Toronto Reel Asian International Film Fest: Planet-Wide Asian Tales, and Even One From Space
By Alice Shih
Being Asian is a global affair, each experience being unique. And the 17 features and 45 shorts in the 29th Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival tell diverse tales from Asia itself, and from six European countries, plus Canada and the United States.
There are six Canadian features programmed at the event from Nov. 5-15, including two documentaries, and four narratives, of which three are debuts. Screenings take place at various art venues throughout the city, including the TIFF Lightbox and Innis Town Hall.
Reel Asian opens with the animated film Space Cadet by Montreal-based DJ Kid Koala, which is adapted from his own graphic novel. It is a heartwarming tale of a young girl raised by her unwavering devoted guardian robot, as her parents are away working in outer space.
Joan Chen in Montreal ma belle
This is the director’s first feature and it has already been programmed in prestigious film festivals like Berlin and Annecy. Like the recent Oscar-winning animated Flow, Space Cadet is dialogue-free. Head animator Lillian Chan’s vivid illustration brings life to the characters, complementing the wordless, masterly script – proof that action alone is enough to propel a story.
Like many Chinese families with working parents, Kid Koala was cared for by his grandparents, to whom he has warmly dedicated this film.
Toronto-born writer-director Timothy Yeung’s debut feature Finch & Midland shows us four families who immigrated from Hong Kong in the 1990’s to live in Scarborough. Each faces unique challenges of fitting in and moving up, struggling daily to stay afloat in a sea of unattainable goals.
Every main character is superbly portrayed by seasoned Hong Kong actors, including Anthony Chau-Sang Wong whose performance here earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at Taiwan’s prestigious Golden Horse Awards. Yeung accentuates the essence of the script by brewing perfect chemistry between the veteran actors and the otherwise fresh local talents.
Together with Victor C.H. Fan’s precise editing, Yeung was able to enhance and draw parallels to heighten these four uphill battle experiences, drawing the audience into lives marked by helplessness and despair. Yet, the Chinese title of the film is full of hope, <今天應該很高興> is more expressive than its “location-based” title in English. It literally means “We should be very happy today”!
Montréal, ma belle starring Joan Chen (The Last Emperor, The Home Song Stories, Didi) explores the conflicts of a middle-aged Chinese immigrant woman whose lifelong suppressed needs resurface in a new environment. Apart from falling in love in Montreal, she also falls for the possibilities that Montreal offer her.
However, juggling new love versus the family duty of being a wife and mother is too much to bear, slowly overloading her psyche. This is Xiaodan He’s third feature and her most mature script to date.
Depicting beautiful Montreal as a liberator, she is able to lure the audience into her protagonist’s world empathetically, as we journey with her to the unknown, courageously, without judgment or prejudice. The question being raised here is, “After crossing the great divide, is it really possible to go back to the old ways?” Food for thought.
The Centrepiece Gala presents the Toronto premiere of Akashi, the romantic debut feature by Vancouver-based actor, writer and director Mayumi Yoshida. This story connects two very different generations of Japanese-Canadians, serenely examining the prospect of happiness from traditional arranged marriage to free choices.
Yoshida not only adds colour to differentiate the time frames; she also presents to us how doubts and compromises can wash out the colour in our lives. At the end, can love bridge the social class gap, or compel a lover to venture out of his comfort zone without a safety net? To love is to risk, regardless of the era.
Apart from the impressive programming showcasing the works of emerging talent to established filmmakers, festivalgoers can also participate in immersive workshops, panel discussions, and the grand finale of a LIVE pitch.
CLICK HERE for Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival film descriptions, events and ticket info.