#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TEASER FOR “THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2”

Today we get a glimpse of THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2, coming soon via Cineplex Pictures!

Directed by: Renny Harlin
Written by: Alan R. Cohen & Alan Freedland
Based on Characters Created by: Bryan Bertino
Produced by: Courtney Solomon, p.g.a., Mark Canton, p.g.a., Christopher Milburn, Charlie Dombek, Gary Raskin, Alastair Burlingham
Cast: Madelaine Petsch, Gabriel Basso, Ema Horvath
Synopsis: The chilling next chapter of The Strangers franchise.

About Cineplex Pictures
Cineplex Pictures, a division of Cineplex, is a distributor of a wide range of genre films. Recent titles include Megalopolis, Never Let Go, Borderlands, The Strangers: Chapter 1, The Queen of My Dreams, The Boy and the Heron, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, SAW X, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, and John Wick: Chapter 4.

#GIVEAWAY: ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN PASSES TO OUTER BANKS FAN EVENT IN TORONTO

As you know, part 1, season 4 of the Netflix’s hit series Outer Banks already is streaming! We’re giving our Readers in Toronto a chance to win passes to a special Outer Banks fan event on Monday, October 28, 2024 from 7:00PM to 10:00PM at the Toronto Event Centre in Exhibition Place!

In addition to being an exciting night for fans of the series, attendees will see special guests, a musical performance, Outer Banks themed photo opps and swag, and more!

About OUTER BANKS Season 4 | Following last season’s 18-month flash-forward showing Wes Genrette’s proposal for the Pogues to find Blackbeard’s treasure, Season 4 takes us back in time to the lead-up of that moment. After finding the gold at El Dorado, the Pogues return to the OBX and commit to having a “normal” life. They’ve built themselves a new safe haven, officially dubbed “Poguelandia 2.0”, where they live together and run a fairly successful bait, tackle, and charter tour shop. But after some financial setbacks, John B, Sarah, Kiara, JJ, Pope, and Cleo take Wes up on his offer, drawn back into the “G” game for a whole new adventure. But before they know it, they’re well in over their heads, with dangerous new enemies hot on their heels racing them to the treasure. Meanwhile, their problems are only growing, and they’re forced to question their past, present, and future – who they really are, has it all been worth it, and how much are they willing to risk?

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK, IG or X. In the comments, tag a friend you’ll take with you. And you can enter as many times as you like!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by William Wong (@mrwillwong)

Rules and regulations here.

Part 2 of OUTER BANKS Season 4 arrives November 7, 2024 on Netflix.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

#FIRSTLOOK: “LEGO® MARVEL AVENGERS: MISSION DEMOLITION”

“LEGO® Marvel Avengers: Mission Demolition,” the all-new animated special and the tenth entry in the popular signature branded storytelling series, is now streaming exclusively on Disney+. In the new special from Marvel Studios and the LEGO Group, a young, aspiring hero and superhero fan inadvertently unleashes a powerful new villain looking to rid the world of The Avengers. Streaming now on Disney+ Canada.

The trailer is now available below:

Iron Man and The Avengers are always there to save the day, but fighting villains can get messy. That’s where Damage Control comes in: to clean things up! But on a day unlike any other, a powerful new villain hatches a plan to destroy The Avengers, and the world’s only hope is now the most unlikely of heroes: a clumsy young worker from Damage Control named Dennis, who has a penchant for destroying everything he touches. Can Dennis become the hero he dreams of being and save Earth’s Mightiest Heroes? “LEGO® Marvel Avengers: Mission Demolition” features the voices of Will Friedle, Kevin Smith, John Stamos, Roger Craig Smith, Ogie Banks, Laura Bailey, Tiffani Thiessen, and Fred Tatasciore. Ken Cunningham is the director, and the writer is Eugene Son. The story is by Eugene Son and Harrison Wilcox, and Jason Cosler, Eugene Son, Harrison Wilcox, Jill Wilfert, and Keith Malone are executive producers. Stephen L Grover is supervising producer with Dan Langlois serving as producer.

#FIRSTLOOK: “THE AGENCY” COMING TO PARAMOUNT+

Espionage political thriller THE AGENCY for Paramount+ today revealed First Look Images for its highly-anticipated series starring Michael Fassbender, Jeffrey Wright, Jodie Turner-Smith and Richard Gere.

Currently in production in London, THE AGENCY is commissioned by Showtime Studios and produced in association with 101 Studio. George Clooney and Grant Heslov are executive producers through Smokehouse Pictures.

In addition to Fassbender, Wright, Turner-Smith and Gere, previously announced cast includes series regulars Katherine Waterston, John Magaro, Alex Reznik, Andrew Brooke, Harriet Sansom Harris, India Fowler, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Reza Brojerdi and recurring cast members include Adam Nagaitis, Ambreen Razia, Bilal Hasna, David Harewood, Kurt Egyiawan, Ray BLK, Sabrina Wu and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor.

