Riceboy Sleeps, Anthony Shim’s semi-autobiographical film about a Korean single mother who moves to Canada to raise her son, has won the Toronto Film Critics Association’s 2022 Rogers Best Canadian Film Award.
Veteran actor and Indigenous activist Tantoo Cardinal (Dances with Wolves, Three Pines, North of 60) presented the award — the richest annual film prize in Canada — to director Shim. One of the film’s lead actors, Ethan Hwang, accepted the award on his behalf at a gala dinner held March 6, 2023, at the Omni King Edward Hotel in Toronto.
Shot in the Vancouver area and in South Korea, Riceboy Sleeps premiered at both TIFF and the Busan International Film Festival. Its delicate examination of the stresses of growing up between two cultures has been widely praised. Riceboy Sleeps was included in TIFF’s 2022 Canada’s Top Ten.
As runners-up, directors Clement Virgo (Brother) and David Cronenberg (Crimes of the Future) each received $5,000 from Rogers Communications.
Hosted by actress Amanda Brugel (The Handmaid’s Tale, Infinity Pool), the ceremony featured a cocktail party sponsored by Universal Pictures Canada, a dinner sponsored by Netflix and an after-party sponsored by Prime Video.
“All three nominated films this year are terrific, and we congratulate all three filmmakers,” TFCA President, Johanna Schneller said. “But Anthony Shim’s film shimmers with delicacy, empathy and authenticity. Though it’s only his second feature, it’s made with such self-assurance, and he elicits an indelible performance from his lead, Choi Seung-yoon. We can’t wait to see what he does next.”
“Movies like Riceboy Sleeps are the reason the Rogers Best Canadian Film Award exists,” said Rogers’ Robin Mirsky, Executive Director, Rogers Group of Funds. “Films reflect who we are, and Anthony Shim’s story resonates with so many Canadian immigrant families. It’s a testament to the idea that the more specific a story is, the more universal it feels.”
At the gala, Brugel introduced video acceptance speeches from director Charlotte Wells (Best Picture, Best Director and Best First Feature, Aftersun), Paul Mescal (Best Actor, Aftersun), Ke Huy Quan (Best Supporting Actor, Everything Everywhere All at Once), filmmaker Laura Poitras (Allan King Documentary Award winner for All the Beauty and the Bloodshed), and Domee Shi (Best Animated Feature, Turning Red).
Comedian and TV personality Rick Mercer presented the $10,000 Stella Artois Jay Scott Prize for an emerging artist to filmmaker Carol Nguyen. Nguyen’s short films, which are drawn from her life and Vietnamese-Canadian culture, have played at more than 80 film festivals.
In its mission to recognize new voices in film criticism, the TFCA gave Michelle Krasovitski the fourth annual Telefilm Canada Emerging Critic Award, presented by actress Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Never Have I Ever, Turning Red). Krasovitski is a daughter of Soviet-era Ukrainian immigrants who taught her to appreciate a culture of uncensored film. The award comes with a prize of $1,000.
On the red carpet, entertainment journalist and Super Channel content producer Teri Hart welcomed eminent members of the film industry and the civic and cultural communities, including longtime TIFF programmer Steve Gravestock, recipient of this year’s Company 3 Luminary Award. That award comes with a pay-it-forward grant of $50,000 in production services to a filmmaker of the recipient’s choice. Gravestock chose producer/actor Hugh Gibson (The Stairs) and writer/director Frieda Luk (The Encounter). TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey and Company 3 VP and GM James Fraser presented the award to the recently retired Gravestock.
Other notables in attendance included Brother actors Lamar Johnson and Kiana Madeira, Riceboy Sleeps actor Ethan Hwang, Robbie Amell of the CW series The Tomorrow People, photographer and filmmaker Caitlin Cronenberg, Crimes of the Future executive producer Aida Tannyan, author Tamara Faith Berger, TIFF COO Beth Janson, Canadian Film Centre CEO Maxine Bailey, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television CEO Tammy Frick, Zoomer Magazine editor Suzanne Boyd, and Cineplex Entertainment President/CEO Ellis Jacob.
The Toronto Film Critics Association met today to determine winners of the 26th annual TFCA Awards. The Awards, to be held March 6, 2023 at the OMNI King Edward Hotel will see a winner named for the Rogers Best Canadian Film Award. Up for the $100k prize are Clement Virgo’s Brother, David Cronenberg’s Crimes of the Future and Anthony Shim’s Riceboy Sleeps. Runners-Up will each receive $5,000.
