DIGITAL SHORTS
All shorts are available online via a Shorts VOD Pass. Valid from 10AM on Monday, Nov 18 thru 11:59PM on Sunday, Nov 24, 2024.
Canada, Germany, USA1995-2024TRT: 69 minVarious languages
This programme invites audiences into a storytelling dialogue between imagineNATIVE and Reel Asian on the solidarity between Indigenous and settler Asian people. Tenacious and confrontational, this collection transports resilience from the past and into the present.
For: the mischievous; co-conspirators; partners-in-crime; fans of Adam Beach, Lily Gladstone, and Sandra Oh
CO-CURATOR: Kaitlynn Tomaselli is Anishinaabe and Italian from Manitoulin Island. An emerging curator and arts administrator, she currently works for the world’s largest presenter of Indigenous screen content, imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts.
*Directors in attendance starred.
USA201912 minEnglishAboriginal + Indigenous, Available Online, Directed By Women, Drama
The lives of a Native woman and a troubled young boy intersect over the course of a school day on a reservation in Oklahoma.
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)
Erica Tremblay
Erica Tremblay’s films have played at Sundance and SXSW. She was a director and writer on the FX show Reservation Dogs, and her first feature film, Fancy Dance, is now streaming worldwide on Apple TV.
Canada20205 minNo Dialogue2slgbtq+, Aboriginal + Indigenous, Available Online, Directed By Women, Experimental, Music, Romance, Science Fiction
This experimental examination of threshold states moves through deep space time in underwater realms. Mirrored bodies spiral, suspend, and dance through Te Reo Māori and nêhiyawêwin lamentations.
IN PERSON & ONLINE: No dialogue (no audio + visual descriptions)
Moe Clark, Victoria Hunt, James Brown
Weather Beings is a Two-Spirit/takatâpui collaborative performance between Victoria Hunt (Maori dancer, choreographer) and Moe Clark (Métis sound designer, vocalist) that explores the connections between Mâori whakapapa and Métis wâhkôhtowin (the kinship system).
Canada199527 minEnglishAvailable Online
IN PERSON & ONLINE: This film is scheduled to be presented with English subtitles only (no subtitles for English dialogue)
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.
Canada, Germany, Sweden20246 minEnglishAboriginal + Indigenous, Animation, Available Online, Directed By Women, Documentary, Experimental
Take a deep breath. As you exhale, imagine that in about three years, anywhere you went on the planet, you found the molecules that are inside of you in this moment.
IN PERSON: This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
This title is available digitally only in Ontario.
Alisi Telengut, Diego Galafassi
Alisi Telengut is a Canadian artist of Mongolian origin, living between Berlin and Tiohti:áke/Montréal. Her work has received multiple awards and has been screened and exhibited internationally.
Diego Galafassi is a director, writer, and producer of documentaries, experimental film, new media, and participatory performance.
Canada202319 minEnglish, ArabicAboriginal + Indigenous, Available Online, Directed By Women, Drama
Together, Nawal, a young Palestinian woman, and Tanya, an older Indigenous woman, start a guerrilla garden on the lawn of their apartment building and battle middle management to make it to harvest.
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)
*Fateema Al-Hamaydeh Miller
Fateema Al-Hamaydeh Miller is a mixed-race Palestinian Canadian filmmaker whose work explores themes of fragmented identity, grief, and post-traumatic growth, through “oh no, should I laugh?” comedy.
IN PERSON: This film is scheduled to be presented fully captioned (all dialogue subtitled + sound cues indicated)
16 Nov, 2024 5:00 pm
TIFF Lightbox C4PG
DIGITAL SHORTS
All shorts are available online via a Shorts VOD Pass. Valid from 10AM on Monday, Nov 18 thru 11:59PM on Sunday, Nov 24, 2024.
–
This programme is presented with a mix of open captions, English subtitles, and no captions. Wheelchair spaces and step-free seating is available for this screening – click below to book accessible seats.
The notion of love transcends you and me. It resides in the personal, the familial, the imaginary, and a nation.
Trouble seems to follow Jie and his family. Training to be a competitive fencer, Jie is lost, haunted by the childhood memory of a near-drowning incident with his menacing older brother Han. Years later, a teenage Han is imprisoned after killing a competitor during a fencing match (by accident, he swears). Meanwhile, Jie's mother has been spiteful and distant ever since, with no love to give her younger son. So when Han is finally released from prison, Jie is desperate to have some family love restored — and eager for some helpful fencing and boyfriend dating tips, too. But is Han’s reformed presence for real?
At the heart of this captivating coming-of-age sports film is Ashley Chea, a Cambodian American basketball marvel whose high school career we follow. Hailing from a lower-class immigrant family that sought safety in the U.S. after the Khmer Rouge came to power, Chea is given the opportunity to attend a private school and thus pursue a coveted college basketball career. While her parents work vigorously at their doughnut store and can’t attend her games, Chea bonds with her Japanese American coach, who helps her with doctor's appointments and even attaining her driver’s licence.