A fresh take on the critically acclaimed hit French drama Le Bureau des Legendes, THE AGENCY will debut on Paramount+ in Canada, the U.S., UK, Australia, Italy, Germany, Latin America, Brazil and Japan. The series is co-distributed internationally by Paramount Global Content Distribution and Federation Studios. Premiere date to be announced soon.

The all-new political thriller follows Martian (Fassbender), a covert CIA agent, ordered to abandon his undercover life and return to London Station. When the love he left behind reappears, romance reignites. His career, his real identity and his mission are pitted against his heart; hurling them both into a deadly game of international intrigue and espionage.

Le Bureau des Legendes centers on the daily life and missions of agents within France’s principal external security service. It focuses on the “Bureau of Legends,” responsible for training and handling deep-cover agents on long-term missions in areas with French interests. Living under false identities for years, these agents’ missions are to identify and recruit good intelligence sources. Le Bureau des Legendes was created by Eric Rochant and is a CANAL+ Creation Originale series produced by TOP – The Originals Productions and Federation Studios.

THE AGENCY is executive produced by Keith Cox and Nina L. Diaz (Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios); David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin and Bob Yari (101 Studios), George Clooney and Grant Heslov (Smokehouse Pictures); Alex Berger (TOP – The Originals Productions); and Ashley Stern and Pascal Breton (Federation Studios/Federation Entertainment of America); and Michael Fassbender. Jez and John-Henry Butterworth are writers and executive producers; Joe Wright is executive producer and director for the first two episodes.

For more information about Paramount+ and THE AGENCY, please visit paramountplus.com, and follow @ParamountPlusCA and @TheAgency_Sho on X, TikTok and Instagram, @TheAgencySho on Facebook with #TheAgency.

#FIRSTLOOK: “COBRA KAI” SEASON 6 PART 2 COMING SOON

Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 2 releases globally on November 15, 2024 only on Netflix.
The Finale Event comes in 2025.

Part 2 (Episodes 606-610) brings us to the Sekai Taikai, where Miyagi-Do will face new challenges and old enemies as they fight to become world champions — can they stay united as internal rivalries bubble back to the surface?

Hayden Schlossberg, who co-created Cobra Kai with Josh Heald and Jon Hurwitz, tells Netflix’s Tudum that… “the first thing that you’re going to notice is we’re not in the Valley anymore. It’s a totally different environment. The competitive space is different from previous All Valley tournaments. There’s no crowd watching. This is a karate temple that they’re going to, where the only people in attendance are black belts or karate masters.”

It was also announced today that Lewis Tan, Patrick Luwis and newcomer Rayna Vallandingham have joined the cast. First appearing in Part Two, the three are a part of a competing dojo at the Sekai Taikai.

Lewis Tan (Deadpool v. Wolverine, Mortal Kombat) plays “Sensei Wolf,”
Patrick Luwis (Rebel Moon) plays “Axel Kovacevic,”
Introducing Rayna Vallandingham who plays “Zara Malik.”

ABOUT THE SERIES:
Part 2 Synopsis: At the Sekai Taikai, Miyagi-Do faces new challenges and old enemies as they fight to become world champions — can they stay united as internal rivalries bubble back to the surface?
Premiere Dates: Part 2: November 15, Part 3/The Finale Event: 2025
Producers: Cobra Kai is written and executive produced by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg via their production company, Counterbalance Entertainment. Will Smith, James Lassiter and Caleeb Pinkett executive produce for Westbrook Studios along with Susan Ekins in association with Sony Pictures Television. Ralph Macchio and William Zabka also serve as executive producers.
Cast: Ralph Macchio (Daniel LaRusso), William Zabka (Johnny Lawrence), Martin Kove (John Kreese), Xolo Maridueña (Miguel Diaz), Jacob Bertrand (Hawk), Mary Mouser (Samantha LaRusso), Tanner Buchanan (Robby Keene), Peyton List (Tory), Gianni Decenzo (Demetri), Courtney Henggeler (Amanda LaRusso), Vanessa Rubio (Carmen), Dallas Dupree Young (Kenny), Yuji Okumoto (Chozen), Alicia Hannah-Kim (Sensei Kim Dae-Un), Griffin Santopietro (Anthony), Oona O’Brien (Devon), Lewis Tan (Sensei Wolf), Patrick Luwis (Axel Kovacevic) and Rayna Vallandingham (Zara Malik)

#FIRSTLOOK: COMEDIHA! TO OPERATE UNDER JUST FOR LAUGHS FESTIVAL – QUEBEC BRAND

Sylvain Parent-Bédard, President and Founder of ComediHa! and the new owner of Just For Laughs (acquired in June 2024) announces that ComediHa ! Fest-Québec will now operate under the Just For Laughs Festival – Quebec brand. This marks a new era for the comedy event in the city, where the head office of the Quebec entrepreneur’s new group is based.

