A discussion on artist labour conditions and funding challenges. The IMAA team will present on the Alliance’s resources including the Fee Schedule, the Resource Access Network and the Advocacy Toolkit, followed by a reception and mingling portion. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with the Alliance team, industry leaders, artists, and peers. Free and open to the public!
Barbora Racevičiūtė
IMAA National Director
Barbora Racevičiūtė is the National Director of the Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA). She a curator and cultural worker based in Montréal. She co-runs the curatorial collective shell.
Marilyne Parent
IMAA Communications and Membership Manager
Marilyne Parent is the Communications and Membership Manager at the Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA). She is a cultural worker involved in the associative media arts based in Montreal. Marilyne is a composer/performer in electronic music who is committed to the development of good practices and the creation of safer spaces through her involvement in night culture as an event and festival organizer.
Lindsey Wilson
IMAA Program Manager
Lindsey Wilson is a multidisciplinary artist and the Program Manager of DS4Y at the Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA). Her work engages with themes of embodiment, queerness, and interconnectivity at the intersection of craft, art, and science. Lindsey completed an MFA at the University of Ottawa and a BFA with a minor in Gender Studies at Queen’s University.
11 Nov, 2025 6:30 pm
Commons Lobby at 401 Richmond Street
The building is wheelchair and step-free accessible via a ramp & button operated door. The event space is on the 4th floor accessible by an elevator, with accessible washrooms located on the same floor. This event will feature a d/Deaf panelist and ASL interpretation will be provided.
If you require accessibility accommodation for this event, please click the link below.
If you require any accessibility accommodations or have questions about venue accessibility, please contact Samir at samir@reelasian.com.
Join us for a special presentation of 18 to 35, a bold new workplace comedy created by Rahul Chaturvedi and executive produced by Andrew Phung.
Join us for the closing event of the 29th Reel Asian, "So You Think You Can Pitch" Live Finale. Five emerging filmmaking teams will compete for a prize package to help realize their short films.
Join us for a conversation with directors and filmmakers Mayumi Yoshida, Janus Victoria, Timothy Yeung, and Nach Dudsdeemaytha on the creative, logistical, and personal realities of co-producing films across borders. Each filmmaker brings a unique perspective on how shooting overseas shaped their debut features - from financing and creative collaboration to the evolution of personal and cultural perspective.
Join us for a conversation with directors and filmmakers Mayumi Yoshida, Janus Victoria, Timothy Yeung, and Nach Dudsdeemaytha on the creative, logistical, and personal realities of co-producing films across borders. Each filmmaker brings a unique perspective on how shooting overseas shaped their debut features - from financing and creative collaboration to the evolution of personal and cultural perspective.
The discussion will explore what makes co-productions appealing to filmmakers, and how working under different cultural and industrial systems can influence both storytelling and process. Panelists will share how international collaboration reshaped their scripts, informed their visual worlds, and expanded their understanding of creative partnership.
Learn with us as each filmmaker reflects on their filmmaking journey and how they navigated the world of co-productions from development to post - and how much this formed their debut feature films.
Jay Wu
Creative Producer, Writer & Director
Named to Playback’s 10 to Watch in 2024, Jay Carolyn Wu is a creative producer who leads scripted series and features, including a sitcom with CBC Comedy and Tyra Banks’s SMiZE Productions, and other projects with partners like Crave, Pageboy Productions, and Bruce McCulloch, with two features shooting in 2026.
Mayumi Yoshida
Director, AKASHI
Mayumi Yoshida 吉田真由美 is a Vancouver-based director, actor, and writer whose global upbringing shapes her “in-betweener” storytelling. An alum of TIFF Writer’s Studio and Warner Bros. Discovery Access, she directed the Juno-nominated Different Than Before, has won SXSW’s Jury Award, and screened at Oscar- and BAFTA-qualifying festivals.
Janus Victoria
Director, DIAMONDS IN THE SAND
Janus Victoria, a Manila-based writer-director, creates documentaries and films on human-place connections. She’s made six shorts, including Myth of Manila, as well as the documentary Encounters with Silence. Diamonds in the Sand is her debut feature.
