10 Nov, 2021
In celebration of Reel Asian’s 25th Anniversary, the festival commissioned three short works to be shown before each film during the festival. Made with their own interpretation of this year’s theme, “Here for the Bigger Picture,” we are proud to introduce the artists selected and invite you to read their artist statement below. The full animations can be seen at the festival in the opening sequences and will also be revealed on Reel Asian’s Instagram as the festival days progress.
To Bloom Like The Universe Does
by Sab Meynert
Artist statement: A short animation to follow the flow of the ever-intertwining rhythm of life, between vast transformations of the natural world, the inflections of our human emotions, and the seemingly-static elements of our atomic structures on earth.
Artist Bio: Sab Meynert is an artist based in ON, Canada. Her work spins poetic imagery & text to weave maps of visceral emotions and the multiformity of life’s infinitely unfolding nature. Between published artist multiples, national & international gallery shows, grant-funded bodies of work, collaborative initiatives with musicians & artists both local and international, her world-distributed book work, and animation work that ties all these in, Meynert is an embodiment of the artist working in dynamic multiplicity.
Cinema in Motion
by Leslie Supnet
Artist Statement: For Reel Asian’s 25th Anniversary commission, I wanted to integrate the history of cinema and celebrate Reel Asian’s milestone achievement while looking ahead towards the future of the festival. I re-animated one of Eadweard Muybridge’s The Horse in Motion (1878) cabinet cards, that illustrate locomotion in a sequential series of images that were a technical and conceptual breakthrough for filmmaking. By using various video and film textures, countdown leader and digital animation techniques, I wanted to celebrate the materials of film making as well as the passage of time with Reel Asian there for the bigger picture.
Artist Bio: Leslie Supnet is a Filipino Canadian contemporary experimental animator and filmmaker who creates media works that explore themes of loss and change. Using animation, live-action, found footage and material exploration, Supnet’s process is guided by lyricism and personal archeology. Leslie completed her MFA in Film at York University in 2016. She has taught animation in the community at various artist-run centres in Canada and through TIFF’s Reel Comfort program. Leslie is currently a Sessional Instructor at OCAD University.
Their portal
by Kevin Pham
Artist Statement: This piece is a homage to the unsung Asian films and TV that were a staple in immigrant households and places of work. Their presence was a constant, whether it was the focus of attention or white noise in the background. They offered comfort and a sense of home to diasporic Asians who were navigating the challenges of a foreign culture, language, and land. That alone speaks to the significance of these works, independent of critical acclaim.
Artist Bio: Kevin Pham is a motion designer based in Toronto, ON. He is a first generation Canadian and of Vietnamese descent. The nuances of reconciling these two disparate parts of his identity are often at the root of his work. His preferred modes of expression are animation, photography and illustration.
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