Leading the winners this year is Charlotte Wells’ AFTERSUN, the semi-autobiographical Drama follows an 11 year-old girl’s recollections of a trip to a Turkish resort with her troubled father for his 31st birthday, following her parents’ separation. The Film is Wells’ first Feature, impressively seeing her sweep Best Picture, Director and Best First Feature. Star Paul Mescal also won Best Actor.
The full list of 26th annual TFCA Awards winners and runners-up below:
Best Picture
Aftersun (Sphere Films)
Runners-up: Everything Everywhere All at Once (Elevation Pictures), Women Talking (Universal Picture Canada)
Best Director
Charlotte Wells – Aftersun (Sphere Films)
Runners-up: Daniels, Everything Everywhere All at Once (Elevation Pictures); Sarah Polley, Women Talking (Universal Pictures Canada)
Best Screenplay, Original or Adapted
The Banshees of Inisherin – Martin McDonagh (Searchlight Pictures)
Runners-up: Todd Field, Tár (Universal Pictures Canada); Sarah Polley, Women Talking (Universal Picturs Canada)
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett in Tár (Universal Pictures Canada)
Runners-up: Danielle Deadwyler in Till ((Universal Pictures Canada; Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere All at Once (Elevation Pictures)
Best Actor
Paul Mescal in Aftersun (Sphere Films)
Runners-up: Colin Farrell in The Banshees of Inisherin (Searchlight Pictures); Brendan Fraser in The Whale (Elevation Pictures)
Best Supporting Actress
Keke Palmer in Nope (Universal Pictures Canada)
Runners-up: Jessie Buckley in Women Talking (Universal Pictures Canada); Stephanie Hsu in Everything Everywhere All at Once (Elevation Pictures)
Best Supporting Actor
Ke Huy Quan in Everything Everywhere All at Once (Elevation Pictures)
Runners-up: Brendan Gleeson in The Banshees of Inisherin (Searchlight Pictures); Barry Keoghan in The Banshees of Inisherin (Searchlight Pictures)
Best Animated Feature
Turning Red, directed by Domee Shi (Walt Disney Pictures Canada)
Runners-up: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix); Marcel the Shell with Shoes on (Elevation Pictures)
Allan King Documentary Award
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, directed by Laura Poitras (Elevation Pictures)
Runners-up: Fire of Love (Mongrel Media); Moonage Daydream (Elevation Pictures)
Best International Feature
Saint Omer, directed by Alice Diop (Films We Like)
Runners-up: Decision to Leave (Mongrel Media); EO (Films We Like)
Best First Feature
Aftersun, directed by Charlotte Wells (Sphere Films)
Runners-up: Marcel the Shell with Shoes on (Elevation Pictures); Turning Red (Walt Disney Pictures Canada)
Rogers Best Canadian Feature Award Nominees
Brother, directed by Clement Virgo (Elevation Pictures)
Crimes of the Future, directed by David Cronenberg (Sphere Films)
Riceboy Sleeps, directed by Anthony Shim (Game Theory Films)
Special Citation
To Iranian filmmakers Jafar Panahi, Mohammad Rasoulof and Mostafa Al-Ahmad, who are currently in jail in Ira yet continue to make subtle movies that talk about life in their country, in spite of threats and restrictions from the regime. We stand in solidarity with them and add our voices to the international arts community calling for their release.
(Photo credit: Sphere Films)
Last night, the winners of the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival (Reel Asian) were revealed at the digital awards ceremony. This year, Canada’s leading pan-Asian film festival returned with a hybrid in-person and virtual format and included programming available across Canada. Co-host of CTV’s The Social, Etalk co-anchor, and founder of LaineyGossip.com, Lainey Lui hosted the online awards ceremony, revealing the winners for the juried features and shorts prizes. The ceremony also included performances by local Toronto artists Sakako and Ley Vara. The Festival which opened on November 9 and runs until November 20 is screening 77 films from regions including Canada, the United States, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, India, Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia, Australia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore. Tickets for online screenings and other events — including the closing night live musical presentation of Canadian Spotlight artist Romeo Candido’s web series Topline at Isabel Bader Theatre — are still available at reelasian.com.
“Every year we’re enamoured by the diverse stories being told and our 26th hybrid-edition is no different,” said Deanna Wong, Executive Director, Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. “It’s undeniable that this year’s jury chose films that are exceptional, showcased a range of styles and highlighted timely subjects that reflect perspectives across the Asian diaspora.”
Feature films honoured include the Opening Night film Riceboy Sleeps, which won the Reel Asian Best Canadian Feature Film Award; winner of the Reel Asian Best Documentary Award, The Grizzlie Truth; and the CineSend Best First Feature Award, presented to Bad Axe.
Independent juries comprised of distinguished creatives, filmmakers and industry professionals selected this year’s award winners.
