened at festivals such as the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Rhode Island International Film Festival, and Reel Asian.
This film is part of the Shorts Presentation: HERE WE ARE shorts programme.
At the heart of Baby Queen is a tender and joyful relationship between Singaporean drag queen Opera Tang and her 90-year-old grandmother, who makes many of her performance costumes.
Blue Ant Media is looking for its next hit factual paranormal series with T&E and HauntTV's global free streaming channel. Join us for a spooky information session with Blue Ant Media's Sam Linton, VP Production and Development and Julie Chang, EVP Business Strategy and Co-productions, to get all of your questions answered.
Catch author Jeff Yang in conversation with RepresentASIAN Project's EIC and founder Madelyn Chung about his new book, THE GOLDEN SCREEN. Purchase a copy and get it signed!
USA202314 minFarsi with English subtitlesDirected By Women, Drama, History
In the height of the Iran–Iraq war, Caroline takes the final car ride with her father through the Iranian countryside.
Julia Elihu
Julia Elihu is an Iranian American writer, director, and producer.
This film is part of the Shorts Presentation: HERE WE ARE shorts programme.
Free-spirited 12-year-old Zaffan is the first of her friends to get her period and experience the body-changing horrors that come with puberty and menstruation.
Societal, political, and magical forces at play beyond our control, this programme brings together a variety of filmmaking approaches to reflect on what can remain in troubling times, and along with it, agency to construct the narrative.
A job interview, a children’s clothing store, a government registry office. These are just some of the everyday sites for which the characters of Terrestrial Verses must navigate cultural, religious, and institutional constraints imposed on them.
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