Timothy Yeung
Director, FINCH & MIDLAND
Timothy Yeung is a Canadian-born Chinese filmmaker and holds a master of fine arts from New York University. A TIFF Filmmaker Lab alumnus, his short 90 Days was acquired by Sundance Selects. He won the MAS Award at the Busan Asian Project Market in 2018.
Nach Dudsdeemaytha
Producer, AKASHI
Nach Dudsdeemaytha is a Thai-Canadian filmmaker based in Vancouver, BC. He holds over a dozen producer credits on award-winning films and web series. Nach is a recent alumni of the NSI / EAVE ACCESS Producer Program. Outside of Musubi Arts, Nach works as a Line Producer and Production Manager for independent feature films.
9 Nov, 2025 1:30 pm
Commons Lobby at 401 Richmond Street The building is wheelchair and step-free accessible via a ramp & button operated door. The event space is on the 4th floor accessible by an elevator, with accessible washrooms located on the same floor. This event will feature a d/Deaf panelist and ASL interpretation will be provided.
If you require accessibility accommodation for this event, please click the link below.
If you require any accessibility accommodations or have questions about venue accessibility, please contact Samir at samir@reelasian.com.
Join us for an in-depth conversation about SPACE CADET, a moving animated film that speaks volumes without a single word of dialogue. Director Kid Koala will share how a memory of watching Charlie Chaplin films with his grandmother became the north star that guided this deeply personal story.
Reel Ideas presents a rich programme of conversations, panels, and networking sessions for filmmakers and artists at every stage of their careers.
Reel Asian and the Writers Guild of Canada present a candid conversation on the pathways and pitfalls of building a sustainable career in screenwriting.
Reel Asian and the Writers Guild of Canada present a candid conversation on the pathways and pitfalls of building a sustainable career in screenwriting. With Asian Canadian writers at the forefront, this session will explore the realities of navigating writers' rooms, landing representation, and making sense of the business side of TV and film.
Panellists will reflect on their own journeys — from making an impression to handling notes and rewrites — while demystifying the structures of television writing. Beyond the craft, this discussion will explore strategies for self-promotion, building meaningful industry relationships, and understanding what producers and commissioning editors are really looking for. The conversation will also address larger systemic barriers writers face, and how community and resilience play a vital role in sustaining long-term careers.
Nathalie Younglai
Writer-Director
Lakna Edirisinghe
Writer/Producer
Lakna Edirisinghe is a Sri Lankan-Canadian writer/producer based in Toronto. She’s written for a wide variety of shows, including hour-long dramas like Diggstown (CBC), half-hour comedies like Late Bloomer (Bell/Crave), and kid’s comedies like Odd Squad (PBS), for which she was nominated for an Emmy. She’s won a WGC Award and a Canadian Screen Award.
Romeo Candido
Director, writer, composer, and producer
Romeo Candido is an Emmy-nominated director, writer, composer, and CSA-winning producer whose dynamic career spans film, television, theatre, and music. He was the showrunner and series director for Gangnam Project S1(CBC/BBC) and co-showrunner for The Next Step (BBC). His directing credits include Workin’ Moms (Netflix/CBC), This Hour Has 22 Minutes (CBC), Popularity Papers (YTV), Second Jen (Rogers), and the Emmy-nominated Circuit Breakers(Apple TV). As a writer, he has contributed to Son of a Critch (CBC/CW) and Another Life (Netflix). He is the creator and showrunner of the CSA-nominated Topline for CBC Gem, and the writer-composer of the Sterling Award–winning theatrical musical Prison Dancer which enjoyed sold out runs at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton and the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.
JP Larocque
Screenwriter and Producer
JP Larocque is an award-winning screenwriter and producer with experience in comedy (CBC’s Sort Of and North of North, CTV’s JANN), drama (CBC’s Allegiance, SkyMed, Dig
They are creator and executive producer of the digital comedy series Gay Nerds on OUTtv. In 2024, The Globe and Mail listed them among “the 25 most influential people in Canadian television.”