Features Jury: Ada Tseng, Sami Khan, Aashna Thakkar
Shorts Jury: Micah Kernan, Kim Sun-woo, Chris Chong Chan Fui
2022 Reel Asian Award Winners
Air Canada Short Film or Video Award:
All short films and videos are eligible for this prize and will have the opportunity to broadcast on Air Canada’s in-flight entertainment screens on all Air Canada flights. The jury selected four films for this year’s Air Canada Short Film award, highlighting a great mix of perspectives and styles. All films showcase the reality of unsettled moments in life, while leaning into humour, beauty and the resilience of relationships.
Everything will be All Right (Farhad Pakdel, Canada)
Jury statement: This short film did a great job of capturing the moments at the start of COVID, when so much felt uncertain. Farhad was able to seize a moment in time that reflected the unknown.
Desi Standard Time Travel (Kashif Pasta, Canada)
Jury statement: This film was so heartwarming. It really allows an audience a moment to reflect on family and how at the end of the day we are all doing the best we can.
Further & Further Away (Polen Ly, Cambodia)
Jury statement: Further & Further Away is such a unique look at the struggle of needing to leave a place you are comfortable with, but it can be made easier with the thoughts of what are truly important in life.
Madhu (Tanmay Chowdhary & Tanvi Chowdhary, India)
Jury statement: Madhu, dir. Tanmay and Tanvi Chowdhary, is filled with vivid colours and unique shots. It captures a beautiful moment in time showcasing two young women enjoying themselves.
Michael Fukushima AnimAsian Award:
All animated works are eligible for a $600 cash prize.
To Kill the Birds and the Bees (Calleen Koh, Singapore)
Jury statement: For the Michael Fukushima AnimAsian Award, the jury selected To Kill the Birds and the Bees directed by Calleen Koh. This film tackled the way gender cultures and norms are viewed by various generations and delivers a strong message that navigates the conflict caused by differences in thoughts. The film’s tempo and witty comedic elements intensified the film’s intent and left a lasting impression on the jury.
Armstrong Acting Studios Outstanding Performer in a Canadian Feature and Short Film:
The award recipients will receive full class tuition coverage of a class at Armstrong Acting Studios. $2,250 value.
Feature winner – Riceboy Sleeps (Actor, Ethan Hwang)
Jury statement: For his role in Riceboy Sleeps, Ethan Hwang receives the Armstrong Acting Studios Outstanding Performer in a Canadian Feature Film. Hwang’s riveting performance as Dong-Hyun marks the arrival of one of North America’s most promising young actors.
Shorts winner – Knots (Actor, Kim Villagante a.k.a “Kimmortal”)
Jury statement: For the Armstrong Acting Studios Outstanding Performer in a Canadian Short Film Award, the jury selected Kim “Kimmortal” Villagante in Knots. We were very impressed by Kim’s performance in this film, in the way they brilliantly played the main character who struggles with various external factors. In particular, we noted the change in emotional performance in the final scene by Kim was outstanding.
DGC Ontario and WIFT Toronto Film Award:
All films made by female-identified Ontario-based artists are eligible to receive a $1,000 cash prize. $500 in programming gift certificates and two one-year memberships to WIFT Toronto.
Wherever you are, Wherever I am (Kay Chan, Canada)
Jury statement: The jury would like to present the DGC Ontario and WIFT-T Film Award to Wherever You Are, Wherever I Am by director Kay Chan. Chan’s poetics in the spoken word and visual expression of their cross-cultural ancestry sets new perspectives that live within our skin and thrive upon the lands that define us. A lyrical film that crafts a simple sentiment into a grand movement of compassion.
Nathalie Younglai Award:
All Canadian short filmmakers over the age of 40 with fewer than two writer/director credits (film OR television) in the last five years are eligible for a $2,500 cash prize.
Winner – Natalie Pelletier
Jury statement: Congratulations to Natalie Pelletier, an Indigenous middle school teacher who went back to school for filmmaking and is writing her first drama pilot about an Indigenous woman who helps others while being haunted by an evil ghost from residential school. We admire Natalie’s courage and making such a drastic career change to pursue her dreams, the strength of her vision, and I believe her pilot can get her into writing rooms which embodies what this award is about.
National Film Board of Canada Best Canadian Short Film Award:
All short works made by emerging Canadian artists (with credits fewer than four films) are eligible for this prize of post-production services. $5,000 value.
majboor-e-mamool (Haaris Qadri, Canada)
Jury statement: The winner of the NFB Best Canada Short Film Award is majboor-e-mamool by director Haaris Qadri. Director Qadri took great care and attention in a simple trip to the doctor. The duty of a daughter to her mother reveals a delicate balance of resistance, authority, and unconditional care. With an outstanding mature performance by the lead performer, the film handles the eternal and universal story between mother and daughter with great warmth and subtlety.
