This week is a momentous time for Chinese Canadians and Toronto as a whole. We finally have a film festival that we can call our very own. With over 650,000 Chinese in the Greater Toronto Area, there is no shortage of filmmakers and film lovers to fuel a creative, energetic and diverse celebration of film.
The Chinese have a long rooted history in Canada. From the building of the national railroad, to the Head Tax and the Chinese Exclusion Act, to the mass migration from Hong Kong during the 1990’s that fueled the Canadian economy. We have a relationship with this country that has been the genesis of countless stories and the starting point for many Chinese Canadian filmmakers who need a home for their films to be shown.
As we just completed the commemoration of the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act, which reinforced the resilience and fortitude of the Chinese in Canada, we have seen the light and the increasing acceptance of Chinese in mainstream film both in front of and behind the camera. And Chinese Canadians have certainly made their mark on the world stage! Toronto is the home of many great film festivals such as The Toronto International Film Festival, Hot Docs and the Reel Asian Film Festival, to name a few. Now it is time to put one more destination on the map for the film industry – The Toronto Chinese Film Festival.
As we celebrate this inauguration, let us remember how we got here and how much more work we need to do. Our hope is to not only inspire Chinese Canadians but to also foster cross-cultural education and collaboration both here and abroad.
We thank you for attending and hope you enjoy the films that we have curated for you.
Sincerely,
The Toronto Chinese Film Festival
TERY IMAMURA Founder and Co-Chair
JUSTIN POY Co-Chair
October 7, 2024
Dear Friends:
I am pleased to extend my warmest greetings to everyone attending the Toronto Chinese Film Festival.
This event showcases a diverse selection of contemporary Chinese cinema. I am certain that audiences will be entertained and inspired by the works being screened during this inaugural edition of the festival.
I would like to commend the organizers for bringing this event to the community. You can take pride in your commitment to promoting cultural exchange through the medium of film.
Please accept my best wishes for a memorable experience.
Sincerely,
The Rt. Hon. Justin P. J. Trudeau, P.C., M.P. Prime Minister of Canada
The Honourable Yuen Pau Woo Senator, British Columbia / Sénateur, Colombie-Britannique
613-995-9244
YuenPau.Woo@sen.parl.gc.ca
Congratulations to the Toronto Chinese Film Festival on assembling a fabulous roster of movies from around the Chinese world.
I am honoured to serve as one of the honorary chairs for the festival and want to thank Tery Wong Imamura and her team for their hard work in making the festival possible.
Cultural exchange is key to building international understanding and I hope that the films to be screened this week will be viewed in that spirit. I encourage you to take in as many films as you can and to spread the word about this rare opportunity to sample filmmaking talent from outside Canada.
Curtains up!
Yours sincerely
Honourable Yuen Pau Woo
ShaunChen
Member of Parliament / Député
Scarborough North / Scarborough–Nord
A Personal Message from MP Shaun Chen 陳 聖 源
As the Member of Parliament for Scarborough North, I am pleased to extend my organizers and attendees of the Toronto Chinese Film Festival.
This week’s film screenings are a wonderful time to elevate artistic visions, while also celebrating the imaginative works that have gone on to inspire countless many Canadians of Chinese descent . I applaud all participants for elevating the creative endeavors of diverse artists.
I congratulate the Toronto Chinese Film Festival for your efforts in making today’s event possible. Gatherings such as this one are working to make our community a welcoming and inclusive space for all.
Please accept my best wishes for a most successful event.
陳聖源 Member of Parliament Scarborough North
October 7
Dr. Raymond Cho
Member of Provincial Parliament
Scarborough North
MESSAGE FROM MPP RAYMOND CHO
Dr. Raymond Cho
Member of Provincial Parliament
Scarborough North
Toronto Chinese Film Festival
As M Provincial Parliament for Scarborough North, I am delighted to welcome everyone attending the inaugural Toronto Chinese Film Festival at the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto.
