Tuesday, 17 November 2009

Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival:...and the Award Goes To

I am very happy to announce that guests* of TmTm won awards at the Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival (RA). I had a chance to talk to directors, Mio Adilman (UNLOCKED) and Paramita Nath (FOUND) when their respective films made their debut at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September. I was pleased for both of these filmmakers when their films were accepted at RA because this a win-win situation: further exposure for Canadian talent and another chance for the public to see their films.

I had another opportunity to discuss FOUND when poet Souvankham Thammavongsa (whose work and life are the subject of FOUND) visited CIUT's new Hart House studio in October. Joining her on that show was FISH IN BARREL director, Randall Okita (see post) . Both of these shorts screened as part of RA's SENSE OF WONDERS programme along with another award winner from that programme, REX VS. SING directed by Richard Fung, John Greyson, and Ali Kazimi.

Congratulations to ALL the filmmakers whose work screened at RA this year. Being selected for inclusion in a film festival as well-known as RA is not an easy feat.

AWARD WINNERS:
So You Think You Can Pitch? Emerging: Sonia Hong, Olga Barsky and Claire Lowery for A DRAGGED OUT AFFAIR

So You Think You Can Pitch? Professional: Jonathan Ng for REQUIEM FOR ROMANCE

*TSV Visionary Video Award: Paramita Nath for FOUND

*Centennial College @ Wallace Studios Most Innovative Film Production Award: Randall Okita for FISH IN BARREL

*LIFT and Fuji Best Film Award: Mio Adilman for UNLOCKED

Animasian Award: Lesley Loksi Chan and Serena Lee for LIVE LONG AND PROSPER

NFB Best Canadian Film or Video Award: Richard Fung, John Greyson and Ali Kazimi, for REX VS SINGH

Kim Orr Barristers P.C. Best Narrative Feature Film or Video Award: Uruphong Raksasad for AGRARIAN UTOPIA (with an honourable mention to Fish Story)

Photo by donna g (L-R) Randall Okita, Bobby Del Rio (star of UNLOCKED) and Mio Adilman


Award Winners list courtesy of www.reelasian.com

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