Honourable mention – Tehura (Wei Li, Canada, French Polynesia)
Jury statement: The jury would also like to give an honourable mention to the debut short film animation Tehura by director Wei Li for the film’s powerful and cutting take on the colonial gaze.
Reel Asian Best Documentary Award:
All documentary films are eligible for this $1,500 cash prize, donated by Karla Bobadilla, Diang-Yee Iu, Immanuel Lanzaderas, Sonia Sakamoto-Jog, and Victoria Shen.
The Grizzlie Truth (Kat Jayme, Canada)
Jury Statement: This year’s Reel Asian Best Documentary Award goes to The Grizzlie Truth from filmmaker and superfan – Kat Jayme. In this expertly crafted, engaging and delightful documentary, we follow Kat’s journey to discover the truth behind why her beloved NBA basketball team, the Grizzlies, were moved from Vancouver to Memphis. Featuring candid interviews with players, team owners, coaches, and fans, she leaves no stone unturned in her search for answers. But the real revelation is Vancouver’s continuing emotional connection to the sports team and the community of fans which endures. Sports have the power to inspire and unite, to uplift and heartbreak. The Grizzlies were a way for Kat to connect with her family, with her roots in Canada and the Philippines. We applaud her positive, heartwarming, and authentic portrayal of Asians finding connection and community through sports.
CineSend Best First Feature Award:
All first feature films are eligible for this award: $500 cash prize and CineSend Files Team Annual Plan (valued at $4,500)
Bad Axe (David Siev, USA)
Jury statement: The jury awards the CineSend Best First Feature to Bad Axe. In this personal documentary, director David Siev turns the camera on his family in rural Michigan during the pandemic, as the adult children come back to their hometown to help their parents with their family restaurant. Siev courageously and delicately documents each family member’s vulnerabilities, and captures the complex emotions that arise from generational trauma and the racial tensions that are exacerbated during this time.
Osler Best Feature Award:
All feature works are eligible for a $2,000 cash prize.
Free Chol Soo Lee (Eugene Yi & Julie Ha, USA)
Jury statement: The jury awards the Osler Best Feature Film Award to Julie Ha and Eugene Yi’s Free Chol Soo Lee, a moving and brilliantly constructed documentary that sheds light on a pivotal moment in American history and offers us all urgent lessons on how to navigate our fraught present. Relying on exhaustive research, stellar editing, and deep empathy, Ha and Yi’s film provides not just compelling historical and social insight, but a profound and ultimately tragic portrait of an Asian-American icon. Free Chol Soo Lee is an absolute must-see film for Asian-Americans, Asian-Canadians, and everyone who is interested in understanding the full cost of fighting injustice.
Reel Asian Best Canadian Feature Film Award:
All Canadian feature films are eligible for a $1,000 cash prize.
Riceboy Sleeps (Anthony Shim, Canada)
Jury statement: This beautifully crafted film highlights the need for community and familial connection. From its heartrending script, its haunting cinematography, and an incredible cast of actors – this film is a clear standout in Canadian cinema this year. Through its genuine reflection of an immigrant single mother and the growing pains of her son as a second generation Korean in Canada, this film attempts to heal the wounds of loss and grief between loved ones. The recipient of the Reel Asian Best Canadian Feature Film Award goes to Anthony Shim’s Riceboy Sleeps.
Honourable mention – Big Fight in Little Chinatown (Karen Cho, Canada)
Jury statement: We’d also like to give an honourable mention to Big Fight in Little Chinatown directed by Karen Cho. This urgent story of gentrification, racism, and the importance of maintaining family legacies dove deep into some of North America’s most overlooked cultural hubs. Through the many deeply personal stories told, this film helps paint a fuller picture of how Chinese communities in the diaspora have taken control over their narrative through organizing and activism.
Blue Ant Media Audience Choice Feature Film Award
The winner of the Reel Asian Audience Award—Feature is selected through a tally of votes from the viewers of the 26th edition Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. $2,500 cash prize.
Reel Asian Audience Choice Short Film Award
The winner of the Reel Asian Audience Award—Short Film is selected through a tally of votes from the viewers of the 26th edition Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. $500 cash prize.
(Both awards will be announced on Reel Asian’s social media at the end of Festival.)
The 2022 Reel Asian Awards Ceremony can be watched here.
The 2022 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival kicked-off tonight with Opening Night Gala RICEBOY SLEEPS starting things on a high note. The acclaimed Feature from Vancouver’s Anthony Shim recently won the Platform Prize at the Toronto International Film Festival, and also nabbed the Audience Award at the Busan International Film Festival shortly after. The Film was followed by a Q&A with Shim and its stars Choi Seung-yoon and Ethan Hwang, and it centers on a mother and son who immigrate from South Korea to Canada, facing hardships here as a rift grows between them.