Canada2024TRT: 48 minVarious languagesWorld Premiere
Six emerging filmmakers embarked on a summer-long filmmaking journey. We’re proud to present their world premiere here, in the 13th edition of Reel Asian’s filmmaking program.
*Directors in attendance starred.
Canada20249 minEnglishWorld PremiereAvailable Online, Comedy, Directed By Women, Drama, Experimental, Science Fiction
A burnt-out writer uses AI to deliver a script, only to discover the true essence of human creativity.
IN PERSON & ONLINE: This film is scheduled to be presented with subtitles for all spoken dialogue (no sound cues indicated)
*Assel Akhmetova
Assel Akhmetova (she/her) is a Toronto-based Kazakh editor and director, with a passion for writing and a curiosity for exploring new ways of cinema.
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.
Canada20247 minEnglishWorld PremiereAvailable Online, Comedy, Directed By Women
Feeling stuck in her limited immigrant status, a young Korean woman eats spicy fire noodles every day for the thrill, instead of taking risks in her own life.
IN PERSON: This film is scheduled to be presented with subtitles for all spoken dialogue (no sound cues indicated)
ONLINE: This film is scheduled to be presented with subtitles for all spoken dialogue (no sound cues indicated)
*shelly seo bahng
shelly seo bahng is a Korean cis queer woman writer, poet, and community builder based in Tiohti:áke/Montreal. She is committed to exploring togetherness and aloneness.
Canada202411 minEnglishWorld PremiereAvailable Online, Comedy, Drama, Horror
A creepy clown-for-hire tries to stay true to his ghoulishness amidst a world that wants him to change.
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)
*Lee Nisar
Lee Nisar is a Pakistani Canadian filmmaker, writer, and photographer living and working in Toronto. Their work explores issues related to intergenerational curses, queerness, and absurdity.
Canada20248 minEnglish, Farsi, DariWorld PremiereAvailable Online, Directed By Women, Drama
When his health starts to decline, a young man spirals into paranoia, and he blames a growing mould problem for his issues.
IN PERSON: This film is scheduled to be presented with subtitles for all spoken dialogue (no sound cues indicated)
ONLINE : This film is scheduled to be presented with subtitles for all spoken dialogue (no sound cues indicated)
*Sofia Habib
Sofia Habib is an Afghan actor, writer, and arts worker based in Ontario. She performs both on stage and screen and has played the lead role in two films that premiered at Reel Asian Film Festival.
Canada20247 minEnglishWorld PremiereAvailable Online, Drama, Experimental
A burgeoning artist reckons with the struggle to find an audience for his art and his desire to reconnect with his mother in the afterlife.
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)
*Liam Ma
Liam Ma (he/him) is an award-winning actor and filmmaker currently based on the unceded and ancestral territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tseil-Waututh) peoples, known as Vancouver.
16 Nov, 2024 2:30 pm
TIFF Lightbox C3PG
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.
DIGITAL SHORTS
All shorts are available online via a Shorts VOD Pass. Valid from 10AM on Monday, Nov 18 thru 11:59PM on Sunday, Nov 24, 2024.
–
This programme is presented with a mix of open captions, English subtitles, and no captions. Wheelchair spaces and step-free seating is available for this screening – click below to book accessible seats.
Family dynamics are complicated. No matter how intimately familiar kin can feel, there's room for surprise to the point where we wonder if we even knew them at all. Which stories and emotions do we hold inside, and which are we ready to share?
A young, gifted Vincent and his father Tomas run the finest glass workshop in the country, creating delicate, magnificent pieces of art. Their close bond is soon put to the test with the arrival of an army colonel and his young, aspiring violinist daughter Alliz, to their hometown. Amidst the rumblings of an impending war, Vincent and Alliz eventually fall in love, a relationship that is continually opposed and challenged by their fathers.
What would you give up to ensure a world with no war, no poverty, and a stable climate? Your phone? Your car? Your life? That’s the question that looms over Ann Marie Fleming’s near-future fable, where the solution to our world's ills is for humans to die by their 50th year.
Canada, Taiwan, USA2022-2024TRT: 87 minVarious languages
Family dynamics are complicated. No matter how intimately familiar kin can feel, there's room for surprise to the point where we wonder if we even knew them at all. Which stories and emotions do we hold inside, and which are we ready to share?
For: active listeners; anyone ready for change, healing, and acceptance; multigenerational audiences
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.
Canada202419 MinEnglishAvailable Online
For her next standup routine, Filipino Canadian comedian Alia Rasul reconnects with her dad to mine stories about the ridiculous ways he almost died — but it unexpectedly turns into a record-scratch moment.
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)
Sura Mallouh
Sura Mallouh is a Palestinian Canadian filmmaker. In 2021, she was listed as a 40 under 40 documentary star to watch, co-presented by HBO Documentary Films and DOCNYC. Mallouh’s work amplifies underrepresented stories.
