Sandra Oh Surprises with Generous Donation at Reel Asian TIFF Reception

Sandra Oh, acclaimed actor and long-time supporter of Asian cinema, was the guest of honour at the annual Reel Asian TIFF reception held on Monday. The event gathered prominent filmmakers, donors, and patrons to celebrate the achievements of Asian filmmakers during the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Esteemed directors and collaborators of Oh, Mina Shum, Ann Marie Fleming, Helen Lee, and Don McKellar were among those in attendance, along with key supporters of Reel Asian. Joining them were many Asian filmmakers featured at TIFF 2024, including Johnny Ma (The Mother and The Bear), Amar Wala (Shook), Sook-Yin Lee (Paying For It), and Fred Nguyen Khan and Duy Nguyen (actors in The Sympathizer).

Sandra Oh was recognized for her significant contributions to the Reel Asian Fire Horse Award, an award created in honour of Reel Asian founder and TIFF Chief Programming Officer, Anita Lee. Oh, along with fellow founding patrons Lap Chan and Ha-kyung Helen Song, were celebrated for their dedication to the award that has become a symbol of originality, creative thinking, and visionary leadership within the Asian Canadian film and media arts community.

Oh, a founding member of the Reel Asian Fire Horse Award Patron Circle, surprised attendees by announcing an impromptu donation of $50,000 over five years during her speech, totalling her overall contribution to the award to $100,000. She challenged those in the audience to join her in supporting the cause. In a remarkable show of solidarity, filmmaker Cheuk Kwan pledged to contribute, and fellow Fire Horse Patron Lap Chan made a commitment to bring up the remaining total to match Oh’s donation.

“Even though there is a place and a space for us now, it’s so important that we develop people and this is the place where we can do it,” Oh remarked during her speech.

Sandra Oh is serving as the honorary co-chair of this year’s TIFF Tribute Awards. She also attended the festival to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Mina Shum’s Double Happiness (1994), in which she starred, and the world premiere of Ann Marie Fleming’s Can I Get A Witness, where she plays the character Ellie.

The 2024 Reel Asian TIFF Reception is co-hosted by Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival and Asian Pacific Filmmaker Experience, with community partners Korean Canadian Scholarship Foundation and Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival.

Thank you also to our special partner iQIYI and hospitality partners Karahi Boys, Quve, Wondermak, Toronto Yatai, Vịt Béo, Chum Churum, Steam Whistle, and Beau’s for supporting this event.

Thank you also to all the guests who came to celebrate the Asian film community with us at our reception!

About the Reel Asian Fire Horse Award

The $25,000 Fire Horse Award was introduced in 2021 in honour of Reel Asian founder Anita Lee. It is awarded to individuals who embody the spirit of originality, creative thinking, and visionary leadership. This prestigious award has become a cornerstone in the Asian Canadian film and media arts community, celebrating those who have made extraordinary contributions and left a lasting legacy. Previous recipients include Keith Lock, Mary Stephen, and the 2024 honouree, Paul Wong. In addition to the gift of $50,000 over five years donated by Lap Chan and Ha-kyung Helen Song that was matched by Sandra Oh, an additional $25,000 was pledged by Pan Asia Food Co., Ltd. to round out the award.