Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival presents Backstory Podcast by Reel Asian is a podcast that highlights artists and issues relating to the Asian and Asian Canadian media landscape. Hosted by Aram Collier and Kelly Lui, the Reel Asian programming team is here to talk all things film. Uploaded monthly. Except when it isn’t.
Backstory is written and hosted by Aram Collier and Kelly Lui, and is produced by Seungwoo Baek & Jennifer Su.
S4E04 | DEC 5, 2023 | Recorded Live at RA27
Recorded live at Reel Asian 27 in November 2023, Imran J. Khan, director of the feature film Mustache and Nedda Sarshar director of the short film Unibrow discuss filmmaking and facial hair while snacking on classic Canadian butter tarts. Reel Asian’s own Samir Ballou is their guide.
Watch on Spotify, listen to the audio here or in your favourite podcast streaming app. Edited by Aram Siu Wai Collier and recorded for Reel Asian 27 by Joseph Chung.
S4E03 | DEC 5, 2023 | Recorded Live at RA27
Recorded live at Reel Asian 27 in November 2023. Filmmakers from our S-Express showcase of Southeast Asian short films (try to) talk about film while tasting DQ (Dairy Queen) treats for the first time.
Featuring Mickey Lai (dir. A Worm, Whatever Will Be, Will Be), the team from “Ms. Pontianak” Alina Wong JinKei (director), Raja Adam Iskandar (producer), and Sheldon Chong (editor Cruel), and Reel Asian’s own Kelly Lui and Christine Vu.
Watch on Spotify, listen to the audio here or in your favourite podcast streaming app. Edited by Aram Siu Wai Collier and recorded for Reel Asian 27 by Joseph Chung.
S4E02 | DEC 5, 2023 | Recorded Live at RA27
Recorded live at Reel Asian 27 in November 2023, culture critic and author Jeff Yang discusses his new book “The Golden Screen: The Movies That Made Asian America” with Madelyn Chung, Founder and editor-in-chief at the RepresentAsian Project.
In this episode, they discuss the trajectories of Jeff’s career tracking Asian American popular culture, from early print magazines to the rise of a new generation of Asian American mainstream films.
Watch on Spotify or in your favourite podcast streaming app. Edited by Aram Siu Wai Collier and recorded for Reel Asian 27 by Joseph Chung.
S4E01 | MAY 24, 2023
Backstory returns after a post-festival hiatus to usher in the launch of the fourth edition of TACLA’s Youth Critics Initiative (YCI), an annual incubator that guides emerging writers over the course of six months to produce critical works in a variety of formats in conversation with Reel Asian’s festival programming.
Recorded in October during preparation for the 26th edition of the festival and fourth edition of YCI, co-editor Jasmine Gui joins Kelly and Aram to chew on all things critical and reflect on the program’s evolution over the years. On the menu: hamster facts, authorizing oneself and the process of scrutiny, what to do with absence and erasure, the origins of haterism, and why you should be on Team Rice.
Links:
Critique as Care by Mayanthi Fernando, discussed at 9:50
YCI IV Editors’ Letter by Jasmine Gui and Grayson Lee
Find all the YCI pieces on Taclanese
Reel Asian’s Special Projects
Anthologies mentioned:
(re)Rites of Passages: Asian Canada in Motion
Reel Asian: Asian Canada on Screen
This episode uses or mentions the following multimedia samples and sources:
“Lost the way”, Horthy Kristóf
“Say Good Night”, Joakim Karud
“Morpho Diana”, Rachel Collier
Watch on Spotify or YouTube, or listen to the audio here or in your favourite podcast streaming app.
S3E11 | MAY 23, 2023 | Recorded for RA26
RA26 film BIG FIGHT IN LITTLE CHINATOWN director Karen Cho sits down with RA programmer Vidhya Elango and Friends of Chinatown TO member Alex Hong to discuss the film’s sprawling but intimate look at Chinatowns across North America. Karen, Alex, and Vidhya expand on joy and struggle and how these Chinatowns hold a special place in our cities and communities.
In the second half, Karen, Alex, and Vidhya collaborate to scarf down some cheung fun/rice rolls in our Come Eat With Me segment and encourage listeners to support the Toronto Chinatown Land Trust’s inaugural AGM. Watch on Spotify or YouTube, or listen to the audio here or in your favourite podcast streaming app.
This episode uses or mentions the following multimedia samples and sources:
“Mulholland”, King Canyon
“Keep On Movin'”, King Canyon
Edited by Aram Collier. Recorded & live mixed for Reel Asian 26 by Joseph Chung.