Taiwan20239 MinMandarinAnimation, Available Online, Directed By Women, Family-friendly, Music
Returning to a house that holds nothing, a mother misses her own mother.
IN PERSON & ONLINE: this film is scheduled to be presented with subtitles for all spoken dialogue (no sound cues indicated)
*Ji-Tian Li
Ji-Tian Li graduated from Taipei National University of the Arts and participated in the AVU exchange program in Prague in 2021, focusing on materials and installations. She is now a full-time artist exploring space through gardening, ceramics, painting, music, and performance.
USA202414 MinFarsi, EnglishAvailable Online, Directed By Women, Drama, Experimental, Romance
On a seemingly prosaic day, Bita, an Iranian woman with terminal cancer, comes to grips with her changing relationships with her family as life transforms and slips away.
This film is scheduled to be presented with subtitles for all spoken dialogue (no sound cues indicated)
*Sara Boutorabi
Sara Boutorabi is an Iranian American filmmaker based in New York City, and originally from California. She graduated from UC Berkeley and is an MFA candidate in screenwriting at Columbia University.
Canada202315 MinEnglishAvailable Online, Directed By Women, Documentary, Experimental
Follow filmmaker Anna Quon as she journeys from her childhood conviction regarding her own specialness, symbolized by her “perfect” teeth, into the throes of mental unwellness.
IN PERSON & ONLINE: this film is scheduled to be presented with subtitles for all spoken dialogue (no sound cues indicated)
Anna Quon
Mad, mixed-race, and middle-aged, Anna Quon is a novellist, poem-film maker, and current poet laureate for Halifax. She works in mental health as a creativity connector for a local not-for-profit.
USA202414 MinEnglish, Korean, Spanish, Mandarin2slgbtq+, Available Online, Directed By Women, Drama, Experimental
Today is Parents' Day at the Sweetwater Boarding School for English Learners. When A, B, C, and D discover that none of their families are coming, they decide to hatch a different plan.
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)
Yvonne Zhang
Yvonne Zhang is a British Chinese director and writer who uses fables, dream logic, and digital worlds to explore the diasporic experience.
16 Nov, 2024 12:00 pm
TIFF Lightbox C4PG
DIGITAL SHORTS
All shorts are available online via a Shorts VOD Pass. Valid from 10AM on Monday, Nov 18 thru 11:59PM on Sunday, Nov 24, 2024.
–
This programme is presented with a mix of open captions, English subtitles, and no captions. Wheelchair spaces and step-free seating is available for this screening – click below to book accessible seats.
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.
Trouble seems to follow Jie and his family. Training to be a competitive fencer, Jie is lost, haunted by the childhood memory of a near-drowning incident with his menacing older brother Han. Years later, a teenage Han is imprisoned after killing a competitor during a fencing match (by accident, he swears). Meanwhile, Jie's mother has been spiteful and distant ever since, with no love to give her younger son. So when Han is finally released from prison, Jie is desperate to have some family love restored — and eager for some helpful fencing and boyfriend dating tips, too. But is Han’s reformed presence for real?
Closing out the 28th Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, join us for the live So You Think You Can Pitch competition.
Canada, South Korea, USA2022-2024TRT: 79 minVarious languages
Pulling you in closer, these films traverse the ebbs and flows of infatuation, fascination, longing, desire, and the release of letting go — all this to possibly feel our true selves more intimately.
For: swooners; dreamers; romantics; will-theys/won't-theys; skinship; togethership
*Directors in attendance starred.
South Korea202417 minEnglish, KoreanAnimation, Available Online, Directed By Women, Drama, Music
Vega, a lonely programmer, falls in love with a beautiful popstar water deer. Constantly dragged back to reality by pigeons, Vega’s longing for warmth is in need of being sated.
IN PERSON: this film is scheduled to be presented with English subtitles only (no subtitles for English dialogue)
ONLINE: this film is scheduled to be presented with subtitles for all spoken dialogue (no sound cues indicated)
*Sasha Lee
Sasha Lee is an animation artist based in Seoul, South Korea. In the name of Studio Sleeper, she makes 2D animation about isolation and depression using animal imagery.
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.
Canada, USA202415 minEnglish2slgbtq+, Available Online, Drama
Ann Lai, a mature trans woman, navigates the complexities of her fading memory, delving into the intricacies of love and the burgeoning of her evolving gender identity.
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)
day
day (they/them) is a filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist based in Brooklyn. Their work often explores themes of identity, and is informed by their lived experience of being Black and queer.
Canada202410 MinEnglish2slgbtq+, Available Online, Directed By Women, Documentary, Experimental
This experiential and textural short film invites viewers into the inner workings of a mind, to ponder how we love and unlove ourselves.