“Last June, our group acquired the biggest comedy brand on the planet, Just For Laughs. I’m proud that the head office of the world’s number one comedy group will now be based in Quebec City. After careful thought and analysis, I decided that the Quebec City festival should bear the name of Quebec’s favourite comedy brand, Just For Laughs—the province’s favourite entertainment brand along with Cirque du Soleil” – Sylvain Parent-Bédard, President and CEO of Just For Laughs.

Quebec City now joins a prestigious global network of Just For Laughs venues that includes Sydney, Australia, Bermuda, Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, along with other major international cities soon to be announced as part of the brand’s new strategic plan.

This latest addition helps solidify Quebec City’s position as a must-visit destination for comedy, reinforced by the exceptional reputation of Just For Laughs (which will operate as the English-language brand of the Quebec City festival).

For more than 40 years, the Just For Laughs brand, a Quebec cultural institution celebrated by French- and English-speaking communities alike, has played a major role in promoting comedy worldwide, helping catapult the careers of many renowned French- and English-speaking comedians. Just For Laughs plays host to iconic events where up-and-coming talents meet the industry’s best-known artists.

This new chapter for the festival is testament to Parent-Bédard’s strong commitment to the Quebec City community and underscores the city’s potential as a dynamic cultural hub ready to shine on the international stage.

From August 6 to 17, 2025, the Just For Laughs Festival-Quebec City promises to captivate comedy fans, coming together to enjoy an experience worthy of the world’s leading comedy brand. The festival will also feature an impressive English-language lineup to welcome an increasingly diverse audience from around the world.

ComediHa! Group changes its name to Just For Entertainment Group

The ComediHa! Group is making a decisive shift by grouping all its activities under the new banner of the Just For Entertainment Group. This consolidation follows a period of significant growth, marked by a number of major musical events, including the relaunch of SuperFrancoFête, as well as several acquisitions in recent years. These acquisitions, including Les Boys, Les Productions Martin Leclerc and the Just For Laughs / Juste pour rire Group, have helped redefine the Group’s influence in the entertainment world. This evolution signals a new identity for its operations, inspired by the worldwide reputation of the Just For Laughs Group.

With the slogan “A world of entertainment,” the Just For Entertainment Group now offers a wide range of content that includes festivals, shows, tours, audiovisual content, digital platforms, artist representation, global content distribution and more.

About Just For Entertainment

Since it was founded in 1997, Just For Entertainment/Juste pour divertir (formerly ComediHa!) has firmly established itself as an international entertainment leader in the world of live shows, television, film and festivals.

In 2024, the acquisition of the Just For Laughs Group added to ComediHa’s strengths and values. We solidified our position as the benchmark in the comedy industry for “Making people laugh around the world”. Established in 1983, Just For Laughs is internationally renowned for organizing the world’s largest comedy festival, attracting millions of visitors to Montreal and Quebec City. It’s also celebrated for its role in promoting comedy worldwide and for catapulting the careers of countless comedy stars.

Today, Just For Entertainment goes far beyond comedy to deliver a diverse range of content, including music, drama and much more. Our talented team is made up of nearly 200 permanent employees and 6,000+ temporary employees and collaborators, who always bring their shared passion and creativity to the table.

Our mission is clear: Bring together talent to create a world of entertainment through inspiring brands and content.

Our brands and products now captivate hundreds of millions of viewers around the world via our broadcast partners, festivals, social media, and digital platforms, which are followed by over 70 million engaged fans and have accumulated over 100 billion views so far.

#HOTDOCS: HOT DOCS ANNOUNCE UPCOMING 2025 UPDATES

Hot Docs is pleased to announce dates for its 2025 Festival, the gradual resumption of programming at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, and the organization’s plan forward. After an intensive period of cost-cutting measures and stabilization efforts, program assessments and internal restructuring, Hot Docs will resume operations. Over the past four months, the Hot Docs team has worked tirelessly to address the organization’s financial challenges and governance issues, and significant progress has been made to stabilize the organization and establish a solid foundation for a sustainable path forward.

“We are absolutely thrilled to share this news,” said Hot Docs’ Interim Executive Director, Janice Dawe. “We are grateful to our steadfast sponsors, donors and public sector stakeholders whose outpouring of support has given us the confidence to move forward. We would not be in this position if it weren’t for these champions of Hot Docs – from the individual donors who gave during our spring campaign, to the incredibly gracious donors who converted their designated gifts to operational support and to the many elected officials at all levels of government who are standing up for culture and working diligently to help secure funding.”

In September, Hot Docs announced the limited reopening of Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema after a summer closure necessitated by the organization’s financial challenges. Today’s announcements follow that positive first step and are made with confidence that Hot Docs will continue to deliver on its mission to support documentary filmmakers and showcase their work in the upcoming year, as it has done for the past three decades.

The 32nd annual Hot Docs Festival will take place April 24 to May 4, 2025, in Toronto. Festival Programming Director Heather Haynes will lead the curation of an outstanding lineup of more than 100 documentaries from Canada and around the world. Submissions are now open at hotdocs.ca/submit.