A Reception was held at the Annex Hotel prior to the Premiere, with notable guests in attendance including Shim, Choi and Hwang. The Festival, now in its 26th edition, is comprised of Symposiums, Features, Shorts and the opportunity for Filmmakers to pitch.
Others in attendance were:
A Reel of highlights:
The 2022 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival goes through November 20, 2022 in-person and online. More here.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival (Reel Asian), Canada’s premier pan-Asian festival, today announced its full 2022 programming lineup including its Opening and Closing Night Galas. From Canadian filmmaker Anthony Shim, Riceboy Sleeps (this year’s TIFF Platform Prize winner) and closing with Topline, created by this year’s Canadian Spotlight Artist, Romeo Candido, with a live musical accompaniment. This year’s lineup consists of 77 films from regions including Canada, the United States, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, India, Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia, Australia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore. Taking place November 9 to 20, 2022, this year’s Festival will welcome audiences back to more in-person programming while continuing to offer digital programming to a wider audience across the country. For the full programming lineup and ticket information visit reelasian.com.“There has been a creative explosion of Asian talent both on screen and behind the camera this past year, as our collective storytelling gets stronger,” said Deanna Wong, executive director, Reel Asian. “This year, we are incredibly fortunate to be able to share an abundance of outstanding films with our audiences and also expand our offerings to both in person and digital experiences as we continue our commitment to showcasing the best in Asian cinema.” Below is a list of highlighted Reel Asian programming over the course of the Festival. For the full Festival programme and schedule, please visit: reelasian.com. |
FEATURES Have a cinematic encounter with the stars of today as they take you through their worlds of fiction, and documentary, reflecting on connections with their community, their culture, and imagined worlds captured in feature-length. This year’s Features include: |
Riceboy Sleeps, Anthony Shim (Opening Night) A Canadian drama film, directed by Anthony Shim and released in 2022. Based in part on Shim’s own childhood, the film centres on So-Young, a Korean immigrant single mother raising her teenage son Dong-Hyun after moving to Canada to give him a better life. Winner of the 2022 TIFF Platform prize. Nov 9 at 7PM, Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. Expected guess include: Anthony Shim (dir), Seung Yoon (actress), Ethan Hwang (actor) |
Land of Gold, Nardeep Khurmi (International Premiere) When truck driver Kiran hears pounding on a shipping container and finds a young Mexican-American girl inside, his already tumultuous life takes a drastic turn as he seeks to reunite her with her family. Nardeep Khurmi won the 2021 Tribeca/AT&T Untold Stories Program to develop this first feature. The film had its world premiere at 2022 Tribeca. Nov 10 at 6PM, TIFF Bell Lightbox. Expected guests include: Simon Taufique (producer) |
All That Breathes, Shanauk Sen (Toronto Premiere) This doc features brothers Saud and Nadeem, who 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. Having grown up with a fascination for the birds and learning early on that caring for them would keep troubles at bay, the brothers are all consumed with a mission that feels deeply as noble as it is overwhelming, with a record number of birds falling from the sky every day. Nov 10 at 8:45 PM, TIFF Bell Lightbox |
Crossings, Deann Borshay Liem (Canadian Premiere, director and subject present) In a crucial feminist interrogation of inter-Korean politics and U.S. imperialism, Crossings follows international women activists attempting to cross the 38th parallel, demanding an end to the ongoing Korean War. With incisive style, Deann Borshay Liem documents the Women Cross DMZ movement—including Christine Ahn, Leymah Gbowee, and Gloria Steinem—as they undertake a precarious peacemaking journey. In partnership with OCADU. Nov 10 at 7PM, OCADU Auditorium. Expected guests include: Deann Borshay Liem (dir), Christine Ahn (doc subject) |
Noise, Ryūichi Hiroki (Canadian Premiere) Based on a manga by Tsutsui Tetsuya, Noise is a suspenseful drama full of twists and turns. The great Battle Royale (2000) actor Tatsuya Fujiwara and Matsuyama Kenichi of Blue (2021) reunite after the Death Note films for another synergic collaboration. With the direction of Ryūichi Hiroki, a film and television veteran, Noise delves into more than just unravelling the mystery, through its study of friendship, grudges, and desires. Nov 10 at 8:30 PM, TIFF Bell Lightbox |