IN PERSON & ONLINE: this film is scheduled to be presented with subtitles for all spoken dialogue (no sound cues indicated)
*Tara Hakim & Hannah Hull
Tara Hakim is a Palestinian Jordanian multidisciplinary artist whose public displays of vulnerability invite the viewer to meditate on notions of self, multicultural identities, and spaces in between — both physically and mentally.
Hannah Hull (they/them) is an artist and musician, also known as Burning Salt. The ancient practice of “burning salt” is an act of expulsion, purification or protection.
Canada20242 MinNo DialogueAnimation, Available Online, Directed By Women, Horror
As Manon sits at her table waiting for her date, an uncontrollable itch overtakes her.
IN PERSON & ONLINE: No dialogue (no audio + visual descriptions)
*Maggie Zeng
Maggie Zeng is a Montreal-based children’s book illustrator, concept artist, and animator. Zeng loves making story-driven illustrations that convey a feeling of adventure and wonder through fun characters and magical environments.
USA202411 MinEnglishAvailable Online, Directed By Women, Drama
Two friends living in Mānoa Valley spend a summer day together before one of them moves to New York City.
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)
Emily May Jampel
Emily May Jampel is a director from Honolulu based in New York City. Her films have played at festivals around the world, including Palm Springs, Aspen Shortsfest, Champs-Élysées, and Outfest.
South Korea202320 MinKorean2slgbtq+, Action, Available Online, Comedy, Romance, Science Fiction
With Seoul under a UFO attack, will Soojin be able to find the green-glowing girl she slept with the night before? (Re)Discover the power of love in this alien invasion, student-drama, action-romance blockbuster short.
IN PERSON: this film is scheduled to be presented with subtitles for all spoken dialogue (no sound cues indicated)
ONLINE: this film is scheduled to be presented with subtitles for all spoken dialogue (no sound cues indicated)
Jung Inhyuk
Jung Inhyuk has earned a passionate fanbase by mixing stories of non-mainstream characters with B-grade humor and various filmmaking techniques to create a genre that defies definition.
15 Nov, 2024 8:00 pm
TIFF Lightbox C4PG
DIGITAL SHORTS
All shorts are available online via a Shorts VOD Pass. Valid from 10AM on Monday, Nov 18 thru 11:59PM on Sunday, Nov 24, 2024.
–
This programme is presented with a mix of open captions, English subtitles, and no captions. Wheelchair spaces and step-free seating is available for this screening – click below to book accessible seats.
Trivial or not, these short films push and push ... and push. Is it provocation, retaliation, or sheer determination? Regardless of the answer, how far might you be willing to go?
After a mysterious encounter leaves her daughter Sumi in a coma, Sara rushes from South Korea to Winnipeg to be by her side. As Sumi heals, Sara begins to unpack details of her life that her daughter never shared with her. On a mission to find a husband to take care of Sumi when she wakes, Sara ventures into the daunting unknowns of dating apps and Winnipeg winters, and finds out more about herself than she planned.
Sit in on this exclusive screening and deep dive of LATE BLOOMER, the groundbreaking series from the creative mind of Jasmeet Raina (Jus Reign). Centred on Jasmeet Dutta's life, the show unpacks family expectations, intergenerational relationships, and racial identity in ways rarely seen on Canadian TV. We’ll screen Episode 1: "Nudes" and Episode 4: "The Turban," offering a glimpse into Jasmeet’s complex journey as he navigates personal desires that go against familial pressures. Stick around to hear from the creative team about how Late Bloomer has landed in the community, and how it will continue to shape these conversations in real life.
Canada, PhilippinesEnglish and other languages with English subtitles
Presenting a collection of short and mid-length work from Romeo Candido's career.
Romeo Candido is a CSA winner and proud Filipino Canadian story teller with experience in film, television, theatre, documentary and advertising. Recent credits include writing / directing a film for the NBA called SHORTY, directing on S29 of THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES, directing two episodes of the upcoming CIRCUIT BREAKERS for Apple TV and writing an episode of the hit comedy SON OF A CRITCH. He is currently the co-showrunner of S8 of popular dance series The Next Step for CBBC and YTV. His ten part musical series TOPLINE, which he serves as creator, writer, director and composer premiered to rave reviews on CBC Gem March 31 2022. His original musical PRISON DANCER will have its world premiere as a stage musical at the Citadel Theatre in spring of 2023.
Canada, Philippines201260 minComedy, Dance, Drama
Inspired by the real-life dancing rehabilitation program that became a worldwide viral sensation on YouTube, Prison Dancer details the poignant and hilarious stories of six prison dancers who turned a maximum-security prison into a world stage.
Canada, Philippines200226 minDocumentary
A documentary following members of the Toronto Filipinx Canadian community preparing for Fiesta.
Canada, Philippines320028 minMusic
A fly-on-the-wall look at the early days of R&B group Kuya as they perform for New York’s top labels.
Canada, Philippines20154 minMusic
A music-video collaboration between dance troupe Hataw and Candido’s music project A La Una (née Datu).
