The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival celebrates its 17th annual edition this year with an exciting expansion to include films from across South Asia. In response to the overwhelming demand from the local community for more South Asian films, Reel Asian is officially expanding to include feature films from India, Pakistan, and the South Asian continent. This expansion to include South Asian work in the festival marks the beginning of a new era for Reel Asian.
Opening Night Film: Bombay Talkies
November 5, 7pm – Isabel Bader Theatre
The film features four short films, each directed by an all-star lineup of Bollywood directors: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap. They also feature some of Bollywood’s hottest stars, including Rani Mukerji and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and cameos from Katrina Kaif and Amitabh Bachchan.
My thoughts: Whenever possible, it’s good to support local filmmakers. This series includes Randall Okita‘s Portrait As A Random Act of Violence, which comes highly recommended after screening at TIFF this year. As well as other shorts by Hefang Wei, Casey Mecija, and Oliver Husain to name a few.
How to Use Guys with Secret Tips
November 7, 8:30pm - AGO Jackman Hall
Choi Bo-Na spends her days on movie sets hiding in the shadow of her sexist boss and baggy hoodie. When she stumbles upon a secret instructional video, she suddenly gets more romantic attention than she bargained for.
Preceded by Short Film: Gaysian
This is a romantic comedy about an Asian gay man confronting racism in the dating world, making him reconsider his own prejudices.
My thoughts: A girl wh takes over her male-dominated company? I’m curious! And Gaysian is a short film by local filmmaker Austin Wong and designed by Rose Lagace. Again, supporting local talent.
Centrepiece Presentation: Tales from the Dark Part 1
November 8, 8pm – The Royal Cinema
This story is adapted from the horror novel series by best-selling author Lilian Lee, the series brings together some of the most familiar stars and directors to present three supernatural stories about ghosts seeking retribution.
Directors include well-known actor Simon Yan, who makes his directorial debut with Stolen Body, a story about a little ghost and a poor man with a surprisingly socioeconomic message. Lee Chi Ngai directs A Word in the Palm, a horror/comedy featuring Tony Leung Ka-fai as a fortuneteller about to retire from his trade. And the last tale, Jing Zhe, directed by Fruit Chan, focuses on the ancient practice of “villain hitting.” On a Hong Kong curbside, an old woman runs a business that lays curses on her customers’ enemies.
My thoughts: I’ve included this series not only because the title and premise sound interesting, but also because I am a fan of Simon Yan’s work, and thus, I’m curious about his directorial debut.
Feature Presentation: Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo
November 8, 11:15pm – The Royal Cinema
The long-anticipated third installment of Hideaki Anno’s epic anime saga begins with Shinji returning to Earth after 14 years of hibernation, only to discover a new world order and a home he barely knows. With complex themes explored through Christian imagery, mecha drama tropes, and psychoanalysis of the main characters, Neon Genesis Evangelion gets a reinterpretation with this new film series.
My thoughts: I’m not well versed in this series per se, but I always make a point of attending any anime-related screenings. This is no exception… plus, did you see the trailer?
The Rocket
November 10, 5:30pm – The Royal Cinema
This is coming-of-age story about a spirited boy’s quest to break free from his ill-fated destiny. Performed by mostly non professional actors, it is one of the first internationally released feature films from the seldom-seen country of Laos.
My thoughts: I’ve never heard of a feature film from Laos, have you? The premise of the film sounds interesting to me and the festival refers to its style as following in the “steps of Whale Rider and Beasts Of The Southern Wild,” it’s piqued my interest.
Closing Night Gala: Linsanity
November 10, 8pm – The Royal Cinema
In 2010, director Evan Jackson Leong approached a relatively unknown Harvard University Taiwanese American basketball player seeking to document his life on film. Little did he know that Jeremy Lin would experience a meteoric rise to athletic stardom.
My thoughts: If you’re a fan of the NBA, then you know who Jeremy Lin is. With home movie footage and interviews with Lin and his family & friends, this should be interesting.
Live Presentation Film & Dance: Sprung
November 13, 8pm – Innis Town Hall
This dance-themed commission project brings together the collaborative efforts of talented filmmakers and dynamic performers in a range of fringe styles including waacking, poppin’, Filipino folk, athletic, conceptual and contemporary.
My thoughts: When a festival offers other events besides film screenings, I suggest checking these out. There is always something new to learn and discover.
Reel Asian runs in Toronto and Richmond Hill from November 5 to 16. This list includes events in Toronto only but do visit the festival’s website for the full lineup of films, special events, and box office & ticketing information.
Via Hye’s Musings