The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival (Reel Asian) will celebrate its 16th annual edition this year with screenings, international guests and special events, it continues its expansion outside downtown Toronto to bring Richmond Hill residents a taste of some of the best in Asian cinema.
For those of you in Toronto, here are my picks of films at both locations.
Shorts Presentation Co-Presented by Toronto’s Shorts That Are Not Pants (Curated by James McNally)
Wed Nov 7, 7:15 PM | Innis Town Hall
ONCE LOST, NOW FOUND
Presenting meditations on memory and loss, connection, and pure joy, these films address some of the most powerful yet peripheral facets of human experience with quiet restraint and creative narratives. Including work by Keith Lock, Quek Shio Chuan, Christopher Makoto Yogi, Han Han Li and Kimi Takesue.
Feature Presentation | Thu Nov 8, 9:55 PM | Innis Town Hall
GRACELAND
Director Ron Morales | USA/Philippines 2012
The driver for a corrupt politician gets embroiled in a botched kidnapping and must traverse the seedy underbelly of Manila to save his daughter in this gritty noir.
Centrepiece Presentation | Fri Nov 9, 6:45 PM | The Royal
PRISON DANCER
Director Romeo Candido | Canada 2012
Inspired by the real-life dancing rehabilitation program that went viral on YouTube, Prison Dancer tells the personal, poignant, and hilarious stories of six Filipino prison dancers whose group dancing turned a maximum-security prison into a world stage. This unique presentation will integrate on-screen projection and live performance from the cast.
Special Presentation | Fri Nov 9, 8:45 PM | The Royal
VALLEY OF SAINTS
Director Musa Sayeed | USA/Kashmir
Upon the beautiful but troubled Dal Lake in Kashmir, a young boatman’s world is opened up by a visiting scientist in this lyrical drama about friendship, family and home.
Feature Presentation | Fri Nov 9, 11:00 PM | The Royal
TATSUMI
Director Eric Khoo | Singapore 2011
The fascinating life and sinister stories of legendary manga artist Yoshihiro Tatsumi are brought to life on the big screen in this animated biography about the man who pioneered gekiga, a genre of dark adult-themed comics.
Feature Presentation | Sat Nov 10, 4:30 PM | The Royal
DAL PURI DIASPORA
Director Richard Fung | Canada 2012
Trinidad-born Toronto filmmaker Richard Fung takes an inquisitive food journey through the Caribbean and India to discover the mouth-watering roots of one of his (and Toronto’s) favourite foods, the dal puri, most commonly known as the roti.
If you’re in the Richmond Hill area, I’d suggest the following screenings:
Opening Film | Fri Nov 16, 7:00 PM | Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts
FLOATING CITY
Director Yim Ho | Hong Kong 2012
The film tells the true story of Bo Wah-Chuen (Aaron Kwok), as he rises from being an orphan on a Chinese fishing boat to the upper echelons of the notorious Imperial East India Trading Company.
Feature Presentation | Sat Nov 17, 4:00 PM | Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts
THE WOODSMAN AND THE RAIN
Director Shuichi Okita | Japan 2011
Celebrated Japanese actor Koji Yakusho plays a lonely lumberjack whose life is drastically changed when he’s unwittingly enlisted into helping a spineless young filmmaker to complete his low budget zombie movie.
Closing Film | Sat Nov 17, 7:00 PM | Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts
THE FRUIT HUNTERS
Director Yung Chang | Canada 2012
This film is a globetrotting tour of faraway places, filled with eccentric people to whom fruit is a way of life and not just a suggested daily dietary recommendation.
The Fruit Hunters – Clip 1 : Willy Wonka’s Factory from EyeSteelFilm on Vimeo.
You can find the full film list and scheduling information at reelasian.com. Tickets can be purchased online through reelasian.com, in-person, or by phone (1-888-222-6608). Please note, there are discounted tickets available for students and seniors. Discount applies to students (with valid current ID), seniors over 65 (no ID required).
Make sure to come back to this page, follow me on Twitter, and Facebook as I will have my thoughts on the films I see in the next few days.