October 7, 2024
This five-day Chinese film festival serves as a vital platform for promoting cross-cultural exchange and celebrating the immense talent within the Chinese film industry. It also provides a unique opportunity to highlight the diverse stories and voices that resonate with audiences her e, making Chin accessible to all in Toronto and Ontario.
MESSAGE FROM MPP RAYMOND CHO
Toronto Chinese Film Festival
I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Founder and Co-Chair Tery Wong the organizing committee for their dedication and vision in making this festival a reality. By fostering an appreciation for Chinese cinema, you are enriching the cultural fabric of our community.
Best wishes for a memorable gala and a successful festival. May this be the beginning of a longstanding tradition that continues to inspire and bring people together through the magic of film.
As Member of Provincial Parliament for Scarborough North, I am delighted to welcome everyone attending the inaugural Toronto Chinese Film Festival at the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto. This five-day Chinese film festival serves as a vital platform for promoting cross-cultural exchange and celebrating the immense talent within the Chinese film industry. It also provides a unique opportunity to highlight the diverse stories and voices that resonate with audiences her e, making Chin accessible to all in Toronto and Ontario.
Sincerely,
I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Founder and Co-Chair Tery Wong the organizing committee for their dedication and vision in making this festival a reality. By fostering an appreciation for Chinese cinema, you are enriching the cultural fabric of our community.
Best wishes for a memorable gala and a successful festival. May this be the beginning of a longstanding tradition that continues to inspire and bring people together through the magic of film.
Dr. Raymond Cho
MPP – Scarborough North
Sincerely,
Dr. Raymond Cho MPP – Scarborough North
4559 Sheppard Avenue East, Unit B
raymond.choco@pc.ola.org
raymond.choco@pc.ola.org
MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the first edition of the Toronto Chinese Film Festival.
This five-day film festival is a wonderful way to make Chinese cinema more accessible for all Torontonians. The Toronto Chinese Film Festival showcases the richness of contemporary Chinese cinema and highlights Chinese heritage and history through film screenings, cultural activities and storytelling events . The short film competition taking place during the festival, is an opportunity for talented filmmakers to move audiences with their creative visions. Best wishes for an enjoyable film festival.
Toronto’s Chinese community greatly contributes to the cultural, social, economic and political mosaic of our city. Events such as this one help bridge cultural divides and emphasize our city’s motto "Diversity Our Strength".
On behalf of Toronto City Council, please accept my best wishes for a memorable event and continued success.
Yours truly,
Olivia Chow Mayor of Toronto
Jamaal Myers
City Councillor
Scarborough North – Ward 23
Councillor Jamaal Myers would like to extend heartfelt congratulations to the
Toronto Chinese Film Festival (TCFF)
on the occasion of their inaugural event to showcase the vibrant narratives of Chinese cinema, to promote cultural heritage and bridge cultural divides .
It is my pleasure to be the Honorary Chair for this wonderful event and I extend my heartfelt congratulations to your organization a commitment to nurturing future talent, making Chinese cinema accessible to all in Toronto and beyond.
Best wishes for a successful and memorable event!
