Only the Best in Asian Cinema November 6–16, 2014 Reelasian.Com
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Only the best in Asian cinema November 6–16, 2014 reelasian.com I IS A PROUD SPONSOR OF THE 2014 Contents 2 Credits 3 Welcome 4 Festival Map 5 Toronto Box Office 6 Schedule at a Glance 8 Sponsors 10 Community Partners Index and Thank you 11 Letters 24 13 Jury Opening Night 14 Special Projects Gala Presentation 16 Canadian Spotlight: Jacqueline Hoang Nguyen 41 Centrepiece 23 Toronto Programme Presentation 61 Reel Asian Industry Series 65 Richmond Hill Programme 72 Print Source 16 Canadian Spotlight 61 Industry Series 42 Youth Shorts Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 401 Richmond Street West, Suite 309 Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3A8 58 T: 416 703 9333 | F: 416 703 9986 Closing Night [email protected] Gala Presentation Charitable registration #8700 21 38 3RR 0001 1 Credits Back: (Left to Right) Yang Zeng, Betty Xie, Philbert Lui, Aram Siu Wai Collier, Chris Chin, Stephanie Law, Jihee Min Front: (Left to Right) Myung-Sun Kim, Kristine Estorninos, Eva Ho, Jennie Ho, Louanne Chan, Hema Ramsingh, Jessie Lau Chair Emeritus & Legacy Circle Festival & Operations Office Volunteers Special Exhibitions Unsung Voices Founder Manager Stephanie Cheung Partners Facilitators Anita Lee CO-FOUNDER Chris Chin Flora Chick Sharlene Bamboat Tony Lau Andrew Sun Monica Contreras Aram Siu Wai Collier Chair, Industry and Events So-Jeong Choi Marco La Rocca Richard Fung Board of Directors FORMER BOARD MEMBERS Coordinator Unsung Voices Mentors Stephen Gong Jennifer Chen Pablo de Ocampo Stephanie Law Ramlah Marvi Sacha Nastili John G. Hampton Richard Kim Alan Peng Albert Shin Vice-Chair, Programming Wrik Mead Cheuk Kwan Christina Takahashi Nathalie Younglai Board of Directors Coordinator Casey Mecija Joanna Miles Kwoi Gin Myung-Sun Kim Development Helmut Reichenbächer Design Volunteers Du-Yi Leu Committee Maiko Tanaka Mary Ip Directors Simon Racioppa Volunteer Coordinator Jennifer Chen Indu Vashist Carina Niro Immanuel Lanzaderas Phil Tsui Gina Rim (on leave) Bobby Sahni Geoff Peers B. H. Yael Mohana Sarmiento Danish Vahidy Interim Volunteer Dave Wong Elliot Richmond Coordinator Marketing Committee Festival Trailer Editor Bobby Sahni FORMER EXECUTIVE Finance Committee Philbert Lui Eva Ho, Co-Chair Henry Wong DIRECTORS Geoff Peers, Chair Evelyn Siu Philbert Lui, Co-Chair Grace Bai Marketing Coordinator Norm Lau Copy Editors Dave Wong Bhupesh Shah, Advisor Sally Lee Eva Ho Clara Park Tiffany Budhyanto Jonny Bunning, Advisor Festival Advisory Alka Sharma Jaime Chu Nobu Adilman Caroline Sin Development Assistant South Asian VIP Club Althea Balmes & VIP Guest Services Gredaline Teves Karla Bobadilla Deanna Wong Owais Lightwala Kelsey Cheng Assistant Sonia Sakamoto-Jog Linda Fong Rishi Bajaj Stephanie Cheung Betty Xie Michael Fukushima FOUNDING STAFF Batool Batalvi Warren Johnson Publicity Richard Fung Ann Chiu Special Exhibitions Manik Gunatilleke Heidi Kim Virginia Kelly, Colin Geddes Shelly Hong Assistant Meena Jethalal Jessie Lau VK & Associates Carolynne Hew Jihee Min Reenee Khanna Ramlah Marvi Executive Director Translators & Anita Li Joanna Miles Diang-Yee Iu (on leave) Richmond Hill Event Interpreters Anita Lee Sonia Sakamoto-Jog Captain Rakhi Mutta Amanda Mirizzi So-Jeong Choi Helen Lee Jessie Lau Paul Nagpal Hema Ramsingh Interim Executive Jennifer Ye Won Kim Sally Lee Rana Sarkar Priscilla Wong Director Wakana Murakami Keith Lock Festival Photographer Angie Seth Yang Zeng Louanne Chan Yang Zeng Michael Tjioe Reva Seth Winnie Luk Events Committee Head of Programming Nayani Thiyagarajah Box Office Kerri Sakamoto Technical Coordinator Stephanie Law, Chair Kristine Estorninos Tushar Unadkat Monia Hanafi Ana Serrano Eyan Logan Danish Vahidy, Advisor Victoria Shen Marco La Rocca Director of Programming Programming Luke Bandara Alice Shih Guest Services & Education Assistant Committee Chelsea Chen Front of House Aram Siu Wai Collier Yang Zeng Peter Cho Barnett Chow Danielle Ayan Noorul Kazmi Sarah Daley International Christina Barry Festival Intern* Joanna Miles Programming Milica Dodic Lori Campbell Jennie Ho Associates Gina Rim Kayo Homma-Komori Anne Gallagher June Kim Festival Campaign Alice Shih Nadia Junaid Harvey Lalonde Serena Lee Design Sabrina Spence Amanda Kwan Karen Loftus Chi-hui Yang The Office of Gilbert Li Nicole Wong William Liang Nicole McKechnie Betty Xie Kerry Liu Director of Marketing Festival Campaign Stage Manager Jihee Min Hema Ramsingh Photography Scott Seetoo Robin Sharp Carina Niro Denae Peters Drivers Michael Revita Shaun Brodie Terence Tam Pamela Yiu Florence Wong Henry Wong * Reel Asian gratefully acknowledges the financial support of Service Canada’s Summer Jobs Program 2 Welcome Welcome to the 18th annual edition of the Toronto Reel Asian This year’s selection