Industry programs offered at the Festival are currently being planned to prioritize intimate networking opportunities, meaningful knowledge sharing and impactful market initiatives. Details will be announced later this month.

Hot Docs thanks the Festival’s major sponsors, foundations, arts councils and government agencies who have unanimously expressed their desire for the event’s return, many of whom, including Founding Partner Rogers, have already confirmed their support for the 2025 edition.

Hot Docs will gradually resume its own programming season at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema starting on Wednesday, December 4, with the launch of the long-running and much-loved Doc Soup screening series, which features premieres of new documentaries hot off the festival circuit and post-screening Q&As with guest directors. The series opener will be announced later this month, and subscriptions will go on sale in the coming weeks.

In addition to Doc Soup and first-run documentaries, audiences can expect the return of many popular curated series and special events.

Hot Docs’ Board of Directors have taken significant steps to address governance issues and prepare the organization for new executive leadership to guide it through this next phase. After scaling down to a three-person working board in June to more efficiently address the organization’s challenges, the Board is actively planning to rebuild its membership this winter. Additionally, the Board is excited to announce the initiation of recruitment efforts for a permanent Executive Director to lead Hot Docs into its next chapter. The Board is dedicated to ensuring that the organization takes the right steps during this process to identify an individual who will not only excel in leadership but also resonate with our mission and community. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.

While today’s announcements reflect the team’s incredible work to stabilize Hot Docs, confidently reopen the Cinema and deliver the 2025 Festival, the organization is still working through two years of operating deficits, the majority of which can be attributed to the ownership and operation of the Cinema. As part of its longer-term rebuilding strategy, Hot Docs has decided to seek a new owner for its Cinema at 506 Bloor West and secure a lease-back arrangement that will allow programming at the Cinema to continue. The organization is actively seeking a buyer who values cultural spaces and creative enterprise, and who demonstrates a commitment to the legacy of the Cinema as a vital hub in the city.

“Owning the Cinema for the past 12 years has been an incredible opportunity for Hot Docs, allowing us to expand our reach and impact and those of the stories we’ve showcased on our screen,” said Nicolas de Pencier, co-chair of Hot Docs’ Board of Directors. “But current financial conditions—including rising interest rates and the post-pandemic recovery of audiences—have made it extremely challenging. We’re confident that finding the right buyer will allow us to refocus on our mission to support documentary filmmakers and continue to celebrate their work at the Cinema and Festival, while also addressing our deficit and ensuring our long-term viability.”

Hot Docs’ history with the Cinema has been one of collaboration and cultural impact, and this next phase presents an exciting opportunity for a new owner to join in supporting the continued success of the venue. The organization remains committed to securing a future that balances its mission and the community’s needs, while ensuring a sustainable foundation for the years to come.

#FIRSTLOOK: APPLE TV+ SHOWCASE “SEVERANCE” AND “THE GORGE” AT CCXP24

Apple TV+ is hitting the Thunder Stage at CCXP24 for its second consecutive year, showcasing the highly anticipated second season of its award-winning workplace thriller “Severance,” and the action-packed, genre-bending film, “The Gorge.” The largest pop culture festival in the world, held in São Paulo, Brazil, begins on Thursday, December 5, 2024 with “Severance” and “The Gorge” set to take over the Thunder Stage and expo floor with can’t-miss panel conversations, and unforgettable events and fan experiences on Saturday, December 7, 2024.

Returning for its second season on Apple TV+ on January 17, 2025, “Severance” is the globally celebrated and Emmy Award-winning workplace thriller hailing from executive producer Ben Stiller, and starring Emmy Award nominee Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, Zach Cherry, Jen Tullock, Michael Chernus, Dichen Lachman, Emmy Award winner John Turturro, Academy Award winner Christopher Walken and Academy and Emmy Award winner Patricia Arquette. Season two welcomes new series regular Sarah Bock.

In “Severance,” Mark Scout (Adam Scott) leads a team at Lumon Industries, whose employees have undergone a severance procedure, which surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives. This daring experiment in “work-life balance” is called into question as Mark finds himself at the centre of an unraveling mystery that will force him to confront the true nature of his work… and of himself. In season two, Mark and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe.

In the upcoming Apple Original Film “The Gorge,” two highly-trained operatives (Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy) are appointed to posts in guard towers on opposite sides of a vast and highly classified gorge, protecting the world from an undisclosed, mysterious evil that lurks within. They bond from a distance while trying to stay vigilant in defending against an unseen enemy. When the cataclysmic threat to humanity is revealed to them, they must work together in a test of both their physical and mental strength to keep the secret in the gorge before it’s too late.

Also starring Signourney Weaver, “The Gorge” is directed by Scott Derrickson from a script by Zach Dean. Skydance Media’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger are producing alongside Crooked Highway’s Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill, Sherryl Clark, as well as Zach Dean, Adam Kolbrenner and Greg Goodman.

Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all of a user’s favourite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have earned 516 wins and 2,320 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy “Ted Lasso” and historic Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”

About Apple TV+
Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $12.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.*

#FIRSTLOOK: CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS 2025 DATE ANNOUNCEMENT

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is pleased to announce the official dates for the 2025 Canadian Screen Awards.

The annual award presentations, bringing together the screen-based industry to celebrate the country’s top talent in the film, television, and digital sectors, will take place from Friday, May 30 to Sunday, June 1, 2025.

Nominees for the 2025 Canadian Screen Awards will be announced on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.

#FIRSTLOOK: PROGRAMMING ANNOUNCED FOR 2024 TORONTO REEL ASIAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

The 28th Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival (Reel Asian), Canada’s premiere pan-Asian festival, today announced its 2024 programming lineup. Opening the festival is Can I Get a Witness?, by veteran director and Reel Asian alum Ann Marie Fleming, and starring award-winning actor Sandra Oh. From November 13 to 24, 2024, the festival embraces diverse stories showcasing contemporary Asian cinema that bridge cultural divides and connect global communities.

This year’s lineup comprises 17 features and 49 shorts spanning all genres and ages from Canada, China, Indonesia, France, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. For the first time, Reel Asian introduces Colliders, a new Shorts category in partnership with Indigenous storytellers from ImagineNATIVE. This new initiative invites audiences to explore the solidarity between Indigenous and settler Asian communities through storytelling dialogue.

Reel Asian will also present four innovative multimedia experiences through the RA:X programme and welcome several esteemed industry professionals for their Reel Ideas conference. For the full programming lineup and ticket information, visit reelasian.com.

“We are delighted to welcome audiences back to Reel Asian to celebrate the finest in global and homegrown Asian cinema from the diaspora across Canada,” said Deanna Wong, Executive Director of Reel Asian. “This year’s lineup is a testament to the exceptional talent our community brings to the industry, which grows stronger each year. We look forward to presenting these unique and captivating stories that will truly inspire and create deeper conversations in a safe and inclusive environment”.

Please see Reel Asian’s programming highlights below. For the full Festival programme and schedule, please visit reelasian.com or view the 2024 Programme Guide here.

FEATURES

[*] indicates expected attendance

CAN I GET A WITNESS (Opening Night)
Dir. Ann Marie Fleming * | Canada 2024 | 110 min. | English | AA
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.

It’s not all doom and gloom. For teenage Kiah (Keira Jang), it’s her first day of work as a Documenter. Her world of peace in sun-soaked Powell River, B.C., is all she knows, and she’s getting trained by Daniel (Joel Oulette), a seasoned convener of death ceremonies. Meanwhile, Ellie (Sandra Oh) puts on a parent’s brave face for Kiah’s venture into adulthood while making her own empty-nest arrangements.
WED, NOV 13 • 7:00 PM • HOT DOCS TED ROGERS CINEMA

PIERCE
Dir. Nelicia Low | Taiwan, Singapore, Poland 2024 | 104 min. | Mandarin | AA | Toronto Premiere
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 boy-friend dating tips, too. But is Han’s reformed presence for real?
THURS, NOV 14 • 5:30 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

THE LAND OF MORNING CALM 아침바다 갈매기는
Dir. Park Ri-woong | South Korea 2024 | 114 min. | Korean | AA | International Premiere
Feeling stuck, young fisherman Yong-su sees no hope in his future – like a fish in a net. As a last resort, he plans an insurance scam by staging his disappearance, hoping to provide a better life for his Vietnamese wife and his ageing mother. At the centre of this scheme is his captain, Yeong-guk (Yoon Joo-sang), who reluctantly reports Yong-su missing. However, when Yong-su’s mother (Yang Hee-kyung) refuses to connect her son’s disappearance with his death, the white lie snowballs into something harder to chew.
THURS, NOV 14 • 8:00 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

BORROWED TIME 人海同游
Dir. Choy Ji | China 2023 | 93 min. | Cantonese | PG
While picking juicy lychees on an endless summer day, Ting is uneasy. She’s on the verge of marriage in her hometown in mainland China. Her father will not be there. He long ago left her and her mother to stay with his preferred family in Hong Kong — part of the legacy of men from the region who had extramarital affairs in China in the 1980s and ’90s. Before she ties the knot, Ting ventures to Hong Kong to find the father she’s never known. While on her journey, she finds she has other loose ends to tie up, too.
THURS, NOV 14 • 8:00 PM • TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX

FRESH OFF MARKHAM 敗走麥城
Dir. Kurt Yuen, Cyrus Lo and Trevor Choi * | Canada 2024 | 83 min | English, Mandarin, Cantonese | AA
Shan, an immigrant from Dongbei, China, settles in Markham, Ont., a suburb known for its welcoming Chinese community. There, Kevin, a fellow Dongbei local, pulls him into a scheme to rob a Japanese restaurant stealing business from Chinese locals. After the heist goes horribly wrong, they delve into the streets of Markham in a series of chaotic episodes. Fresh Off Markham functions as a satirical anthology, highlighting experiences and dilemmas that some Chinese immigrants encounter amidst relocation.
FRI, NOV 15 • 5:30 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

