Selections from Reel Asian 2008 Awards Ceremony

The following video clips are from the Awards Ceremony on Sunday November 16, 2008 at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. See a listing of all of the awards here.

Trinity Square Video Visionary Video Award presented to Aram Siu Wai Collier for The Others:


Doug Pringle and Chi-hui Yang present Centennial College @ Wallace Studios Most Innovative Film Production Award to Randall Lloyd Okita for Machine with Wishbone:


Presentation of the NFB Best Canadian Film or Video Award to Paul Wong for Perfect Day:


Lesley Loksi Chan announces the winner of the Animasian Award - Asa Mori's Up the Rabbit Hole:


Megan McPhee, Lesley Loksi Chan announce the winner of the Kim Orr Barristers P.C. Best Narrative Feature Film or Video Award – Liew Seng Tat's Flower in the Pocket:


So You Think You Can Pitch? Introduction by Nobu Adilman and presentation of the Charles Street Video and Reel Asian Pitch Emerging Artist Award to Ian Tuason for Continuity Problems:


Nobu Adilman presents the Charles Street Video and Reel Asian Pitch Professional Artist Award to June Chua and Christine Alexiou for Travels with My Brother:


Reel Asian Artistic Director Heather Keung and the final Rat Toss for the festival:


The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2008 ran from November 12-16, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Selections from Tiger Spirit Q&A with Min Sook Lee at Reel Asian 2008

The following video clips are from the screening of Tiger Spirit on Sunday November 16, 2008 at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. See my review of Tiger Spirit here.

Tiger Spirit director Min Sook Lee introduces the film:


Min Sook Lee discusses the theme of the film:


Min Sook Lee responds to audience question on the possibility of a reunified Korea:


The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2008 ran from November 12-16, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Selections from Q&A for Daddy Tran: My Life in 3-D

The following video clips are from the screening of Daddy Tran: A Life in 3-D as a part of the Oh Vietnam program on Sunday November 16, 2008 at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. See my review of Daddy Tran: A Life in 3-D here.

Daddy Tran: A Life in 3-D director Siu Ta and cinematographer John Minh Tran discuss how the film came to be:


Hai (Daddy) Tran responds to question regarding his favourite things to shoot:


Hai (Daddy) Tran dicusses further his love of photography:

The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2008 ran from November 12-16, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Selections from Q&A with Santa Mesa dir Ron Morales at Reel Asian 2008

The following video clips are from the screening of Santa Mesa on Sunday November 16, 2008 at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. See my review of Santa Mesa here.

Santa Mesa director Ron Morales discusses casting


Ron Morales discusses inspiration of the film:


The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2008 ran from November 12-16, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Selections from Q&A with West 32nd director Michael Kang at Reel Asian 2008

The following video clips are from the screening of West 32nd on Saturday November 15, 2008 at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. See my review of West 32nd here.

West 32nd director Michael Kang discusses casting:


Michael Kang discusses choice of character and focus (includes plot spoilers):


Michael Kang responds to audience question on influences:


Michael Kang discusses different possible endings ideas (includes spoilers):


Michael Kang discusses subplots and CJ Entertainment's involvement:


Michael Kang responses to audience question about how CJ Entertainment got involvement:


The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2008 ran from November 12-16, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Selections from Q&A Long Story Short director Christine Choy and writer Jody Long at Reel Asian 08

The following video clips are from the screening of Long Story Short on Saturday November 15, 2008 at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. See my review of Long Story Short here.

Long Story Short writer Jodi Long introduces the film and gives background on the films origins:


Long Story Short director Christine Choy and writer Jodi Long discuss the creation of the narrative structure of the film:


Jodi Long discusses acting and roles for Asian actors:


The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2008 ran from November 12-16, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Selections from Q&A for Twelve with director Lester Alfonso at Reel Asian 08

The following video clips are from the screening of Twelve as a part of the Everybody Else Program on Friday November 14, 2008 at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. See my review of Twelve here.

Twelve director Lester Alfonso and producer Lea Marin discuss how the film came to be:


Lester Alfonso responds to audience question regarding representing a film that is so personal, and also discusses upcoming projects:


The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2008 ran from November 12-16, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Selections from Q&A with Randall Okita at the Reel Asian 08 Screening of Machine with Wishbone

The following video clip is from the screening of the Full Boat Program on Thursday November 13, 2008 at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. See my review of Machine with Wishbone here.

Machine with Wishbone director Randall Okita discusses where the idea for the film came from:


Randall Okita responds to audience question regarding budget & time:


The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2008 ran from November 12-16, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Selections from Q&A for Full Boat Program Reel Asian 08

The following video clip is from the screening of the Full Boat Program on Thursday November 13, 2008 at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. See my reviews of films in the Full Boat Program here.

Filmmakers from the Full Boat program respond to an audience question regarding how their non film backgrounds helped affected the film making process. Vid is a little dark, so here is the order of speakers:
Stefanie Wong dir: Around the Corner From Solitude
Ann Marie Fleming dir: Running (Heart, Mind, Body, Spirit)
Blair Fukumura dir: Catalogue
Khanhthuan Tran dir: Self-Portrait
Randall Okita dir: Machine with Wishbone



The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2008 ran from November 12-16, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Selections from The Drummer Intro and Q&A with director Kenneth Bi

The following video clips are from the screening of The Drummer on Wednesday November 12, 2008 at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival.

Director Kenneth Bi discusses how the film came to be:



Director Kenneth Bi discusses shares the experience of seeing the drummers play and getting to know them in process of making the film:



The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2008 runs from November 12-16, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival Day 1 Raging Asian Women Taiko Drummers Performance

One of the true joys of the Opening Night for this years The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival was having the opportunity to see the Raging Asian Women Taiko Drummers. I've including selections from the both pieces they performed before the screening. Talk about an amazing way to energize the crowd and prepare for seeing Kenneth Bi's The Drummer!

Selection from the the first piece of the evening:



Another selection from the the first piece of the evening:




A longer selection from the second piece played which is absolutely stellar. The moment they stopped the crowd roared with applause.



The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2008 runs from November 12-16, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Selections from The Others Q&A with director Aram Siu Wai Collier

The following video clip is from the screening of The Others on Wednesday November 12, 2008 at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival.

Director Aram Siu Wai Collier responds to the question of what was the most important thing about making the film:



The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival 2008 runs from November 12-16, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.