S3E10 | APR 01, 2023 | Recorded for RA26
To celebrate the launch of his inaugural Kalabaw Bursary for Filipinx filmmakers, long time filmmaker, musician, and do-it-all maestro Romeo Candido reflects on his career in this candid conversation with the also-super-talented writer/producer Amanda Parris. The conversation was recorded prior to the 2022 Reel Asian Film Festival where Romeo was honoured as the festival’s Canadian Spotlight Artist. Romeo talks about the old days that weren’t so good, how BIPOC film communities supported him when nobody else did, his creative approaches to film and TV writing and show-running, and what he hopes for the future.
Watch on Spotify or YouTube, or listen to the audio here or in your favourite podcast streaming app. Edited by Haaris Qadri. Recorded for Reel Asian 26 by Joseph Chung & Jennifer Su.
S3E09 | JAN 24, 2023 | Recorded Live at RA26
RA26 Film UNIDENTIFIED finds Jude Chun unraveling some of the mysteries behind his indie sci-fi feature, trojan horses in genre films, his round about journey to filmmaking, and how to plan and execute a globe-trotting set piece finale.
In the second half, Jude joins Aram for Come Eat With Me where Jude is reminded of a Toronto specialty of days past. Watch on Spotify or YouTube, or listen to the audio here or in your favourite podcast streaming app.
Edited by Aram Collier. Recorded live at Reel Asian 26 and live mixed by Joseph Chung
S3E08 | DEC 14, 2022 | Recorded Live at RA26
RA26 Centrepiece Film THE GRIZZLIE TRUTH continues Kat Jayme‘s quixotic quest to keep the memory of the Vancouver Grizzlies alive. Reel Asian’s Aram Siu Wai Collier is joined by Kat to get behind the scenes on the making of the film, the many characters met in her journeys (including “Swole Bibby”), her NBA analog, and possibly the quickest answer to our carb questionnaire. Conversation contains spoilers
In the second half, Kat joins Aram for Come Eat With Me where Kat dishes over some dishes of tenuously related Grizzlie (and Raptors) snacks. Watch on Spotify or YouTube, or listen to the audio here or in your favourite podcast streaming app.
Edited by Aram Collier. Recorded live at Reel Asian 26 and live mixed by Joseph Chung
S3E07 | DEC 6, 2022 | Recorded Live at RA26
RA26 Opening Night Film RICEBOY SLEEPS has been collecting awards on the festival circuit. Reel Asian’s Aram is joined by writer/director Anthony Shim and lead actress Seung-yoon Choi to get behind the scenes on the making of the film, their inspirations, their guilty pleasures, and the eternal battle of whether rice is superior to noodles.
Anthony and Seung-yoon are the first Backstory guests to engage in a new segment called Come Eat With Me where our guests and host share a meal and talk shop with their mouths full, family style. Watch on Spotify or YouTube, or listen to the audio here or in your favourite podcast streaming app.
Edited by Aram Collier. Recorded live at Reel Asian 26 and live mixed by Joseph Chung
S3E06 | OCT 31, 2022
Trick or treat? Kelly and Aram review each other’s favourite and most-loathed nostalgic Halloween candies, after sharing their memorable horror film watching experiences. Plus, some ASMR 🎃 Happy Halloween from the Backspooky team! Watch on Spotify or YouTube, or listen to the audio here or in your favourite podcast streaming app.
Mentioned in this episode:
This episode uses or mentions the following multimedia samples and sources:
S3E05 | AUG 24, 2022
Backstory hits up the west coast on this edition of the Road Trip series, joining Brian Hu, Artistic Director of San Diego Asian Film Festival (hosted by Pacific Arts Movement), to discuss the long history of Asian American cinema, the importance of film criticism in a world of hot takes, and the future of Asian American filmmaking beyond Hollywood. Watch on Spotify or YouTube, or listen to the audio here or in your favourite podcast streaming app
This episode uses the following multimedia samples and sources:
S3E04 | JUL 12, 2022
Aram introduces Kelly to a quintessential Asian diaspora fast food meal. Plus, a preview of what’s to come on Backstory (more mukbang?!) This episode was recorded on video! Click above to watch on Spotify or YouTube, or listen to the audio here or in your favourite podcast streaming app.
Links
This episode uses the following multimedia samples and sources:
S3E03 | JUL 2, 2022
Kelly and Aram are back with another highly curated (and definitely not algorithmic) selection of k-pop tracks for the summer. Recommended for finding yourself (and discovering your inner bad boy) on a late night drive.
Check out the YouTube playlist of these tracks!
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Kelly’s picks:
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Aram’s picks:
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Links
This episode uses or mentions the following multimedia samples and sources:
S3E02A | APR 6, 2022
Emerging from our winter and covid lockdowns, we take an audio road trip to visit with film festival friends along the East Coast. We talk about the joys and challenges of our respective cities and festivals and detail the intricacies of how the (festival) sausage gets made.
Part 1: Selena Yip, Festival Director at the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival
This episode uses or mentions the following multimedia samples and sources:
S3E02B | APR 6, 2022
Emerging from our winter and covid lockdowns, we take an audio road trip to visit with film festival friends along the East Coast. We talk about the joys and challenges of our respective cities and festivals and detail the intricacies of how the (festival) sausage gets made.
Part 2: Melissa Bisagni, Festival Director at the Washington DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival – plus Backstory co-host Kelly Lui calls in from a far-away place!
This episode uses or mentions the following multimedia samples and sources:
S3E01 | FEB 22, 2022
Is it too late to say Happy (Lunar) New Year? Kelly and Aram kick off the third season of Backstory talking about new year traditions while reflecting on the past (festival) year and look ahead to what’s to come. Including a possible truce in one of their long standing conflicts?
This episode uses or mentions the following multimedia samples and sources:
S2E09 | JAN 5, 2022
Grayson returns to help Jen host this special Asian Media Year In Review trivia episode, with Kelly and Aram battling it out to defend their carbohydrate of choice. Happy New Year from the Backstory team!
Links
This episode uses or mentions the following multimedia samples and sources:
S2E08 | NOV 10, 2021
Aram and Kelly are joined by Tony, Althea, Ammar, Jen, and Ange to celebrate 10 years of Unsung Voices, Reel Asian’s annual summer workshop for first-time filmmakers. They reminisce over the untold challenges behind their first films, before being put to the test in a round of Unsung Voices trivia. Tune in to the very end to hear more Unsung Voices filmmakers share their favourite memories.
Click here for an extended shownote and transcript: https://bit.ly/s2e8-shownotes
This episode uses or mentions the following multimedia samples and sources:
S2E07 | OCT 25, 2021
Ever wonder about the origins of the ninja or what it was like growing up in a video rental store in small town Ontario? Aram is joined by Grayson Lee in this episode to discuss the legacy of martial arts in cinema, Ninja Turtles merch, empowerment through orientalization, and terrible films that are also very good. Follow Grayson on Instagram @grime_ninja.
Click here for an extended shownote and transcript: https://bit.ly/s2e7-shownotes
For a list of the films mentioned in this episode, check out our Letterboxd list.
This episode uses or mentions the following multimedia samples and sources:
S2E06 | JUL 1, 2021
Aram and Kelly exchange their summer k-pop playlists to chill away the heat waves. You can find Aram and Kelly’s summer mixtape here or here.
Follow the link here for an extended shownote and episode transcript: https://bit.ly/backstory-playme.
This episode uses the following multimedia samples and sources:
S2E05 | JUN 16, 2021
Kelly walks Aram through his first (and perhaps last?) watch of CRASH LANDING ON YOU, 2019’s love story of the year (arguably). Will his love for the show crash and burn, or paraglide and land on his summer heart?
This episode includes spoilers to the show CRASH LANDING ON YOU (2019). If you liked the format, please do check out Too Long; Didn’t Watch (@tldwpod on Twitter), whose podcast gave us the inspiration for this episode.
Follow the link here for an extended shownote and episode transcript: http://bit.ly/backstory-cloy
This episode uses the following multimedia samples and sources:
S2E04 | APR 2, 2021
It has been a year of the pandemic, and so many things have happened between then and now. In this episode, Aram and Kelly talk to filmmaker kim hayung and Insomniac Film Festival programmers Khanh Tudo and Seb Decter who all continued to create art through the past year.
Follow the link here for an extended shownote and episode transcript: http://bit.ly/backstory-1yearlater
This episode uses the following multimedia samples and sources:
BONUS: listen to Aram & Kelly dissect Elvis on episode 64 of Insomniac’s IS IT WACK? podcast
S2E03 | MAR 4, 2021
Aram and Kelly talk with Franco about the new season of the sketch comedy show TALLBOYZ and the serious business of being funny. You can find Franco on instagram and twitter @francowins, and you can watch the second season of TallBoyz for free on CBC Gem.
Follow the link here for an extended shownote and episode transcript: http://bit.ly/s2e3-shownotes
This episode uses the following multimedia samples and sources:
S2E02 | FEB 24, 2021
Aram and Kelly (and Seungwoo) talk about MINARI (2020) and give their earnest first reacts. MINARI is available for digital wide-release across Canada on February 26 via Elevation Pictures.
