Festival Highlights!

This year was the best festival yet! Thank you all for your support, its been a blast. Here's some festival highlights. Of course they're too numerous to list but we'll recognize a few. And let us know some of your Reel Asian 2007 highlights!

NOW Audience Award- picked by YOU the audience is...
GETTING HOME directed by Zhang Yang

















The Lightning Doodle Project / Canadian Filmmakers Party


The fantastic work of Tochka (Nagata Takeshi and Monno Kazue). Performed at SPIN GALLERY.

Tochka: Nagata Takeshi and Monno Kazue (photo by Taku Kumabe)


(photo by Taku Kumabe)

Its Growing! -- the Festival saw a 13% rise in attendance with 4 sell out shows and numerous packed houses!

(photo by David Frankovich)

Amazing Prizes were given away at each screening through the "Pig Toss"!



(photos by Kevin Lim and Taku Kumabe)

The lucky seven Award Winners!
(double winner Lesley Loksi Chan; photo by Kevin Lim)

NOW Audience Award:
GETTING HOME directed by Zhang Yang

All feature films at the festival eligible for this prize. $500 cash prize

NFB Best Documentary Award:
KORYO SARAM – THE UNRELIABLE PEOPLE dir. Y David Chung and Matt Dibble

All documentary works at the festival eligible for this prize. $1,000 cash prize towards the development of winner's next project. The NFB will also be granted a first right of negotiation on production, co-production or distribution with regards to the winner's next project.

Centennial College @ Wallace Studios Most Innovative Film Production Award:
WANDA AND MILES dir. Lesley Loksi Chan

All films made by GTA-based artists are eligible for this prize. $2,000 in studio time 
$300 cash prize towards completion of next work made at Centennial College @ Wallace Studios

TSV Visionary Video Award:
I NO I NO dir. Lesley Loksi Chan

All videos made by GTA-based artists are eligible for this prize. $650 in TSV membership dues and services $100 cash prize upon completion of new work made at Trinity Square Video

Animasian Award:
YELLOW STICKY NOTES dir. Jeff Chiba Stearns

Honourable Mention:
FLUTTER dir. Howie Shia

All animated films and videos are eligible for this prize. $500 cash prize 2007 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival Jury: Mike Hoolboom, Hiroko Namba, Glenn Sumi

Charles Street Video and Reel Asian SEE ME! HEAR ME! PITCH ME! pitch winners
Professional Category: CASTLE IN THE SKY, Dean Vargas and Lena Lee
Emerging Category: WHAT YOU EAT, Jennifer Liao

Thanks to all the volunteers!

It'd be a cliche if it weren't true that none of this would have been possible without your help!

RAFF Day 5: That's a wrap!

Well, the 11th annual 2007 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival is over (sniffle). Here are some photos I snapped yesterday.

I sat in on the Hear Me! See Me! Pitch Me! competition. It was really cool to hear about these up an coming projects. The winners of the competition were announced at the closing night film.








I was really looking forward to the book launch. The book's Editor Elaine Chang along with several contributors were in attendance. Being involved with this book has been a great experience and I really encourage you all to pick up a copy. It's available through Reel Asian all year long and also through Coach House Books.









Well, it had to end sometime. Sakuran was the closing film of the festival and it looked like it sold out! Before the screening, RAFF staff said some closing remarks, and several awards were handed out. (I will post the filmmaker's names and awards shortly).








After Sakuran, it seemed like almost the entire audience decided to head to the after party! It was CRAZY. The party was held at Proof Bar, at the Intercontinental.



















Great times. It's sad that it's over. But really, it's not. You can support Asian (Canadian) film all year long! Spread the word, support your fav filmmakers, make some films yourself and submit them for next years fest!

I am sure there will be some more post fest wrap up entries here. So stay tuned. Also, I will be posting an official gallery shortly and if you have any photos that you would like to see up here, please e-mail me and I will try to accommodate them.