Free Choi Soo Lee, Julie Ha & Eugene Yi The story of a Korean American death row inmate convicted of a 1973 Chinatown gangland murder in San Francisco, and the activists who led a pan-Asian American movement to free him. Spanning the late 1970s to the early ’80s, this movement would for the first time bring together young, third-generation Asian American activists, many of them politically radical, with older, conservative Korean immigrants. Their unlikely victory, with Lee walking into freedom in 1983 after 10 years in prison, would inspire many young supporters to pursue careers dedicated to social justice. The film will explore the complex legacy of this landmark yet largely forgotten Asian American social movement, and how Lee and his supporters would intimately shape each other’s lives, during his imprisonment and long after his release. Nov 11 at 6:15 PM, TIFF Bell Lightbox |
Stay the Night, Renuka Jayapalan (Toronto Premiere) Featuring Andrea Bang (Kim’s Convenience) in the lead role of Renuka Jayapalan’s first feature film that premiered at 2022 SXSW. A failed work opportunity prompts chronically single Grace to pursue a one night stand with a stranger. Turns out he’s an on-the-outs professional athlete in town with a problem of his own. Maybe they can help each other. Nov 11 at 8:30 PM, TIFF Bell Lightbox. Expected guests include: Renuka Jayapalan (dir) |
Bad Axe, David Siev Unfolding across the turbulent year of 2020, this personal documentary follows Siev’s family as they struggle to keep their restaurant afloat amid family tensions, neo-Nazis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. At times, the film is an unsettling portrait of racism’s existence in our everyday lives, but it equally insists on being about family and community. In his feature-documentary debut, Siev gives us an intimate account of a family in troubled times, fraught with uncertainty, yet held by a bond as deep as roots go. Nov 11 at 9:00 PM, TIFF Bell Lightbox |
Some Women, Quen Wong (North American Premiere) Against the context of a conservative nation-state, Some Women also uses dialogue and gathering to address a fuller spectrum of queer life on the island, threading Wong’s own story with recollections and perspectives from other generations of trans women, through the accompaniment of Sanisa and Lune Loh. These moments in the film archive and celebrate trans and queer folks’ evolving strategies for survival, protest, celebration, and continuance. Through Some Women, Wong practises vulnerability so as to request it from others, and celebrates herself so she can celebrate others. The lens is up close and personal, enmeshed fully in the act of bearing witness. Nov 12 at 2:00 PM, TIFF Bell Lightbox |
Beyond Extinction: Sinixt Resurgence, Ali Kazimi From last year’s Canadian Spotlight Artist comes a documentary about three decades of Indigenous struggle by the Sinixt people, whose traditional territories are in Southwest British Columbia and the USA, divided by the border. It weaves together observational footage, contemporary interviews, oral histories, survival stories told by matriarchs, personal as well as public archives, to tell a story never told before. This film traces the journey of matriarchs Marilyn James, Eva Orr and Alvina Lum; Marilyn was appointed the official spokesperson of the Sinixt in 1992. Nov 12 at 2:30 PM, TIFF Bell Lightbox. Expected guests: Ali Kazimi (dir) |
If From Every Tongue It Drips, Sharlene Bamboat A film that uses the framework of quantum physics to explore the ways that personal relationships and political movements at once transcend and challenge time, space, identity and location. The film follows the lives of a couple living in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka, one of whom writes Rekhti, a form of 19th century, Urdu, queer poetry; the other, her lover, the camera operator. As their personal lives unfold on camera, the lines between rehearsal and reality, location and distance, self and other dissipate and reinforce one another. Nov 12 at 4:45 PM, TIFF Bell Lightbox. Expected guests: Sharlene Bamboat (dir) |
Unidentified, Jude Chun (Canadian Premiere) Allegorical, humanistic, and poetic, Unidentified reflects on mankind’s primordial need to seek for answers. Through disparate, cohesive vignettes, Jude Chun’s existential debut uses fundamental science-fiction concepts to examine our inner selves, as only then may we know the things that bind or alienate us from one another. Combining multi-genre elements such as comedy, mystery, and even musical theatre to delve into the depths of soulful connection and the universal theme of social identity, the film also subtly comments on the repercussions of a nation’s traumatic past—and the vision of a transformative future. Nov 12 at 5:45 PM, TIFF Bell Lightbox. Expected guests in attendance: Jude Chun (dir) |
Therapy Dogs, Ethan Eng (Canadian Premiere) Ethan and his best friend Justin are students trying to make sense of their high school existence. In what will be the last chapter of their teenage lives and the beginning of adulthood beyond, they decide to make the ultimate senior video in their search for answers. Exploring teenage suburbia in a no-brakes adventure, questions arise whether there’s more to their lives than simply growing up. A headstrong and experimental feature, Therapy Dogs is more than a coming-of-age film, it’s a time capsule for the rebellious. For the ones that pushed the boundaries when deciding to leave their childhood behind. Therapy Dogs had its World Premiere at Slamdance 2022. Nov 12 at 8:00 PM, TIFF Bell Lightbox. Expected guests include: Ethan Eng (dir) |