Canada, Philippines20218 minMusic
In Shorty, a father gives his daughter a history lesson of the greatest small NBA players to illustrate that height isn’t all you need.
An NBA Films for Fans created by a partnership with the OLG and Toronto Film Festival, SHORT Y is part of collection of short films commemorating the NBA's 75th anniversary
Canada, Philippines200412 minComedy
This collaboration with comedian Ron Josol is a farcical time capsule of Asian male aughts humour.
9 Nov, 2022
to 20 Nov, 2022
OnlineThis shorts programme will be shown exclusively online from Nov 9 – 20. The ROMEO CANDIDO RETRO VOD PASS will give FREE access to
PG
TBA
Join Romeo Candido and writer director Amanda Parris as they discuss Candido’s career.
Asian Canadian comics will discuss the ways they’ve broken down barriers to tell their jokes to a wide audience on stage, in sketches, and on film and TV. Together, they’ll discuss their individual approaches to the craft, how they navigate stereotypes, personal experiences in their work, and how comedy has allowed them to challenge, explore, and find comfort in their identities.
Brothers Saud and Nadeem live in a working-class, predominantly Muslim neighbourhood in New Delhi, where they have made it their lives’ work to care for injured black kites falling from the polluted skies of the city.
This year’s Reel Ideas Conference gathers industry professionals, filmmakers, and performers to reflect on the specificity in their works, representing their own nuances along with their communities' lived experiences.
Australia, Canada, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, USA2022English and other languages with English subtitlesAnimation, Dance, Experimental, Family, Family-friendly, LGBTQ+ Filmmakers, Non-binary Filmmakers, Women Filmmakers
Short and sweet, this delightful collection of films presents stories of tenderness, curiosity, and possibility.
Canada20222 minutesNo DialogueAnimation, Family-friendly
A newcomer to the city tries to figure out their commute.
Tarun Padmakumar
Tarun Padmakumar is a Toronto-based animator who hails from the state of Kerala in South India. Though he’s worked with many mediums, he enjoys creating with animation above all.
Canada20223 minutesEnglish, Cree, and Cantonese with English subtitlesAnimation, Experimental, Family-friendly, LGBTQ+ Filmmakers, Non-binary Filmmakers
A pair of Two-Spirit Métis Chinese youth soften a deer hide together.
Kay Chan
Kay Chan (they/he/she) is a Two-Spirit and non-binary Tkaronto-based artist who was raised across Turtle Island/Canada. With their mixed Métis Chinese heritage, Chan transforms their many experiences, passions, and identities into a vision while weaving together the traditional and digital art mediums they have accessible.
Australia20216 minutesEnglish with English subtitlesAnimation, Family-friendly, Women Filmmakers
Charlie and her dog, Doug, set out on a journey up a mountain to shoot down the brightest star in the sky.
Wendy Lu, Natalie Tran, & Cindy Zhi
Wendy Lu,Natalie Tran, and Cindy Zhi are an Asian Australian group of motivated ragtag animators from Sydney, Australia. With hopes of creating a story that would matter to themselves and others, the three teamed up to create In Sight.
USA20224 minutesEnglishAnimation, Family-friendly, Women Filmmakers
Aki, a beginner chef, must make a delicious meal for the emperor’s banquet, however, things don’t go as planned.
Wanci Hua
Currently studying at the California Institute of the Arts, Wanci Hua is a Taiwanese animator who loves creating whimsical worlds and sharing tender stories.
South Korea20216 minKorean with English subtitlesAnimation, Family, Family-friendly
Battery Dad is in charge of every corner of the house from children’s toys to remote controls and door locks. What can Battery Dad do when a sudden downpour floods the valley?
Jeon Seung-bae
Jeon Seung-bae graduated from Chung-Ang University of Advanced Imaging Science in multimedia and film. He works at Toyville Animation Studio as an animation director.
Malaysia202218 minutesNo DialogueAnimation, Family-friendly, Women Filmmakers
A recently orphaned rhino tries to find a new home in the wilds of the Borneo rainforest.
Juhaidah Joemin & Sandra Khoo
The first generation of filmmakers in her native Borneo family, Juhaidah Joemin draws inspiration from her rich cultural heritage and vast natural surroundings where she grew up.
Sandra Khoo is a director by day and works on her own pet projects and animated shorts by night.
Canada20215 minutesEnglish with English subtitlesDance, Family-friendly, Non-binary Filmmakers
A young boy looks for love from his older self, while seeking sanctuary in nature.
Mirusha Yogarajah
Mirusha Yogarajah is a writer, filmmaker, and housing advocate based in Toronto.
Indonesia202214 minutesIndonesian with English subtitlesFamily, Family-friendly
Abbas and his friends are out to create the most epic action film in 2005! What will Abbas encounter along the way?
Rayhan Dharmawan
Rayhan Dharmawan is a freelance screenwriter for feature films and a director of independent short films and music videos under the collective, Poolside Studios. He may have not determined his true path yet but he’s enjoying every step of the way.