As a journalist, JP has bylines in Maclean’s, The Walrus, The Toronto Star, Flare, This Magazine, Xtra, and The Beaverton, with additional work in the anthologies City Voices: A Book of Monologues by Toronto Artists (2012), and The Secret Loves of Geeks (2018).
12 Nov, 2025 2:30 pm
CineCycle129 Spadina Avenue (coach-house down the lane behind), Toronto, ON M5A 1J7
This venue is not accessible to people using wheelchairs, and would present significant challenges to people with moderate to severe mobility difficulties. This venue is not suitable for those with low vision.
Join us for an in-depth conversation about SPACE CADET, a moving animated film that speaks volumes without a single word of dialogue. Director Kid Koala will share how a memory of watching Charlie Chaplin films with his grandmother became the north star that guided this deeply personal story.
This panel will explore how racialized and independent creators bring their films to communities and audiences.
In collaboration with the Independent Media Arts Alliance, Reel Ideas will co-host a three-day mini-conference focused on artist advocacy, fair pay, and building an equitable arts ecosystem.
Filmmaker Ian Tuason’s debut feature The Undertone, recently acquired by A24, transforms the intimacy of caregiving and the eerie power of audio into a chilling, single-location horror story. The film traces its origins from an experimental podcast idea. Drawing on his personal experiences and love of the genre, Tuason crafts a work that balances vulnerability, innovation, and fear.
Tuason will join Ana Serrano, to reflect on the creative journey behind The Undertone. Together, they’ll explore the film’s evolution — from its early drafts to its visual and sonic design — while also discussing how collaboration, mentorship, and digital storytelling practices shaped Tuason’s approach. By examining how a deeply personal story can resonate with audiences and attract a major distributor, this session will offer insight into the intersections of craft, risk, and support systems in independent filmmaking.
Ian Tuason
Filmmaker
Ian Tuason is a Toronto-based filmmaker and the writer and director of The Undertone, sold to A24 Films in July 2025 following its premiere at the Fantasia Film Festival where it won Best Canadian Feature. Tuason is currently in development for his next feature, soon to be announced.
Ana Serrano
President and vice-chancellor of OCAD Univerisity
Ana Serrano is an award-winning visionary leader with more than 25 years of experience in transforming organizations and creating cutting-edge programs to strengthen innovation and skills-building in the arts and culture sector and creative industries. Since July 2020, Ms Serrano has been President and Vice-Chancellor of OCAD University, Canada’s largest and oldest art and design university. She was previously Chief Digital Officer of the Canadian Film Centre and founder of the CFC Media Lab.
14 Nov, 2025 7:30 pm
OCADU Auditorium MCA 190No advance ticketing is available for this event. Free same-day tickets will be distributed on a first-come/first-served basis at the venue starting at 7PM on the day of the presentation.
The venue is located on the ground floor with level entry at the entrance. The entrance to the building is accessible from the sidewalk by ramps.
If you require accessibility accommodation for this event, please click the link below.
Join us for a conversation with directors and filmmakers Mayumi Yoshida, Janus Victoria, Timothy Yeung, and Nach Dudsdeemaytha on the creative, logistical, and personal realities of co-producing films across borders. Each filmmaker brings a unique perspective on how shooting overseas shaped their debut features - from financing and creative collaboration to the evolution of personal and cultural perspective.
Reel Ideas presents a rich programme of conversations, panels, and networking sessions for filmmakers and artists at every stage of their careers.
In collaboration with the Independent Media Arts Alliance, Reel Ideas will co-host a three-day mini-conference focused on artist advocacy, fair pay, and building an equitable arts ecosystem.