BEN AND SUZANNE, A REUNION IN 4 PARTS
Dir. Shaun Seneviratne | USA 2024 | 110 min | English | AA
It’s the holidays, and Ben Santhanaraj shows up to Sri Lanka to see Suzanne Hopper, his long-distance partner who works there. Unfortunately, Suzanne’s been informed she now has to work through the holidays, thwarting their dream vacation plans (and his amorous intentions). They decide to go along with their itinerary, her laptop in tow, but nothing seems to work out as planned, leading to candid conversations and chaotic twists. Will their relationship endure — or have they grown too far apart?
FRI, NOV 15 • 5:30 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

LAYLA
Dir. Amrou Al-Kadhi | UK 2024 | 99 min. | English Arabic | AA
Layla is a struggling Palestinian drag queen who often finds creative ways to make ends meet, surrounded by a small, supportive group of close friends within the North London queer scene. A stuffy corporate event performance goes terribly wrong, making Layla and their outrageous antics go viral, and they meet the seemingly-dull-in-comparison marketing executive Max. Despite their very different worlds, a transformative love affair ensues, much to the annoyance of Layla’s close friends, who are highly sceptical of how healthy or affirming this relationship could possibly be.
FRI, NOV 15 • 8:00 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

EXCLUSION: UNRAVELLING A CENTURY OF SILENCE
Dir. Keira Loughran * | Canada 2024 | 85 min. | English, Cantonese, Toisanese | GA
In 1923, Canada passed the ironically named Chinese Immigration Act — better known as the Chinese Exclusion Act — which for the next 24 years barred virtually any Chinese person from entering the country. They were the first ethnic group to be singled out in this way.

In her directorial debut, award-winning actor and playwright Keira Loughran traces her family’s history to show the act’s devastating impact on the Chinese community, focusing on her grandmother, activist Jean Lumb, who was the first Chinese Canadian woman to receive the Order of Canada. Among the many incidents igniting Lumb’s activism was the shocking revocation of her Canadian citizenship when she married Loughran’s Chinese-born grandfather — a lesser-known requirement of the act.
SAT, NOV 16 • 12:00 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

THE MOTHER AND THE BEAR
Dir. Johnny Ma * | Canada, Chile 2024 | 100 min. | English, Korean | AA
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.
SAT, NOV 16 • 2.30 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

LUCKY STAR
Dir. Gillian McKercher * | Canada 2024 | 85 min. | English | PG | Toronto Premiere
Deep in debt, with a house and a university-bound kid, plus a marriage on the rocks, reformed gambler Lucky sees his luck run out after getting scammed in a tax-fraud scheme. Ashamed and desperate to keep it from his family, he returns to underground backroom gambling dens, playing for big payouts to relieve the debt and win back his family’s favour. Meanwhile, each family member, unaware of Lucky’s troubles but feeling the money crunch, too, resorts to unsavoury means to dig out of their hole.
SAT, NOV 16 • 5:00 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

THE DRAFT! SETAN ALAS!
Dir. Yusron Fuadi *| Indonesia 2024 | 84 min. | Indonesian | AA
Five oblivious youths, a video camera, a remote rundown villa, and a creepy caretaker. Doesn’t it sound like the perfect recipe for a horror film? A mysterious death that soon follows takes the story on a route beyond the fourth wall. The group finds out that they’re characters of a screenplay, and that their smarts will dictate their survival.
SAT, NOV 16 • 7:30 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

HOME COURT
Dir. Erica Tanamachi | USA 2024 | 98 min. | English | PG
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.
SUN, NOV 17 • 10:00 AM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

THE GLASSWORKER
Dir. Usman Riaz * | Pakistan 2024 | 98 Min | Urdu | PG | Toronto Premiere
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.
SUN, NOV 17 • 1:00 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

ASHIMA
Dir. Kenji Tsukamoto | USA 2023 | 86 min. | English, Japanese | GA
What does greatness look like? What does it take to be great? In the documentary Ashima, greatness looks like Ashima Shiraishi, a modest but determined 13-year-old Japanese American rock-climbing prodigy. For her demanding father, Hisatoshi, a former Butoh dancer and Ashima’s coach, greatness requires discipline and intense focus. Together, they’ve embarked to South Africa to climb Golden Shadow, a famous V14 boulder, for Ashima to become the youngest woman to ever climb it.
SUN, NOV 17 • 4:00 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

HIS FATHER’S SON (Centrepiece Gala Presentation)
Dir. Meelad Moaphi * | Canada 2024 | 79 Min | English, Farsi | PG | Toronto Premiere
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.
SUN, NOV 17 • 7:00 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