Season 3 brings together four spectacular local artists who will guide you through simple and playful pre-recorded activities all from the comfort of your home.
Puppet pals and character making with Maryanna Chan!
Maryanna Chan will show you how to take everyday objects around you and transform them into fun characters and puppet pals.
Maryanna Chan (she/her) is a Chinese-Canadian Illustrator and Scenographer from Treaty 6 Territory (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan). She studied Illustration at the Alberta College of Art + Design, and graduated in 2018. In 2021 she graduated from the Scénographie program at the National Theatre school of Canada. Her work focuses on representation, cultural identities, equality, and liberation. She aims to highlight and uplift the stories of underrepresented and marginalized communities in her work.
Blanket-fort skill sharing with Catherine Hernandez!
Author and screenwriter Catherine Hernandez will share her blanket-fort building skills.
Catherine Hernandez‘s novel, Scarborough, won the Jim Wong-Chu Award and was a finalist for Canada Reads 2022. Her children’s books include M Is for Mustache: A Pride ABC Book, I Promise and Where Do Your Feelings Live? She wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of Scarborough, which won 8 including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Express movement through sequential art making with Bree Jiang!
Illustrator and official 2022 Reel Asian Festival Creative Artist Bree Jiang shows you how to express movement through sequential art-making.
Bree Jiang (they/them) is a queer interdisciplinary artist of Chinese descent based in Tkaronto aka Toronto. Their multidisciplinary arts practice comprises of painting, illustration, animation and design. Jiang’s work explores topics such as speculative worlds, the natural world, identity and community-building.
Celebrate your festival spirit and make parols with Maria Patricia Abuel!
Show your sparkle and festive spirit with artist Maria Patricia Abuel as you create star ornaments inspired by the parol, a traditional Filipino star lantern!
Maria Patricia Abuel (she/her) is a Toronto/Tkarón:to born and raised Filipina multidisciplinary artist. Her practice questions issues of hybrid identity, femininity, and conservative expectations. She challenges traditional frameworks within cultures and artistic practices with a playful irony, with a focus on family history, pop culture, and the body.
Our friends Kat Estacio and Tara Hejazi at Wavelength Music curate a special playlist for Wee Asian featuring independent artists to listen, dance, or relax to! Share your playlist favourites by tagging @wavelengthmusic and @reelasian.
Kat Estacio is a Tkaronto-based creative and recovering overachiever. An experienced administrator, Kat has a B.Comm and over a decade on-the-ground work with community non-profits and arts organizations. They previously worked as managing director at Kapisanan Philippine Centre for Arts and Culture, and continues to be involved in different capacities throughout the years as an arts mentor, committee member, and consultant.
Tara Hejazi is a huge music enthusiast and loves curating playlists and discovering new music. Her favourite genres are altrnb and hip-hop.
Reel Asian’s festival creative Bree Jiang transforms their animation into a colouring sheet! Show off your artistry and share your colouring sheet with us by tagging @reelasian on social media.
Considering the need to keep creating within Asian Canadian cinema, this panel gathers filmmakers and artists to discuss the implications, complexities, and pressure one might face when delivering their second artistic work. Together, they offer tips, anecdotes, and lessons learned in bringing their stories into the foreground for the second time around.
Brothers Saud and Nadeem live in a working-class, predominantly Muslim neighbourhood in New Delhi, where they have made it their lives’ work to care for injured black kites falling from the polluted skies of the city.
Missed chances, unspoken conversations, fated meetings, connections sparked in the most unexpected places: these shorts delve into the weight of all our relations in their fullness and in their absence.
Afghanistan, CanadaEnglishLGBTQ+ Filmmakers, Non-binary Filmmakers, Women Filmmakers
Desh Pardesh centred the work and expressions of South Asian and Indo Caribbean diaspora and had its roots in the queer communities of Toronto. Although no similar space has been created since, the legacy and impact of the festival continues.
The shorts in this program include works screened two decades ago at Desh Pardesh, as well as films made last year by a cohort of South Asian and Indo Caribbean emerging filmmakers who participated in Inside Out Festival’s Short Film Lab. Despite the absence of a dedicated space like Desh Pardesh, resistance and community building through the arts remains present. In this program, two generations of artists come together to exhibit and reflect on the need and power of creating space to learn, experiment, discuss, create, and collaborate on works that fully centre their identity and politics.
Canada202013 minEnglishWomen Filmmakers
A young, queer, non-binary, Muslim storyteller walks us through the spaces and people that have shaped her healing and growth from some of the most trying moments in her past.
An Active Listener will be available to offer one-on-one peer support for viewers who may find the content of this presentation triggering. More info on how to access here.
Yazmeen Kanji
Yazmeen Kanji is a TIFF Next Wave and Hot Docs Accelerator filmmaker and founder of Films With A Cause. She works at Charles Officer’s Canesugar Filmworks, and supports Oscar nominee Sami Khan’s projects.