Reel Ideas presents a rich programme of conversations, panels, and networking sessions for filmmakers and artists at every stage of their careers. Go behind the scenes of projects like the workplace comedy 18 to 35 and Kid Koala’s animated feature Space Cadet, discovering the craft, creativity, and collaboration that bring these stories to life. Hear from experienced writers, animators, and filmmakers, and gain practical insights for advancing your career and developing your creative practice. Sessions also explore important topics such as accessibility, advocacy, and sustaining a creative practice.
From cheering on finalists in this year’s So You Think You Can Pitch? competition to participating in behind-the-scenes masterclasses, Reel Ideas is a space to connect, learn, and celebrate the many ways our communities create meaningful stories.
Join us for an in-depth conversation about Space Cadet, a moving animated film that speaks volumes without a single word of dialogue. Director Kid Koala will share how a memory of watching Charlie Chaplin films with his grandmother became the north star that guided this deeply personal story.
THURS NOV 6 AT 2:00PM
Join us for a conversation with directors and filmmakers Mayumi Yoshida, Janus Victoria, Timothy Yeung, and Nach Dudsdeemaytha on the creative, logistical, and personal realities of co-producing films across borders. Each filmmaker brings a unique perspective on how shooting overseas shaped their debut features - from financing and creative collaboration to the evolution of personal and cultural perspective.
SUN NOV 9 AT 1:30PM
In collaboration with the Independent Media Arts Alliance, Reel Ideas will co-host a three-day mini-conference focused on artist advocacy, fair pay, and building an equitable arts ecosystem.
TUES NOV 11 - THURS NOV 13
This panel will explore how racialized and independent creators bring their films to communities often excluded from mainstream distribution. The conversation will shed light on the barriers to access and the inventive strategies filmmakers use to ensure their stories are seen and heard.
TUES NOV 11 AT 3PM
The discussion will explore how festivals can better support accessibility — from accommodating filmmakers with disabilities and reaching diverse audiences, to guiding creators on inclusive practices like budgeting for captioning.
TUES NOV 11 AT 4:30PM
In partnership with IMAA, join a discussion on artist labour conditions and funding challenges, followed by a reception and mingling portion. Free and open to the public!
TUES NOV 11 at 6PM
Join us and the Writers Guild of Canada present a candid conversation on the pathways and pitfalls of building a sustainable career in screenwriting.
WED NOV 12 AT 2:30PM
Join us for a special presentation of 18 to 35, a bold new workplace comedy created by Rahul Chaturvedi and executive produced by Andrew Phung.
WED NOV 12 AT 6:30PM
Filmmaker Ian Tuason’s debut feature The Undertone, recently acquired by A24, transforms the intimacy of caregiving and the eerie power of audio into a chilling, single-location horror story.
FRI NOV 14 AT 7:30PM
Join us for the live So You Think You Can Pitch competition at the 29th Reel Asian Film Festival! Watch the five finalists compete for an incredible prize package to help launch or complete their films. Come cheer on the next generation of talent and get inspired by the future of Asian Canadian cinema!
SAT NOV 15 AT 7PM
Join us for a conversation with directors and filmmakers Mayumi Yoshida, Janus Victoria, Timothy Yeung, and Nach Dudsdeemaytha on the creative, logistical, and personal realities of co-producing films across borders. Each filmmaker brings a unique perspective on how shooting overseas shaped their debut features - from financing and creative collaboration to the evolution of personal and cultural perspective.
In collaboration with the Independent Media Arts Alliance, Reel Ideas will co-host a three-day mini-conference focused on artist advocacy, fair pay, and building an equitable arts ecosystem.
Filmmaker Ian Tuason’s debut feature The Undertone, recently acquired by A24, transforms the intimacy of caregiving and the eerie power of audio into a chilling, single-location horror story.
In partnership with the DOC Institute, Reel Ideas will host a panel as part of the speaker series Truth Matters – Critical Dialogue in a Post-Truth Era, supported by the Toronto Arts Council.