董事 / BOARD OF DIRECTORS
HONORARY
CHAIRS
Honorable Senator
Yuen Pau Woo
Member of Parliament
Shaun Chen
City Councillor
Jamaal Myers
CEO of FAW GROUP
David Maung (Lim)
TCFF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chair and Founder
Tery (Wong) Imamura
Vice Chair
Justin Poy
Vice Chair
Judy Yeung
Treasurer
Tracy Liu
Secretary
June Ong
DIRECTORS
Grace Chan
Doris Chung
Gillian Fortin
Joseph Kan
Helen Kwong
Marianne Lai
Ali Mashayekhi
Ming Ou
Randall C Willis
HONORARY ADVISORS
Angela Chan
Paul Huang
Alan Lam
Henry Lee
Rain Liu
Andre Mak
Stephen Siu
Dr. Joseph Wong
Judy Yeung
CONSULTANTS
電影研究員和策展人 / Film Researcher and Curator
Sam Ho 何思穎
著名多媒體藝人 / Reknowned Multi
Media Actor
Dominic Kar Wah Lam 林嘉華
著名服装及形像設計顧問 / Reknowned Fashion and Image Consultant
Jumbo Lau 劉寶珍
THE INAUGURAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Executive Director
Tery (Wong) Imamura
Director and
Community Outreach
Justin Poy
Fundraising
Judy Yeung
Production Manager
Doris Chung
Promotions
Joseph Kan
Marketing and Public Relation
Jainy Tong
Administrator
Ming Ou
Graphic Designer
Tim Tongco
IT Management
Helen Kwong
Master of Ceremony
Kemin Zhang
Reception Manager
Paul Huang
Coordinator
June Ong
Event Assistant
Mirica Choi
Thank you to the Board and Team for your support and dedication to the creation and production of the 1st Toronto Chinese Film Festival!
/ THANK YOU
Winson Chan
Joseph Chaung
Helen Chen
Felix Cheung
Endo Chong
Tammy Chong
Tin Chung
Jason Dias
Steven Fishman
Tiffany Huang
Aileen Kwok
Dr. Jason Kwok
Dilys Kwong
Emily Law
Rain Liu
Tracy Liu
David Maung (Lim)
Aimee Mitchell
Jaren Ng
Fanny Poon
Gaston Poon
Anthony Shi
Damian Tam
Helen Wang
Chara Wong
Sonny Wong
... And all of the Staff of CCCGT and our Volunteers!
時間表 / SCHEDULE
星期一 / MONDAY OCTOBER 7
FEATURE FILM
第二十條 / Article 20 (141 MIN)
4:30PM–7:00PM Box Office / Doors Open
5:00PM Opening Ceremony Red Carpet for VIP
5:30PM–6:30PM VIP Reception
Chinese Folk Arts Exhibition Concessions Open
7:00PM Open Speeches and Feature Film
星期二 / TUESDAY OCTOBER 8
FEATURE FILM
獅子山上 / Lion Rock (96 MIN)
4:30PM Box Office / Doors Open
5:00PM–6:00PM Short Film Screening
6:00PM–7:00PM Short Film Voting Chinese Folk Arts Exhibition Concessions Open
Lion Rock
星期三 / WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9
FEATURE FILM
忠犬八公 / Hachiko (120 MIN)
7:00PM Feature Film 4:30PM Box Office / Doors Open
5:00PM–6:00PM Short Film Screening
6:00PM–7:00PM Short Film Voting Chinese Folk Arts Exhibition Concessions Open
7:00PM Feature Film
星期四 / THURSDAY OCTOBER 10
FEATURE FILMS
吃苦 / Eating Bitterness (21 MIN)
鐵路 / Iron Road (170 MIN)
4:30PM Box Office / Doors Open
5:00PM–6:00PM Short Film Screening
6:00PM–7:00PM Short Film Voting Chinese Folk Arts Exhibition Concessions Open
7:00PM Feature Film
星期五 / FRIDAY OCTOBER 11
FEATURE FILM
抓娃娃 / Successor (113 MIN)
5:00 PM Box Office / Doors Open
5:30PM–6:30PM Concessions Open
6:30PM–7:00PM Award Ceremony and Speeches
7:00PM Feature Film
Hachiko
長片 / FEATURE FILMS
第二十條
/ Article 20
SCREENING DAY
星期一
CAST
Jiayin Lei
Li Ma
Zanilia Zhao
DIRECTOR
Yimou Zhang
WRITERS
Meng Li
Tianyi Wang
AWARD-WINNING DIRECTOR ZHANG YIMOU (2024)
In a year where every challenge seems insurmountable, Han Ming’s story unfolds. Han Ming (played by Lei Jiayin) is a seconded prosecutor whose life is a whirlwind of complications following his transfer to the municipal prosecutor’s office. His son, Han Yuchen (played by Liu Yaowen), ignites a firestorm by clashing with dean’s (played by Zhang Yi) son and adamantly refuses to apologize. His wife, Li Maojuan (played by Ma Li), fiercely intervenes, further escalating the situation…
獅子山上 / Lion Rock
SCREENING DAY
星期二
Tuesday October 8 96 MIN
CAST
Alex Lam
Michelle Wai
Kevin Chu
BASED ON A TRUE STORY, NEVER GIVE UP.