NOBUKO MIYAMOTO: A SONG IN MOVEMENT
Dir. Quyên Nguyen-Le & Tadashi Nakamura | USA 2024 | 60 Min | English| GA | Toronto Premiere
Through the lens of directors Tadashi Nakamura and Quyên Nguyen-Le, this compelling documentary captures the bold journey of visionary artist-activist Nobuko Miyamoto. From her upbringing in a Japanese American internment camp to her breakthrough as a performer in films and on Broadway, Miyamoto reflects on how her personal encounters with racial injustice inspired her blending of artistic endeavours with Asian American advocacy. Her thoughtfully created music, dances, and theatre productions carry on to bridge cultural divides and facilitate mutual support among BIPOC communities.
TUE, NOV 19 • 7:00 PM • INNIS TOWN HALL

FILE NO. 2304
Dir. Alison S.M. Kobayashi * | Canada, USA 2024 | 5 Min | English | PG
After accessing the 119-page custodial file of her great-grandfather in the National Archives of Canada, Alison S.M. Kobayashi discovers new details about her Japanese family’s history and their lives before internment.
TUE, NOV 19 • 7:00 PM • INNIS TOWN HALL

NIKAH
Dir. Mukaddas Mijit & Bastien Ehouzan | France 2023 | 55 Min | Uyghur | PG | Canadian Premiere
Dilber is 27 years old, preparing for her younger sister Rena’s wedding while contemplating her own future. Despite the recent nuptials in the family, their mother continues to put pressure on Dilber to find a husband soon, responding to the heightened anxiety during a time when Uyghur people are being arrested without process or reason. Dilber’s friend in Paris convinces her to marry a young Uyghur man in France, a proposition that feels very attractive. But will it work out
WED, NOV 20 • 7:00 PM • INNIS TOWN HALL

SHORTS

This year’s Shorts programming includes:

LOVE ISLAND: 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.
FRI, NOV 15 • 8:00 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

AN UNFAMILIAR TALE: 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?
SAT, NOV 16 • 12:00 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

UNSUNG VOICES 13: 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.
SAT, NOV 16 • 2:30 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

COLLIDERS: 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.

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
SAT, NOV 16 • 5:00 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

PUSHBACK: 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?
SAT, NOV 16 • 7:30 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

LOVE IS LOVE: The notion of love transcends you and me. It resides in the personal, the familial, the imaginary, and a nation.
SUN, NOV 17 • 1:00 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

UNDERCUR RENTS: Seemingly stagnant on the surface, in motion underneath. These five short films trace and retrace what movements and stories might exist within us and beyond, pulling us in unexpected directions.
SUN, NOV 17 • 4:00 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

RA:X

Storytelling beyond the screen. RA:X is Reel Asian’s programming section with interactive elements and innovative storytelling tools that seek to engage audiences in new and exciting ways.

RA:X SEN
Experience a poetic journey of connection and entanglement inspired by the philosophies of a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Set in the famous Tai-An teahouse, SEN takes us from joy and wonder, through carelessness and confusion, to peace and renewal, in a lush, visual homage to the expansive emotional interior.

Hold a black raku tea bowl to wake Sen, the spirit of tea, and follow as it learns about itself, the world, and the relations that connect us all together.
NOV 14 – 24 • BACHIR YEREX PRESENTATION SPACE • RSVP AT REELASIAN.COM/RAX

PRESENTING SEN: IN CONVERSATION WITH SANA AKRAM
Join Sana Akram with Reel Asian programmer Aram Collier to talk about the work required to present SEN, the world of experiential media, and the impact of new media technologies in storytelling.
Speaker: Sana Akram
FRI, NOV 22 • 5:00 PM • 401 COMMONS

RA:X CREATURA INSTALLATION
We’re excited to be presenting at the festival an assortment of art pieces by Wenting Li, inspired by the wide repertoire of fantastical and strange beings that inhabit their portfolio.
THU, NOV 7, NOV 13 – 24 (NOV 18 CLOSED) • VARIOUS TIMES • 401 COMMONS

ARTIST TALK WITH WENTING LI
Join Wenting Li in conversation with Reel Asian programmer Jasmine Gui as they discuss the featured artwork, their artistic practice, and all things creature-related.
MON, NOV 22 • 6:30 PM • 401 COMMONS

WEE ASIAN

Loud and expressive, reflexive yet playful, this programme, in the spirit of Creatura, makes room for all our mushy and monstrous emotions. Come for the screening, stick around for the delightful arts activities for all ages to enjoy together!
SAT, NOV 23 • 10:00 AM & 1:00 PM • INNIS TOWN HALL

This year’s Wee Asian short film lineup includes:

LOLA – USA
DANCING DHAMAAL! (DANCING FUNI) – USA
STARLING – USA
HU (후!) – South Korea
MINUS PLUS MULTIPLY – UK, Taiwan
LOOK – Canada
DETOURS AHEAD – Canada
UNBLENDING – Canada

REEL IDEAS

It’s no secret that filmmaking requires grit, stamina, and a whole lot of determination. Reel Ideas celebrates the behind- the-scenes perseverance that drives creators to follow their instincts and shape their stories.