This panel will explore how racialized and independent creators bring their films to communities and audiences. The conversation will shed light on how creators might navigate through barriers and challenges and the strategies and partnerships filmmakers use to ensure their stories are seen and heard, while also reflecting on the artistry, intention, and creative decisions that shape how these films connect with viewers. Whether you are a filmmaker, producer, programmer, or audience member interested in the future of documentary, this event will provide valuable insight into how stories find their way into the world.
Chrisann Hessing
Filmmaker
Chrisann Hessing is an award-winning Toronto-based documentary filmmaker and founder of Culture Shift Media, a boutique company creating films that inspire social change. Guided by the belief that storytelling is healing, she collaborates with filmmakers and changemakers to spark meaningful dialogue and drive lasting impact.
Min Sook Lee
Director, THERE ARE NO WORDS
Min Sook Lee is an award-winning director whose work explores themes of labour, migration and social justice. Her acclaimed documentaries include Migrant Dreams (2016), named Best Labour Documentary by the Canadian Journalists Association and recipient of the Canadian Hillman Prize; The Real Inglorious Bastards (2012), winner of a Canadian Screen Award; Tiger Spirit (2008), which won the Donald Brittain Gemini Award; Hogtown (2005), named Best Canadian Feature at Hot Docs; and the Gemini-nominated El Contrato (2003). She is a recipient of numerous awards, including the Cesar E. Chavez Black Eagle Award, and the Alanis Obomsawin Award for Commitment to Community and Resistance. Canada’s oldest labour arts festival, Mayworks, has named the Min Sook Lee Labour Arts Award in her honour. Lee is an Associate Professor at OCAD University, where her area of research and practice focuses on the intersections of art+social change in labour, border politics, migration and social justice movements.
Tony Nguyen
Director, YEAR OF THE CAT
Tony Nguyen is an Oakland filmmaker whose work explores the Vietnamese refugee experience (Enforcing the Silence, Giap’s Last Day at the Ironing Board Factory) and the overlooked stories of individuals and communities that make up the fabric of the Town (Fresh Frozen, I See Me).
11 Nov, 2025 3:00 pm
CineCycle129 Spadina Avenue (coach-house down the lane behind), Toronto, ON M5A 1J7
This venue is not accessible to people using wheelchairs, and would present significant challenges to people with moderate to severe mobility difficulties. This venue is not suitable for those with low vision.
The discussion will explore how festivals can better support accessibility — from accommodating filmmakers with disabilities and reaching diverse audiences, to guiding creators on inclusive practices like budgeting for captioning.
Join us for a conversation with directors and filmmakers Mayumi Yoshida, Janus Victoria, Timothy Yeung, and Nach Dudsdeemaytha on the creative, logistical, and personal realities of co-producing films across borders. Each filmmaker brings a unique perspective on how shooting overseas shaped their debut features - from financing and creative collaboration to the evolution of personal and cultural perspective.
Join us for a special presentation of 18 to 35, a bold new workplace comedy created by Rahul Chaturvedi and executive produced by Andrew Phung.
Reel Ideas presents a panel featuring leaders from the Disability Screen Office, Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Disability Studies, and the Unify Deaf Film Festival. The discussion will explore how festivals can better support accessibility — from accommodating filmmakers with disabilities and reaching diverse audiences, to guiding creators on inclusive practices like budgeting for captioning. This session will offer practical strategies for making film culture more equitable and inclusive.
Sarah Barzak
NSI’s Disabled Producers Lab Participant
Raised in London, Ontario, Sarah Barzak is an autistic writer, producer and culture worker of Malay-Palestinian descent. They are an alumnus of the NSI’s Disabled Producers Lab. When Sarah is not watching films, they enjoy eating spicy food, singing karaoke and crying at the beach.
Yoonmee Han
Research Associate - TMU Access Activations
Yoonmee has been involved in disability community organizing and many research projects that aim to improve access for disabled people in mental health and arts sector such as Access Activations project. Yoonmee holds MA in Critical Disability Studies at York University, and pursuing PhD in Science and Technology Studies.