Canada198925:00EnglishDocumentary
In the middle of a raging winter storm, 350 women from across Canada met in Winnipeg to attend the 1986 National Conference of Immigrant & Visible Minority Women to form a national organization representing the needs of two million Canadians.
Premika Ratnam and Ali Kazimi
Premika Ratnam was born and educated in India. An independent filmmaker by disposition, she founded Shadow Catcher Productions in 1987, producing and directing educational films on a variety of social issues. With A Cause. She works at Charles Officer’s Canesugar Filmworks, and supports Oscar nominee Sami Khan’s projects.
Ali Kazimi was born and raised in India. He moved to Canada in 1983, earning his BFA in film production from York University. Based in Toronto, Kazimi is an internationally acclaimed documentary filmmaker.
Canada202010 minEnglishLGBTQ+ Filmmakers
After trying on a binder and a packer for the first time, Krishna, a trans man, has to face his own insecurities during his journey of overcoming his fear of passing and of coming out.
This presentation has closed captions.
Rojelio Palacios
Rojelio Palacios is a queer, transgender artist, born in Mexico and currently based out of Toronto. Through his work, Palacios explores themes of gender, sexuality, and what it means to be trans.
Canada199412 minEnglishWomen Filmmakers
A video poem about one woman's longing and desire for another whom she is shy to approach.
Shani Mootoo
Shani Mootoo is an Ireland-born Indo Trinidadian Vancouverite and multimedia artist, best known for her single-channel video work, poetry, and novels.
Canada202012 minEnglishLGBTQ+ Filmmakers
Nectar is a portrait film that explores the beauty and complexities of fatness, queerness, race, joy, desire, and body autonomy.
This presentation has closed captions.
Nakita Sunar
Nakita Sunar is a mental health provider, emerging filmmaker, and educator. Nakita received her Masters of Education from OISE. Nakita believes that filmmaking is her way of creating accessible education that embodies art, storytelling, and social change.
Canada20208 minEnglishLGBTQ+ Filmmakers, Non-binary Filmmakers
Life at home for Maya isn’t the best, but things are different when she’s with her friend, Neelam. After a heated argument with her parents, Maya goes over to Neelam’s. The tensions that rise between them reveal the undeniable love and hurt they carry.
This presentation has closed captions.
Sadiah Rahman
Sadiah Rahman is a photographer, writer, director, and arts worker based out of Toronto. In their work, they aim to understand the nuances of queer and Muslim identities, disabilities, and marginalization with an empathetic lens.
Canada19935:00English
A series of rhythmically repeated images of self-caress and cleansing are used to express an Asian woman's sense of emerging self, her growing strength, and her desire for the erotic touch of another.
Neesha Meminger
Neesha Meminger’s films have been screened internationally, and she is the published author of seven novels. More information about Neesha and her work can be found on her website: NeeshaMeminger.com
10 Nov, 2021
to 19 Nov, 2021
AA
Join us in conversation with directors and special guests in attendance! ASL interpretation will be made available thanks to Toronto Sign Language Interpreter Services. Ticket holders can watch on the CineSend Reel Asian portal.
November 13, 2020 at 8PM
Cafe owner Kato closes up shop on an ordinary night only to be interrupted by a voice from the TV: his own voice, two minutes in the future. As Kato investigates the strange occurrence, the night and time itself start to unravel. Kato’s friends and colleagues get enveloped into his time warp, and the results are hilarious, calamitous and existential.
Deep in the night, Fai and his friends are sleeping on the streets of Sham Shui Po, the poorest district in Hong Kong. The police arrive without notice and clear out their belongings, their makeshift homes reduced to roadside trash. With the help of social worker Ms. Ho, Fai takes the case to court, while he and his friends struggle to create a new home.
Canada, South Korea, Taiwan, U.K., USAEnglish and Various Languages Action, Animation, Comedy, Dance, Experimental, Family, Family-friendly, Open Captions, Reel Asian Award Winner, Women Filmmakers
Free programming dedicated to sparking joy, creativity, and fun for little ones and families to enjoy together. Short film selection includes winner of Air Canada Short Film or Video Award, Reel Asian 2020 ISLE OF CHAIR.
CREATE:
Now available on Reel Asian’s YouTube channel
Get your creativity on with these pre-recorded short and sweet arts activities led by our line-up of local artists!
All selections are made accessible with closed captions. Click on YouTube’s “CC” icon to turn on captions.
Sam Dizon
Storyteller and origami artist Sam Dizon shows multiple ways one can play with and fold paper.
Anne Koizumi
Create your own self or family portrait with animator and arts-educator Anne Koizumi.
PUFF Paddy
Transform coffee filters into art with queer Asian-Canadian multidisciplinary artist and arts educator, PUFF Paddy.