This year’s Reel Ideas programme highlights the various roles integral to following the north star in one’s artistic vision. Amidst the chaos of creation, where things never quite go as planned, we hope you can find what it is you want to persevere towards, and trust that your story will eventually find its audience and community.

CAN I GET A WITNESS: ARTIST TALK WITH ANN MARIE FLEMING

Join us for an in-depth conversation about Ann Marie Fleming’s Can I Get A Witness?, Reel Asian’s opening night film this year. This thought-provoking movie examines a near-future society grappling with climate change, mortality, and the value of life. Fleming draws inspiration from her personal experiences, including her time in Vancouver’s West End and the environmental upheaval of Stanley Park.

What began as an absurdist satire has transformed into a poignant exploration of intergenerational responsibility and community resilience. In this talk, Fleming will share insights into her creative process, the film’s evolution from satire to heartfelt comedy, and the collaborative journey with a talented cast and crew, including Sandra Oh. Discover how Can I Get A Witness? invites us to reflect on what we’re willing to sacrifice for a sustainable future and the beauty of life itself.
Speaker: Ann Marie Fleming, Filmmaker
THURS, NOV 14 • 2.30 PM • FESTIVAL LOUNGE

FROM SHORT TO FEATURE: THE JOURNEY OF SHOOK BY AMAR WALA

Fresh off its world premiere at TIFF, Amar Wala’s Shook serves as an ideal case study for filmmakers, particularly those transitioning from shorts to feature films. Set in Scarborough, Ont., the film captures the area’s multicultural essence and reflects on identity, place, and personal growth through rich, site-specific details. This panel explores the complexities of film financing, distribution strategies, and the key decisions that shape a film’s journey from concept to completion. By examining Wala’s experience with Shook, we’ll shed light on how an honest love letter to a city and its diverse communities can be crafted, while successfully balancing complex personal narratives with broader cultural commentary.
Speaker: Amar Wala, Filmmaker
THURS, NOV 14 • 5:30 PM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

LATE BLOOMER: SCREENING & ARTIST TALK

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 Singh’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.
Speaker: TBA
TUES NOV 17 • 10:00 AM • TIFF LIGHTBOX

CREATURA: A JOURNEY INTO THE UNFAMILIAR

This session will explore how these concepts manifest through stories of endangered traditions and reimagined realities. The documentary The Last of the Sea Women provides a vivid portrayal of South Korean fisherwomen preserving an ancient practice amidst modern developments. Meanwhile, Universal Language, set in a reimagined Canada where Farsi and French are official languages, presents a surreal world where societal norms are upended and loneliness is a common experience. Both films vividly embody the spirit of CREATURA by pushing the boundaries of human experience and challenging conventional perspectives.
Speakers: Iris Ng, Cinematographer (The Last of the Sea Women) and Ila Firouzabadi, Screenwriter (Universal Language)
WED, NOV 20 • 4:30 PM • YOUTUBE LIVE PANEL

SPACE CADET: BEHIND THE ANIMATION – WORK IN PROGRESS

Join us for an exclusive Work-In-Progress presentation of Space Cadet, a captivating animated film directed by Eric San (Kid Koala). Work-In- Progress events at Reel Asian give audience members a chance to explore the development stages of a piece of work. In this session, we will hear insights from the creative team of Space Cadet, including director Kid Koala, head of story and production designer Lillian Chan, and artistic director Corinne Merrell, who will guide us through the artistic process and illustrate how animation brings this heartfelt narrative to life.

Space Cadet tells the story of Robot, a guardian programmed to protect Celeste, the sweetest astronaut on this (or any) planet. When Celeste embarks on a solo mission into the vast unknown, Robot is left behind, grappling with loneliness and the passage of time. As Celeste faces unforeseen challenges in space, memories of her childhood with Robot resurface, revealing the deep emotional bond they share.

This tomorrow-days lullaby is not just about outer space adventures. It also delves into themes of ageing, destiny, and the significance of our memories.

Don’t miss this opportunity to travel the richly textured, imaginative world of Space Cadet and explore its journey.

Speakers: Director Eric San (Kid Koala), Head of Story and Production Designer Lillian Chan, Artistic Director Corinne Merrell and Producer, Les Films Outsiders Inc.
THU NOV 21 • 7.00 PM • HOT DOCS TED ROGERS CINEMA

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN PITCH? (Closing Night)

Join us for the live So You Think You Can Pitch competition at the 28th Reel Asian Film Festival! This is a fantastic opportunity to support emerging filmmakers as they showcase their projects to our distinguished jurors. 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 23 • 5:00 PM • ANNEX THEATRE

Reel Asian 2024 Digital Programme Book here.

For more information, visit reelasian.com.