of films and special projects all centre around International Film Festival (Reel Asian), presented by National Bank! the universal mantra “tell honest stories”, and Toronto provides As one of the most diverse cities in Canada, there is no better a unique setting for a rich presentation of Asian film and media arts. place to showcase the best of Asian cinema than right here—in the Our diverse collection of films from Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, heart of Toronto. On behalf of all our staff, board of directors, and India, Japan, Nepal, South Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, and USA advisory committee, I hope this year’s dynamic selection of stories highlights some of the most highly-anticipated and award-winning will rouse your emotions and ignite your passion for the creative art titles of the year, including: Fruit Chan’s The Midnight After, a delirious of filmmaking as much as it has for us. genre-bending trip in a post-apocalyptic Hong Kong; Manshin: Ten Last year saw our ambitious expansion to include South Asian films Thousand Spirits, a journey through Korea’s history told through the in our festival programming. This year we continue this direction life story of Korea’s most famous living shaman; and the Canadian with two remarkable films—from Fandry, a film about young love premiere of Manny, a documentary following Filipino boxing legend amidst India’s caste system to Monsoon Shootout, a Hindi noir thriller Manny Pacquiao. that explores the life-altering consequences of a young man’s fateful Reel Asian is always proud to showcase the best of Canadian talent, decision. Every year, our programming team scours the world to and this year is no exception. Canadians have produced short films bring unique titles from around the world, and this year we proudly shot all over the world, and we are showcasing more than 15 of these present 44 films representing 10 different regions including:K ANO, homegrown shorts in our various short film programs. Our Canadian a historical baseball film that is the directorial debut for Taiwanese Spotlight Artist, Jacqueline Hoang Nguyen, brings to Toronto Memories actor Umin Boya; Mourning Grave, a movie that incorporates classic of an Archive, a collection of everyday images photographed by elements of K-horror; and 9-Man, a documentary honouring a sport Canadian immigrants. Festival attendees will be invited to join in on that has connected Chinese immigrant populations since the 1930s. the preservation of memories by sharing photos that document their In 2010, Reel Asian became the first international film festival to own immigrant experiences. expand to Richmond Hill. Since then, we have returned each year to Our festival would not be complete without the Industry Series, showcase award-winning titles to this community and look forward to a program that fosters the Asian-Canadian filmmaking community sharing this year’s films including the highly-anticipated Overheard 3, through networking opportunities and professional development the action-packed 3rd installment of the Hong Kong trilogy. We are workshops. And as always, our annual highlights include the So You also proud to include North York as a festival location with screenings Think You Can Pitch? competition, followed by the Awards Ceremony at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre and the Aga Khan Museum. where over $46,000 in in-kind and cash prizes will be presented. Like all exceptional festivals, we have a hard-working team of staff I feel truly honoured and blessed to be welcomed so warmly into and volunteers without whom Reel Asian would not exist. As Interim the Reel Asian family. A huge thank you to our programming team Executive Director, I am truly grateful to the dedicated office staff and our international programming associates, who worked tirelessly and very supportive board of directors who helped me along my new to view hundreds of great Asian film. Last but not least, our gratitude role this year. A heartfelt thanks goes out to our government funders, to the filmmakers who have allowed us to share their stories through festival sponsors, and community partners for their generosity and our festival. Enjoy! for believing in Reel Asian. Lastly, we thank all the talented filmmakers for sharing their work with us. See you at the Festival! Kristine Estorninos Louanne Chan Head of Programming Interim Executive Director 3 Festival Map Toronto, Don Mills Toronto, Downtown Leslie St Leslie Lawrence Ave E Kendal Ave Kendal 17 Cumberland St Don Valley Pkwy Bloor St W 4 Wynford Dr Charles St W Don Mills Rd 5 1 Ave Park Victoria Eglinton Ave E 7 Harbord St Pl Devonshire Clinton St St George 2 6 College St Carlton St 13 Gerrard St W Gerrard St E 18 10 St Bay Dundas St W Dundas St E 8 3 19 16 McCaul St St Yonge Spadina Ave University Ave University Beverley St