Follow the link here for an extended shownote and episode transcript: http://bit.ly/s2e2-shownotes
This episode uses the following multimedia samples and sources:
S2E01 | JAN 28, 2021
A new year is upon us, and so is season 2 – we are back and so is Karate Kid. Aram and Seungwoo talk about how they ushered in their new years, and why Cobra Kai was a part of the good beginning.
Content Warning: minor swearing.
Follow the link here for an extended shownote and episode transcript: http://bit.ly/s2e1-shownotes
This episode uses the following multimedia samples and sources:
S1E08 | JAN 6, 2021
At the end of a momentous year, Kelly and Aram take a moment to reflect on what 2020 meant for the Reel Asian Film Festival and bring along some friends for the ride. First, guests Mimi Vuong and Josephine Cruz, the digital producers behind the scenes of Reel Asian’s digital festival. Meanwhile, we searched the farthest reaches of the globe to get an audience member’s perspective from superfan James Goh. In our last segment, Kelly and Aram share their own thoughts on what got them through the year and the carb questionnaire.
Follow the link here for an extended show note (incl. guest bios) and episode transcript: https://bit.ly/398tPIo
Content Warning: mild swearing
S1E07 | AUG 21, 2020
In preparation for his summer movie showdown last month, Aram had trained for weeks on end. He’s visited every local waterfall to train under, sparred with burning logs and smouldering bbq pits, and reached out to his closest confidants about their secret takes on Karate Kid II. In this episode, Aram shares with Backstory podcast the conversations he’s had with his friends and loved ones about their shared nostalgia and memories of Karate Kid II.
Follow the link here for an extended show note and episode transcript: http://bit.ly/ep6b-shownote
Content Warning: mild swearing
S1E06 | JUL 31, 2020
Aram and Kelly share their summer movie picks with each other. What starts out as a congenial display of friendship and shared love for the cinema devolves into a thunderdome-styled fight to the bitter end of their friendship in defense of their honour and film tastes.
Follow the link here for extended show notes and the episode transcript: https://bit.ly/ep6-shownote
Content Warning: horror, violence on screen, gore, decapitation, body mutilation, nudity, death
S1E05 | JUL 2, 2020
Aram and Kelly continue their talk with animator extraordinaire Howie Shia and master puppeteer Anne Koizuimi in an attempt to answer the question: “what is an animation?” This episode includes Anne Koizumi’s live commentary of IN THE SHADOW OF THE PINES . The first part of the conversation included Howie Shia’s live commentary of MARCO’S ORIENTAL NOODLES. Both of their works can be found on YouTube and on CBC Gem.
Follow the link here for an extended show notes and episode transcript: https://bit.ly/ep5-shownote
S1E04 | JUN 25, 2020
Aram and Kelly talk with animator extraordinaire Howie Shia and master puppeteer Anne Koizuimi in an attempt to answer the question: “what is an animation?” This episode includes Howie Shia’s live commentary of MARCO’S ORIENTAL NOODLES (https://youtu.be/IobYgrLpCX8). The second part of this conversation, which includes Anne Koizumi’s live commentary of IN THE SHADOW OF THE PINES (https://youtu.be/nI85ahkSmSA), will be available next week. Both of their works can be found on YouTube and on CBC Gem.
Follow the link here for an extended show notes and episode transcript: https://bit.ly/ep4-shownote
S1E03 | MAY 28, 2020
In celebration of Asian Heritage Month, Aram and Kelly take a trip down memory lane(s) to reconnect with friends of the festival. They talk with Chris Chin, festival and operations manager for Reel Asian, about the festival’s latest archival campaign “#untiltomorrow”, which bring together works featured at past Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival.
Content Warning: light swearing
S1E02 | MAY 7, 2020
We continue on our conversation with Albert Shin and Gloria Ui Young Kim, delving deeper into the themes of creative distance and formative films. Albert and Gloria interview each other and become the first ever guests to make the gauntlet run of “7 RA Questions”.
Follow the link here for the episode transcript: https://bit.ly/backstory-ep2-transcript
Content Warning: mention of abuse, sexual violence, kidnapping.
S1E01 | APR 30, 2020
In this inaugural episode, Aram and Kelly host Albert Shin (Disappearance at Clifton Hill) and Gloria Ui Young Kim (Queen of the Morning Calm) to talk about their respective works. Albert and Gloria interview each other and become the first ever guests to make the gauntlet run of “7 RA Questions”.
Follow the link here for the episode transcript: https://bit.ly/backstory-ep1-transcript
Content Warning: mention of abuse, sexual violence, kidnapping.
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 pan-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