Winnie Luk
Executive Director - DSO
Winnie Luk is the inaugural Executive Director of the Disability Screen Office, a national, disability-led, not-for-profit organization developing opportunities for disabled creatives and advocating for a more accessible Canadian screen industry. Her lived experiences as a Chinese Queer Woman with mobility disabilities drive her lifelong advocacy for equity and accessibility.
Clarence Canisico
Actor
Clarence Cansicio, a Canadian Filipino actor from Toronto, has appeared in films such as Voice Messages, Old Mother Tongue, Altar Boy (Netflix), and The 5%. His work explores identity, language, and Deaf experiences. He advocates for the Deaf community and is pursuing an MA in Critical Disability Studies.
11 Nov, 2025 4:30 pm
Commons Lobby at 401 Richmond Street401 Richmond Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 3A8
The building is wheelchair and step-free accessible via a ramp & button operated door. The event space is on the 4th floor accessible by an elevator, with accessible washrooms located on the same floor. This event will feature a d/Deaf panelist and ASL interpretation will be provided.
If you require accessibility accommodation for this event, please click the link below.
If you require any accessibility accommodations or have questions about venue accessibility, please contact Samir at samir@reelasian.com.
Filmmaker Ian Tuason’s debut feature The Undertone, recently acquired by A24, transforms the intimacy of caregiving and the eerie power of audio into a chilling, single-location horror story.
In collaboration with the Independent Media Arts Alliance, Reel Ideas will co-host a three-day mini-conference focused on artist advocacy, fair pay, and building an equitable arts ecosystem.
This panel will explore how racialized and independent creators bring their films to communities and audiences.
Join us for a special presentation of 18 to 35, a bold new workplace comedy created by Rahul Chaturvedi and executive produced by Andrew Phung. Key collaborators will pull back the curtain on this homegrown production, crafted on a small budget but with big ambitions. They’ll share how the series moved from idea to pitch to screen, highlighting lessons in building a writers’ room, navigating production and post-production, giving attendees an end-to-end crash course on making a series.
Rahul Chaturvedi
Writer-Director
Rahul Chaturvedi is a Toronto based writer-director working across scripted, unscripted, and kids’ television. A graduate of the CFC Writers’ Lab, his writing and story editing credits include Late Bloomer (Crave), Run the Burbs (CBC), Don’t Even (Crave), Potluck Ladies (Yes TV), and the preschool series Skillsville (PBS Kids).
12 Nov, 2025 6:30 pm
CineCycle129 Spadina Avenue (coach-house down the lane behind), Toronto, ON M5A 1J7
This venue is not accessible to people using wheelchairs, and would present significant challenges to people with moderate to severe mobility difficulties. This venue is not suitable for those with low vision.
Join us for an in-depth conversation about SPACE CADET, a moving animated film that speaks volumes without a single word of dialogue. Director Kid Koala will share how a memory of watching Charlie Chaplin films with his grandmother became the north star that guided this deeply personal story.
Reel Asian and the Writers Guild of Canada present a candid conversation on the pathways and pitfalls of building a sustainable career in screenwriting.
In collaboration with the Independent Media Arts Alliance, Reel Ideas will co-host a three-day mini-conference focused on artist advocacy, fair pay, and building an equitable arts ecosystem.
Join us for an in-depth conversation about Space Cadet, a moving animated film that speaks volumes without a single word of dialogue. Director Kid Koala will share how a memory of watching Charlie Chaplin films with his grandmother became the north star that guided this deeply personal story. That early connection to silent cinema — bridging cultural and language barriers — inspired the creation of Space Cadet as a work of solace, imagination, and reflection.
Kid Koala and Lillian Chan, Space Cadet’s head of story and production designer, will discuss the journey from book to film, exploring how to translate vulnerability into craft — through storytelling, visual design, and music — and how to make authenticity come through in every frame. Together, they’ll reflect on how Space Cadet found its voice without dialogue, and how its journey reveals the power of art in connecting past, present, and future.