Sennah Yee
Author of My Day with Gong Gong (Annick Press), Sennah Yee shares a map making activity with her little sister and Early Child Educator, Quincy Yee.
WATCH: Short Films
A collection of shorts filled with wonder, love, and pure excitement that will surely resonate with audiences of all ages.
Canada20203 minutesNo DialogueAnimation, Comedy, Family-friendly, Women Filmmakers
Rated G
No matter what she tries, a bunny witch can’t seem to get her vegetable-themed broomstick to fly.
OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
Forest City Film Festival, 2020
The Short Film Festival, 2020
Emma Momoko Frew
Emma Momoko Frew is a recent graduate of the Sheridan Animation program, she is currently working in the animation industry as a storyboard artist.
USA20206 minNo DialogueCanadian PremiereAction, Animation, Family, Family-friendly
Rated G
The pressure is on for Arthur to prove himself to his father at an upcoming martial arts competition.
OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
Asian Film Festival LA, 2020
IndieX Film Fest, 2020
Silicon Valley Asian Film Festival, 2020
Justin Bruce Lee
Justin Bruce Lee graduated from San Jose State University majoring in animation/illustration with a focus on storyboarding. He is currently an associate storyboard artist for Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Taiwan, U.K.20206 minutesNo dialogueAnimation, Experimental, Family-friendly, Reel Asian Award Winner, Women Filmmakers
Rated G
Gentle and mindfully aware, this contemplative animation wonders what happens when a chair falls on a secluded island.
OFFICIAL SELECTION
TAIS Animation Showcase, 2020
Encounters Film Festival, 2020
AWARDS
Best Animation, Eurasia International Monthly Film Festival, 2020
Air Canada Short Film or Video Award, Reel Asian 2020
Ivyy Chen
Originally from Tainan, Taiwan, Ivyy Chen is an animation director and illustrator, currently living in London where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Illustration Animation at Kingston University.
South Korea, USA20203 minNo DialogueCanadian PremiereAnimation, Family-friendly
Rated G
At night the magic happens when a wheelchair races against other toys in the hospital hallway.
OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
Bucheon International Animation Film Festival, 2020
Spark Animation Film Festival, 2020
Chicago International Children’s Film Festival, 2020
Jinuk Choi
Jinuk Choi is a Korean filmmaker & artist based in New York City. Choi is interested in depicting the world from a child’s point of view and hopes his animations could bring people joy and happiness.
USA20206 minNo dialogueCanadian PremiereAnimation, Family, Family-friendly, Women Filmmakers
Rated G
Combining 2D animation with stop-motion, Felt Love is a touching story about the love between a mother and son.
OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
Moscow Shorts, 2020
San Jose International Short Film Festival, 2020
AWARDS
Best Animated Short, Changing Face International Film Festival, 2020
Angeline Vu, Arlene Bongco
Angeline Vu draws inspiration from her mom, three cats, and her jungle of a backyard, and is interested in both fairy tales and family tales.
Heartwarming narratives and handmade crafts inspire Arlene Bongco, who’s interested in exploring different roles in animation.
South Korea201925 minNo Dialogue, Korean with English SubtitlesNorth American PremiereComedy, Dance, Family-friendly, Open Captions
Rated G
Bursting with joy and fantastic dance sequences, you’ll be sure to find yourself tapping along with Yuwol as he inspires (or infects) others to dance.
Sim Hyun-Seo
OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
Busan International Short Film Festival, 2019
Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival, 2019
Seoul Independent Film Festival, 2019
Beff
Born in Seoul, Beff (aka Byungyun Lee) grew up in the States making home movies with his 8mm camcorder, writing songs for piano, and drawing cartoons.
Tony Kim of CBC Kids chats with our Wee Asian filmmakers about their films. Included with the Wee Asian Shorts Programme on the CineSend Reel Asian portal.
Tony Kim
CBC Kids Host
Tony Kim is an actor, voice actor and current host of CBC Kids and The Studio K Show. He has always had a passion for performing and entertaining and the bustling acting scenes in both Vancouver (where he was born and raised) and Toronto (where he currently based) has undoubtedly continued to stoke that fire! As a lover of film and the theatrical arts, he is not only thrilled that asian representation in media is increasing, but is proud that he is part of that equation and hopefully inspiring younger POC to pursue their dreams and aspirations.
12 Nov, 2020 10:00 am
to 19 Nov, 2020 11:59 pm
Check out the Wee Asian short films on the CineSend Reel Asian portal:
China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, South KoreaEnglish and Various Languages Action, Animation, Comedy, Drama, Experimental, Horror, Thriller
Caught in a standstill, these films follow the choices made and risks taken by characters to impel even the smallest of pivots.
Award
Award Description
Spanning over a decade from 1984 to 1996, Shooting Indians: A Journey with Jeffrey Thomas is a portrait of Jeffrey Thomas, a self-described “Urban Iroquois” photographer, exploring the influences on his life that led him to his career.
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