Angela Yuen
DIRECTOR
Nick Leung
WRITERS
Man-Ho Cheng
Cheung Chung-
Leong
Nick Leung
In 2011, Lai Chi-wai — one of the top rock climbers in Asia — lost everything when a motorcycle accident took away his ability to walk. Rather than succumbing to his fate, Lai found his own way of scaling those dizzying peaks again.
忠犬八公 / Hachiko
SCREENING DAY
星期三 Wednesday October 9 120 MIN
CAST
Dahuang
Jugang Bai
Joan Chen
Pax White
Eponine Huang
DIRECTOR Ang Xu
WRITERS
Liangwen Li
Lin Li
Ang Xu
吃苦 / Eating Bitterness
CLOSE TO THE HEART, AN UNCONDITIONAL LOVE STORY.
This is the story of a puppy that touches countless people around the world. Batong is an adorable Chinese Rural Dog. He meets his destined owner, Jingxiu Chen, in a sea of people, and becomes a member of the Chen family. As time goes by, the once wonderful home is no longer there, but Batong remains in place and keeps waiting. His fate ties to that of his family. This film is adapted from the original screenplay by Kaneto Shindo “Hachiko Monogatari.”
Bring enough tissues.
SCREENING DAY
星期四
Thursday October 10 21 MIN
DIRECTOR Justin Poy
CHINESE CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANADA DURING THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS
The title, Eating Bitterness, (吃苦 – chi ku) refers to a Chinese proverb on how the endurance of hardship can bring great strength. Many Chinese Canadians had to endure bitter circumstances posed by racial discrimination and public policy that denied them many civil liberties and equal rights. The film highlights the resilience of Chinese Canadian individuals and communities under difficult circumstances, whose stories are often omitted from the major canon of Canadian history.
鐵路 / Iron Road
SCREENING DAY
CAST
Ka Fai Leung
Li Sun
Peter O’Toole
Luke Macfarlane
Sam Neill
DIRECTOR
David Wu
WRITERS
Barry Pearson
Raymond Storey
抓娃娃 / Successor
CHINESE CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANADA
DURING
THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS
A story of forbidden love set against the building of the Canadian railway through the Rock Mountains in the 1880s. A Chinese woman (Sun Li) disguises herself as a man and persuades the son of the railroad tycoon (Macfarlane) to hire her onto the explosives crew. Soon though, they fall in love, and as the physical terrain becomes more and more dangerous, so does the landscape of her heart.
CAST
Teng Shen
Ma Li
ANOTHER 2024 MEGA BOX-OFFICE FILM
DIRECTORS
Da-Mo Peng
Fei Yan
WRITERS
Da-Mo Peng
Fei Yan
Bingbao Lin
Poor dad, hardworking mom, dilapidated yard, broken son. How did the Ma family fall behind on the road to prosperity in Slinky Town? Ma Chenggang and Chunlan, who “have no oil in the soup and no money in their pockets,” ride their donkey to work, living in poverty. Their son, Ma Jiye, is their only hope of turning their fate around. Ma Jiye is very promising, excelling academically every year, tough and determined. But as Ma Jiye grows up, he gradually perceives that the people around him are becoming more and more strange…
短片 / SHORT FILMS
星期二 / TUESDAY OCTOBER 8
ONE OF MY OWN (19 MIN)
When a young Chinese girl becomes more aware of her differences in her adopted Caucasian family, she attempts to find her place of belonging with others and herself through artistic expression.