Big Fight In Little Chinatown, Karen Cho (Canadian Premiere) Taking a wide scope, Canadian documentary filmmaker Karen Cho’s Big Fight in Little Chinatown traverses Chinatowns in New York City, Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto, and San Francisco, shining a light on the twin legacies of displacement and resistance that characterize these neighbourhoods. Through interviews with business owners, community groups, and academics, Cho draws a line between the midcentury urban renewal projects that decimated North American Chinatowns and the current development pressures that threaten to drive away residents and organizations — and the community struggles against both. Amid rapidly gentrifying urban landscapes that jeopardize the future of not only Chinatowns but many other urban racialized communities across the continent, Cho offers an incisive look into what it means to decide to stay rooted in a place that, despite all odds, has become a home. Nov 13 at 2:30 PM, TIFF Bell Lightbox. Expected guests include: Karen Cho (dir) |
An Act of Worship, Nausheen Dadabhoy (Canadian Premiere) A polyphonic portrait of the last 30 years of Muslim life in America. Told through the lens of Muslims living in the United States, the film offers a counter-narrative of pivotal moments in U.S. history and explores the impact of anti-Muslim rhetoric and policy on young Muslims who came of age after 9/11. Due to their first-hand knowledge and intimate access to the Muslim community, the filmmaking team is able to take charge of the account, which has previously been shaped by outsiders. Nov 13 at 3:00 PM, TIFF Bell Lightbox. Expected guests include: Nausheen Dadabhoy |
Dream Palace, Ka Sung Moon (International Premiere) Hye-jeong (Kim Sun-young) leaves a protest group of closely knit families, mourning the victims of an industrial accident, to which she also lost her husband. To move on with her life, she buys a sparkly new apartment with the settlement money, but things go awry when she notices the unit’s construction defects that render her and her son without any usable water. When she attempts to get the problem fixed, an unexpected group stops her in the act: her new neighbours. Beyond being ostracised and called a traitor for accepting the settlement money, Hye-jeong must now stand up against her neighbours, who would do everything in their power to stop her from making the defects publicly known, for fear of their real estate getting devalued. Nov 13 at 5:00 PM, TIFF Bell Lightbox |
The Grizzlie Truth, Kat Jayme (Centrepiece, Toronto Premiere) To die-hard fans of NBA franchise, the Vancouver Grizzlies, like filmmaker Kat Jayme, the team’s abrupt move to Memphis in 2001 is much more than a sore spot, it’s an unsolved mystery and possibly a criminal conspiracy. What begins as a superfan’s investigation into her hometown team’s disappearance, becomes a love letter to the worst professional sports franchise in history, and an exploration of the deep roots of fandom. Nov 13 at 7:30 PM, TIFF Bell Lightbox Expected guests include: Kat Jayme (dir) |
Topline, Romeo Candido (Closing Night) Tala is a reclusive singer-songwriter whose alter ego is named Illisha. When Tala is discovered by and joins a hitmaking team of topliners, she must secretly follow her passion while dealing with her family’s grief over their mother’s passing. And in the process, Tala just might find her voice. Topline features many of Candido’s hallmarks: dramatic, funny, and touching, with an amazing soundtrack. This web series has something for everyone. Featuring emerging talent from across the Greater Toronto Area, the Topline cast will perform its songs live, for a one-of-a-kind experience. Nov 20 at 7:00 PM, Isabel Bader Theatre |
Canadian Spotlight ArtistChallenging norms, paving the road, and telling fresh stories, the Canadian Spotlight Artist program is dedicated to a member of the dynamic and talented Asian Canadian film community. This program celebrates a selected artist through activating their journey, process, and future works. This year’s Canadian Spotlight Artist is Romeo Candido whose CBC Gem Series Topline will be screened along with live performances at Reel Asian’s Closing Night. Additionally, his horror film Ang Panama: The Inheritance will be screened in advance of the Festival and a selection of Candido’s shorts, music videos and features— including Lolo’s Child, which opened the festival in 2002—will be made available for Reel Asian audiences digitally at reelasian.com. Candido is a dynamic multi-disciplinary Filipino Canadian award-winning storyteller with experience in narrative and factual storytelling for film, television, advertising, theatre and digital platforms. Candido’s horror film Ang Pamana: The Inheritance played in theatres across the Philippines and won Best Feature at the Winnipeg International Film Festival. His award winning transmedia project Prison Dancer: The Musical, based on the Dancing Inmates of Cebu, is the recipient of the National Creation Fund and is being developed as a stage musical with the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton. Candido is the winner of the Bell Media / WGC diverse screenwriter program and was invited to be a story coordinator for season two of Kim’s Convenience. Candido made his Netflix debut as a writer for both seasons of the sci-fi thriller Another Life. He made his comedy television directing debut as the series director of the CSA nominated comedy Second Jen. Click here for the full Canadian Spotlight overview. |