Kid Koala
Director
Kid Koala (Eric San) is a Montreal-based DJ, composer, and visual artist. Creator of five solo albums and the graphic novels Nufonia Must Fall and Space Cadet, he has collaborated with Gorillaz and Radiohead. His first animated feature, Space Cadet, premiered at the Berlinale and screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Lillian Chan
Head of Story and Production Designer
Lillian Chan is an experienced animation filmmaker known for her work on various projects, including the award-winning children’s film Jaime Lo, Small and Shy (NFB, 2007), an educational short for TEDed, and a VR prototype for the CFC Medialab. Her commercial clients include DisneyXD, Nelvana, Guru Studios, and Mozilla. Lillian serves as professor of animation at Seneca Polytechnic in Toronto.
Richard Koo
Vice President, Analytics & Strategic Insights
Richard Koo has over 20 years of experience in audience research and leads the analytics, strategic reporting, and foresight teams at the Canada Media Fund (CMF). At the CMF, his work focuses on leveraging data to address equity challenges and promote growth and economic opportunities in the media industry.
Richard began his career at CBC Sports, contributing to programs like Hockey Night in Canada and the Olympic Games. He is also a 3-time Boston Marathon finisher, an international umpire with World Rowing, a member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, and a former president of the International Olympic Academy Participants Association. Originally from Canada’s west coast, Richard holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Science in Planning from the University of Toronto.
6 Nov, 2025 2:00 pm
CineCycle129 Spadina Avenue (coach-house down the lane behind), Toronto, ON M5A 1J7
This venue is not accessible to people using wheelchairs, and would present significant challenges to people with moderate to severe mobility difficulties. This venue is not suitable for those with low vision.
A discussion on artist labour conditions and funding challenges. The IMAA team will present on the Alliance’s resources including the Fee Schedule, the Resource Access Network and the Advocacy Toolkit, followed by a reception and mingling portion. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with the Alliance team, industry leaders, artists, and peers. Free and open to the public!
Join us for a conversation with directors and filmmakers Mayumi Yoshida, Janus Victoria, Timothy Yeung, and Nach Dudsdeemaytha on the creative, logistical, and personal realities of co-producing films across borders. Each filmmaker brings a unique perspective on how shooting overseas shaped their debut features - from financing and creative collaboration to the evolution of personal and cultural perspective.
Reel Ideas presents a rich programme of conversations, panels, and networking sessions for filmmakers and artists at every stage of their careers.
Join us for the live So You Think You Can Pitch competition at the 29th Reel Asian Film Festival, where five emerging filmmaking teams will go head-to-head for a prize package to help bring their short films to life. Cheer the finalists on as they pitch their stories to a panel of distinguished jurors — and get a first look at the talented voices shaping the future of Asian Canadian cinema.
Pitch Winner Prize Package
Pitch Finalist Package
Rakhee Morzaria
Comedian, Actor, Writer
Rakhee Morzaria is a multi-award-nominated South-Asian actor, writer, and comedian. She was the lead on the hit Hulu/CBC comedy, Run the Burbs and her filmmaking has been showcased at the Atlantic Film Festival, Imagine This Film festival in New York, Kevin Hart’s Eat My Shorts Competition. Her CBC digital series, Note to Self, was nominated for a Canadian Screen and Canadian Comedy Award. As seen on What We Do in the Shadows (FX), Private Eyes (CTV) and My Spy (Netflix), and animated series Summer Memories (Roku), Rakhee also performs stand-up and sketch and performed at the Toronto and Montreal Sketchfest, Comedy is Art Festival, the Second City Stage and as part of inaugural Bob Curry Fellowship program.
Meelad Moaphi
Filmmaker
Meelad Moaphi is an Iranian Canadian filmmaker and Assistant Professor at Wilfrid Laurier University. His debut feature, His Father’s Son, won the Audience Choice and Best Director prizes at the 2024 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival and is now available on Apple TV+.
Eman Pathan
Producer
Eman Pathan produces work that focuses on diasporic narratives, with themes of identity, belonging and home. The Reelworld Producer Program alumni and DGC member produced Jersey Boy, a coming-of-age feature film about a Sikh boy struggling with his identity in the aftermath of 9/11.