KAREN COMES HOME (14 MIN)
Returning home to attend a relative’s funeral wake, Karen’s parents can’t seem to stop bickering.
SILENCE (9 MIN)
A high school senior and her mother navigate cultural barriers during their nightly routine of watching TV. As college dreams clash with familial expectations, unspoken tensions rise, and music becomes the language of their hidden desires and unexpressed love.
DEAD FISH (5 MIN)
A gambling addict wants to have lunch with his family but struggles to communicate with his successful wife and his resentful son who’s prepping for college entrance exams.
Awards
DOG DAYS (11 MIN)
After being fired, a financial manager decides to blow the whistle on his former boss, but he first must send his 80-year-old mother with Alzheimer’s to a nursing home, dealing with nagging from his confused mother and his worried boss.
星期三 / WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9
THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (14 MIN)
A grieving woman’s hope for marriage is reignited when the ghost of her dead fiancée appears. As much as she tries to keep him, she will soon have to learn to let him go.
KHARISH (ITCH) (5 MIN)
To keep men from misinterpreting the scratching of an itch as a sexual invitation, a young Pakistani woman tries to find a safe place from the male gaze in Karachi.
THE TEACUP (17 MIN)
A teacup triggers a woman’s childhood memories and her bittersweet relationship with her father, who was both a victim of and an abuser within the cycle of family violence.
PORTRAIT OF CONSUMPTION (8 MIN)
A young woman’s entire existence depends on the interactions of her social following as if she is a mere puppet on strings desperately seeking approval through the digital form of likes, comments and emojis.
UNDER THE KASAYA (15 MIN)
After an unexpected interaction with her Buddhist mentor, a 14-yearold girl faces a terrifying dilemma: to stay silent, or to risk it all by confessing the ugly truth to her deeply devout Buddhist mother.
獎項 / AWARDS
Our short film competition supports the creation of future films through generous cash prizes ranging from the $5000 Audience Choice Award to the $1500 Best Student Film Award.
星期四 / THURSDAY OCTOBER 10
THE GOLDEN 50 (9 MIN)
A documentary celebration of Mak Fai Kung Fu Dragon & Lion Dance Association on its 50th anniversary, charting the organization and founder’s history in Seattle.
DRUNKEN MAN (14 MIN)
A Kung-Fu Sifu tries to teach his reluctant son before he is murdered in the street. Motivated by revenge, the son learns Kung-Fu and seeks his father’s killer.
LAY (15 MIN)
A retired priest enters the dating scene.
THE LAST KING (18 MIN)
World famous Iranian detective Shahriar and his ward Vahid investigate the murder of a shipping magnate. The suspects, the victim’s three daughters and wife, tell their version of the events leading up to the patriarch’s death.
LION SISTER (9 MIN)
A Chinese girl born in Canada is determined to learn the traditional Chinese high-pole lion dance skills.
Films can be submitted into one or more of the following categories:
衷心感謝我們的贊助商 / THANK YOU TO
CULTURAL PARTNER
OUR SPONSORS
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
TITLE SPONSOR
PLATINUM SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSOR / OFFICIAL TCFF CATERER
SPONSORS
PRESENTING SPONSOR
SILVER SPONSOR
EVENT SPONSOR
SPECIAL SPONSOR
OFFICAL TCFF PHOTOGRAPHER
OFFICAL TCFF WINE SPONSOR
EXCLUSIVE MEDIA SPONSOR
IN KIND SPONSORS
AFFILIATES
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on the Inaugural Toronto Chinese Film Festival (TCFF)
The lawyers at Massey LLP salute the founders, organizers, participating films, and volunteers of the inaugural Toronto Chinese Film Festival (TCFF).
There are millions of stories to be told—and talent matters to get them to the Big Screen. You turned a vision into reality.
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