SHORTS Great things come in small packages. Reel Asian’s eclectic short film programmes, like your favourite mixtapes, are sure to have something for everyone. Laugh, cry, sing, and shout with these powerful bursts of cinema. This year’s Shorts programming includes: MOVING ON: These films do not shy away from difficult and layered stories, distant memories, and buried feelings. Our characters ground, trace, and reconnect pathways toward recognizing the resiliency within oneself through their roots and relations to the places around them. MUSCLE MEMORY: How do our bodies and environments absorb and hold onto repetitive patterns, habits, and routines? This presentation of shorts exercises the capacity to confront harmful structures, encourage reflexivity, and affirm the embodied knowledge we carry. S-EXPRESS INDONESIA: Initiated in 2002, S-Express is a short film program exchange. This year, we spotlight Indonesian filmmakers with a programme curated by Fransiska Prihadi of Minikino that hopes to recharge your festival experience. UNSUNG VOICES 11: Six first-time and emerging filmmakers embarked on a summer-long filmmaking journey online through the Reel Asian Unsung Voices Video Workshop. We’re proud to present their world premieres here. Filmmakers include artist Roda Medhat making their directorial debut after exhibiting at Nuit Blanche 2022. ENCOUNTERS: 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. MIDNIGHT SNACK 2.0: Festival favourite Midnight Snack returns for another bite! This time, 2.0 features six talented female directors who cook up tales full of intrigue and awareness, boldly confronting themes that are often left indigestible NIGHT SHIFTS: From dusk ’til dawn, the night takes centre stage as a mood, setting, tone, and place for our characters’ lives and their environments to be illuminated on screen. Films include Nanitic by Carol Nguyen, winner of TIFF IMDbPro Short Cuts Share Her Journey Award and Same Old by Lloyd Lee Choi, which received honourable mention for TIFF IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Film. Click here for a full list of films in each Shorts programme. |
Wee Asian Tune into this beloved section online to access free programming for all ages that will spark joy, inspire creativity, and encourage wonder. This year’s Wee Asian short film lineup includes: The Commute Wherever you are, Wherever I am In Sight Aki Battery Daddy Footprints in the Forest Heart is a Witness Film Untuk Babeh (Kid Terminator) Click here for a full list of Wee Asian films and virtual activities. |
REEL IDEASThis 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. These conversations offer insights and tools to help future generations build their own storytelling skills, allowing them to share confidently. Based on a recent report released by the DOC Institute that points to the lack of data on funding for documentary content produced by Indigenous, Black or racialized filmmakers, one of this year’s not-to-be-missed events is the Funding for BIPOC Documentary Content session. Moderated by filmmaker and DOC Ontario Board Member, Min Sook Lee, this panel will discuss why it’s important for agencies and broadcasters to collect and share race-based data in order to achieve their stated equity goals. The panel will also analyze the stories and experiences shared by BIPOC filmmakers which speak of systemic barriers to funding. Panel members include Joan Jenkinson, Executive Director, Black Screen Office; Lisa Valencia-Svensson, Executive Director, REMC; Kadon Douglas, Executive Director, BIPOC TV & FILM; and Sally Lee, Executive Director, CISF for BPOC creators. Additional Reel Ideas sessions include the Producers’ Round Table, Asian Jokes, Second Time Around, UPLIFTED by UPROOTED: THE PLANTEMIC, CULTURAL SPECIFICITY in CBC’s Run the Burbs: Screening + Artist Talk with Andrew Phung and guests. Click here for more information on this year’s Reel Ideas panels, which run from Saturday, November 14 to Thursday, November 19. |
RA:XThis year’s RA:X Puncta exhibition is presented in collaboration with Jasmine Gui (Reel Asian special projects programmer) and keiko Hart (co-curator). The exhibition aims to present a plurality of punctum moments (as defined by Roland Barthes) that disturb and prick at diasporic Asian narratives and slip beyond an easy legibility of “Asianness”. The exhibit will present 5 multimedia works from artists including Noor Khan (Toronto), Vince Ha (Toronto), Jes Hanzelkova (B.C.), Brannavy Jeyasundaram (Toronto) and Mo Phùng (Halifax). For additional Reel Asian programming information, please visit reelasian.com. |
For advertising opportunites please contact mrwill@mrwillwong.com