Yung Chang
Filmmaker
Award-winning filmmaker Yung Chang (Up the Yangtze, Wuhan Wuhan) explores stories bridging East and West. He recently completed production of his short fiction The Highway (2025) and is developing his debut narrative fiction feature, Eggplant. Chang is a member of AMPAS, DGC and WGC.
Shasha Nakhai
Filmmaker
Shasha is a Toronto-based storyteller with over a decade of experience in scripted and unscripted. Her work has aired on the BBC, CBC, ZDF, and Arte; screened at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA); been nominated for 16 Canadian Screen Awards; named TIFF’s Top 10; and shortlisted for an Oscar.
Alison Almeida
Producer
Alison Almeida is a South Asian producer based in Toronto.
Pitch Project Title: CAREGIVER
Jialan Lin
Writer & Director
Jialan Lin is a Toronto-based Chinese writer-director whose work delves into the cultural and societal systems that reinforce inequality, intending to spark dialogue and foster healing. A graduate of the USC Film School (MFA) and a participant of the Whistler Film Festival Screenwriters lab, she is currently developing her debut feature, Caregiver.
Pitch Project Title: DON’T RAISIN!
Katharine King So
Filmmaker
Katharine King So’s work often explores being a gay half-Asian woman: whether she’s playing one onscreen (Revival, The Voyeurs), developing dark-comedy scripts (TIFF’s Series Accelerator, Inside Out’s Finance Forum), or walking her dog in a Melissa Etheridge t-shirt. She is repped by PLAY Mgmt. www.katharinekingso.com @katharinekingso
Dylan Pun
Director
Dylan is a Chinese film director whose style revolves around strong talent direction, meticulously crafted frames, and an edit-conscious approach. He is drawn to character-driven stories that call for a unique visual language. His short film Shrimp Fried Rice won Best Screenplay at the Fantasia International Film Festival.
Pitch Project Title: JOINT CUSTODY
Lee Nisar
Filmmaker, Writer, & Photographer
Lee Nisar is a Pakistani-Canadian filmmaker, writer, and photographer based out of Toronto, Canada. Lee’s work explores issues relating to intergenerational curses, queerness, and the absurd. When not working on their next film, Lee enjoys karaoke, trying out new recipes, and annoying their cat.
Pitch Project Title: APPA
Lizzie Han
Filmmaker
Lizzie Han is a Korean-Canadian filmmaker based in Toronto. She is drawn to restrained studies of daily life that balance dry humour with quiet tragedy. Her work has screened at numerous international film festivals including NFFTY, TIFF Next Wave, and Phoenix Film Festival.
Pitch Project Title: KLEPTO, NO BOYFRIEND
Yvette Sin
Filmmaker
Yvette Sin is a queer Canadian-Hong Kongese artist based in Toronto. From found objects, intrusive thoughts, inside jokes and gossip, she makes: collages, poems, mistakes and moving pictures. Mostly she spends her days at a bookstore in the west end, slingin’ books, driving around the city and scheming.
15 Nov, 2025 7:00 pm
Annex Theatre–
Wheelchair spaces and step-free seating is available for this screening – click below to book accessible seats.
Join us at CSI Spadina for the Closing Night Reception following the SO YOU THINK YOU CAN PITCH? LIVE FINALE
9PM at CSI Spadina (192 Spadina Ave)
A calm & quiet zone will be available at this event. If you require accessibility accommodation for this event, please click the link below.
The discussion will explore how festivals can better support accessibility — from accommodating filmmakers with disabilities and reaching diverse audiences, to guiding creators on inclusive practices like budgeting for captioning.
Filmmaker Ian Tuason’s debut feature The Undertone, recently acquired by A24, transforms the intimacy of caregiving and the eerie power of audio into a chilling, single-location horror story.
Reel Ideas presents a rich programme of conversations, panels, and networking sessions for filmmakers and artists at every stage of their careers.
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
