The 2012 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival (Reel Asian) will celebrate its 16th annual edition this year with more screenings, international guests and special events as it continues its expansion outside the downtown Toronto core to bring Richmond Hill residents a taste of the best in Asian cinema. Founded in 1997, Reel Asian began as a 3-day event established in response to meet the needs of an existing demand for Asian films in Toronto, and has since grown to a 10-day multi-city annual event attracting over 10,000 people. Reel Asian strives to develop programming that reflects the cultural diversity of Canada and increase public understanding and appreciation of the artistic, social and cultural contributions of those of Asian heritage through film. This year’s festival will take place November 6-11, 2012 in Toronto and November 16-17, 2012 in Richmond Hill to present 60 films and videos from 14 countries including Canada, China, France, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kashmir, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States.

Highlights include:
GALAS & CENTERPIECE:
• TORONTO OPENING NIGHT GALA: FIRST TIME (China/Hong Kong 2012, Canadian Premiere, director Han Yan
in attendance)
• CENTERPIECE PRESENTATION: PRISON DANCER (Canada 2012, Canadian Premiere, director Romeo Candido,
producer Ana Serrano and cast in attendance)
• TORONTO CLOSING NIGHT GALA: ARCHITECTURE 101 (South Korea 2012, Canadian Premiere, director Lee
Yong-joo in attendance)

INTERNATIONAL FEATURES: a selection of award-winning and noteworthy films including
• China – EGG AND STONE by Huang Ji, winner of Tiger Award at International Film Festival Rotterdam 2012
• Kashmir/USA – VALLEY OF SAINTS by Musa Syeed, winner of Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Feature Film Prize and
World Cinema Audience Award at Sundance Film Festival 2012
• China/Taiwan – HOMETOWN BOY by Yao Hung-I, winner of Best Documentary 2012 at Taipei Golden Horse
Award 2011 and Grand Prize for Best Director and Best Documentary at Taipei Film Festival
• Indonesia – THE MIRROR NEVER LIES by Kamila Andini, winner of Earth Grand Pris at Tokyo International Film
Festival 2011 and FIPRESCI Prize at Hong Kong International Film Festival 2012
• Taiwan – CHA CHA FOR TWINS by Yang Yi-Chien, winner of Best Narrative Feature and Best Screenplay at Taipei
Film Festival 2012
• Japan – THE WOODSMAN AND THE RAIN by Shuichi Okita, winner of Special Jury Price at Tokyo International
Film Festival 2011

CANADIAN PROGRAMMING:
• Canadian Premiere of PRISON DANCER (Canada 2012, director Romeo Candido, producer Ana Serrano and cast
in attendance)
• Toronto Premiere of THE FRUIT HUNTERS (Canada 2012, director Yung Chang, quest in attendance)
• North American Premiere of DAL PURI DIASPORA (Canada 2012, director Richard Fung in attendance)
• Canadian Spotlight on MICHAEL FUKUSHIMA: THE ART OF PRODUCING ART (Producer/Director Michael
Fukushima in attendance)
• Canadian shorts are included in: ONCE LOST, NOW FOUND, IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK, ESCAPE OF REALITY, HARD LOOK and UNSUNG HEROES (Various filmmakers in attendance)
SPECIAL GALLERY EXHIBITIONS: COLLECTOR(S) and AUTUMN COLOURS AFTER ZHAO MENGFU
Continuing to engage with pan-Asian experimental installations, Reel Asian presents two exciting off-screen projects, each with a unique focus on video art. Hosted at TPW R&D, Innis College, East Gallery and the Monarch Festival Hub.
• Other films of interest include Daylight Savings, Jake Shimabukuro : Life on Four Strings, and Seeking Asian Female

REEL ASIAN HEADS TO RICHMOND HILL
As part of their continuing initiative to reach new audiences beyond the downtown core, Reel Asian returns to the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts for its 2nd Annual Richmond Hill weekend film festival. They will be opening with the Canadian premiere of Floating City with Hong Kong veteran director Yim Ho in attendance and closing the uptown festival with Yung Chang’s highly anticipated documentary The Fruit Hunters.

You can get tickets to the 2012 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival here.

2012 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival Promo Trailer

The 2011 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival commemorates its 15th anniversary with a series of new initiatives to recognize the organization’s 15-year history, including free screenings, larger venues to accommodate growing audiences, a multi-venue media art installation, special guest filmmakers from across Asia and the world, and a major expansion into Richmond Hill. From November 8-13 (Toronto) and November 18-19 (Richmond Hill), the festival will present more than 55 films and videos from over 12 countries, including Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, the United States and Canada.

This year marks 15 years of celebrating the incredible diversity of the communities of Toronto. As the city’s Asian population has grown, Reel Asian has experienced increasing demand for its multi-cultural and diverse offerings, and has expanded its reach beyond downtown Toronto to Richmond Hill, Markham, and Scarborough, reaching new audiences in their own neighborhoods.

• OPENING NIGHT GALA: LOVER’S DISCOURSE (Hong Kong 2010, Canadian premiere, director Derek Tsang in attendance)
• CENTREPIECE PRESENTATION: JUMP ASHIN! (Taiwan 2011, Canadian premiere, director Lin Yu-hsien in attendance)
• CLOSING NIGHT GALA: BUDDHA MOUNTAIN (China 2010, Toronto premiere, guest in attendance)

Other films of note include Saigon Electric, Surrogate Valentine, Fullmetal Alchemist movie: THE SACRED STAR OF MILOS, and Pearls of the Far East.

Reel Asian also embarks on its largest venture to date – a weekend film festival at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts from November 18 to 19. After several successful presentations at the centre, Reel Asian is eager to bring the festival to the Town of Richmond Hill, a major supporter of the festival and independent film. As part of our initiative to reach new audiences beyond the downtown core, Reel Asian recently presented films such as Last Train Home (Lixin Fan) and Merry Go Round (Clement Cheng) to over one thousand excited audience members in the 905 area.

2011 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival