Founded in 1997 by Anita Lee and Andrew Sun, the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival is now in it’s 22nd year of bringing films from new and veteran filmmakers to audiences. The festival will be running from November 17 – 15th, 2019 at various screening locations including the TIFF BELL LightBox in downtown Toronto.
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The festival features independent films and video projects from the Asian diaspora including Canada, the U.S. South Korea, Japan and South East Asia. With special initiatives and programs like “So You Think You Can Pitch” and the “Unsung Voices” Reel Asian’s goal is to provide opportunities for aspiring writers, directors and film creatives to give them a foothold into an industry that is challenging to break into.
In a city like Toronto where a significant portion of the population is comprised of immigrants from across the globe (including yours truly), it is vitally important that organizations like Reel Asian continue to work with and support young people so that they can tell their stories.
Having the opportunity to work closely with those who have gone before them and have found success, is a priceless experience. During the media day for East of The Rockies I had the opportunity to briefly speak with Reel Asian Film Festival Executive Director Deanna Wong about the films to look forward to during the festival, and her goals for it and young aspiring filmmakers.
