VAFF 26 Digital Festival Program Guide

FEEL AGAIN AT A THEATRE NEAR YOU.

WESTCOAST

WESTCOAST TALES FEATURE & SHORTS

WESTCOAST TALES: CANADIAN SHORTS SPOTLIGHT 22 Different Than Before; My Name Is Arnold; Wok Hei; Good News; Mom vs. Machine

ABOUT VAFF

VAFF is the longest running Asian film festival in Canada. It was founded in 1995 and debuted in September 1997. Since then, tens of thousands of film lovers have experienced a diverse selection of North American-Asian and international films.

Each year VAFF attracts close to 5,000 audience members over its four-day festival and year round events. It also reaches many more through word of mouth, pre-festival events, and traditional and social media throughout the year.

In 2020 almost every regional, national and international film festival pivot to be a virtual festival. VAFF was no exception. From the learnings of hosting virtual screenings and panels, VAFF will expand to include a section of its future film festivals to be virtual from 2021 onward.

VAFF is mostly organized and produced by a group of dedicated volunteers, and is made possible by generous financial support from corporate sponsors, public funders and private donors.

VISION

VAFF envisions a world where North American Asian actors and filmmakers have the resources and opportunities to shape mainstream culture in a powerful and positive way.

MISSION

VAFF is dedicated to promoting and celebrating the diversity and depth of Asian culture and identity in film and media, and to help North American Asian actors and filmmakers more authentically and more powerfully define and express themselves on screen.

Through its annual film festival and many other programs and events hosted in Vancouver, VAFF’s mission is to engage in, support and amplify Asian presence in film and television.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

are grateful to live and work on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the xwməθkwəỳəm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Seĺíĺwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We thank the First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities that have cared for Turtle Island since time immemorial. With this acknowledgment, we remind ourselves of discriminatory, racist and colonial practices that have and continue to create barriers for Indigenous peoples and communities across this land.

Isolation; The Time You Left; A Hundred Joys; If You Say Too Much

FAMILIES OF ORIGIN, FAMILIES OF CHOICES:

CANADIAN SHORTS PROGRAM 31 We Don’t Need Your Kind; Late Bloomer; Copeless; My Mother’s Home; Threads Of Love; Baduk

FESTIVAL & TICKETING INFO

VAFF celebrates its 26th edition this year from November 3 to 13, 2022. VAFF will be a hybrid affair taking place over 11 days with limited encore programs. The festival kicks off with 4 days of in-person events (November 3-6), followed by 7 days of online programs (November 7-13), then one full day of Industry programs on November 12 and culiminating in VAFF's dazzling closing OVAsian Awards ceremony on November 13, celebrating the best of the festival and Asian representation.

The eleven-day celebration will highlight an array of unique and outstanding talent, with both emerging and established Asian Canadian and Asian American writers, producers, and directors showcasing their latest work.

26th Annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival will highlight the journey of filmmakers and other individuals whose work takes place behind the scenes: directors, cinematographers, writers, etc. Under the theme of “Representation”, our brand ambassadors will talk about their struggles and tell their stories of trying to break into an industry that has traditionally not placed much importance on inclusivity. This will be an opportunity to shine a light on the experiences of Asian Canadians underrepresented in the screen industry, address the obstacles and barriers they have encountered, and share their success stories to serve as inspirations for up and coming Asian Canadian creatives.

VAFF's Opening Night Special Guest Kevin Kreider of BLING EMPIRE personifies VAFF's theme of why "Representation Matters"

We are delighted to have the largest number of filmmakers, cast and crews from the festival's program at the 26th Annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival.

PRICING & TICKETING

VAFF IN THEATRE SCREENINGS

ALL IN-PERSON ACCESS E-PASS (per pass) $100 *includes all of the In Theatre Screening November 3 - 6, 2022.

FEATURE FILM SPOTLIGHT PROGRAMS (per film/program) . . . . . . $15

SHORTS PROGRAMS (per film/program) $12

STUDENT RATE & SENIOR RATE* $5 discount off VAFF MEMBERSHIP (included in the ticket price) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2

* Applicable to all screenings

SPECIAL EVENTS

OPENING NIGHT GALA, VIP ACCESS

$100

OPENING NIGHT GALA, GENERAL TICKET $50

Time: Thursday, November 3, 2022, from 9:00 pm to midnight

Venue: D6 at Parq Vancouver, 39 Smithe St, Vancouver B.C. Limited tickets for sale | Complimentary hors-d’oeuvres + special cocktail and Cash bar.

Kick off the 2022 Vancouver Asian Film Festival with our opening gala. Meet filmmakers and local film industry guests.

Dress code: Classic & Playful Cocktail Attire. Cash bar: MUST BE 19 TO ATTEND – ID MAY BE REQUESTED.

OVASIAN AWARDS CEREMONY & AFTER PARTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $50

Time: Sunday, November 13, 2022, from 7:30 pm until midnight

Venue: Science World, Vancouver, B.C.

Complimentary hors d'oeuvres and Beverage by Donation. Wrap up this year’s VAFF and unwind with filmmakers, industry and VAFF volunteers.

Dress code: Creative & Playful Attire.

MUST BE 19 TO ATTEND – ID MAY BE REQUESTED.

VAFF INDUSTRY INSIGHT SERIES

LIVE IN PERSON (per event) $12

*November 5, 6, 12, 2022

LIVE VIRTUAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FREE

*November 7 - 13, 2022

VAFF VIRTUAL SCREENINGS

ALL VIRTUAL ACCESS E-PASS (per pass) $50

*includes all of the Virtual Screening November 7 - 13, 2022.

INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS (per program) $10

FILMMAKERS TALK SPECIAL EVENTS FREE

FESTIVAL

VAFF 2022 PROGRAM SERIES

TICKET & PASS POLICIES

LOCATION

1. Cineplex Odeon International Village Cinemas, 3rd floor, 88 West Pender Street, Vancouver, B.C.

2. Science World, 1455 Quebec St, Vancouver, B.C.

Welcome to VAFF’s 26th Anniversary film festival! We are excited to welcome everyone back to a full in-person experience along with our extended virtual festival.

2022 has been another great year for Asian Canadian writers and directors with studio productions including Domee Shi's animation “Turning Red” for Disney. Films with mostly Asian casts continue to experience box office success because of their fresh content, like “Everything Everywhere All at Once” starring Michelle Yeoh, written and directed by the “Daniels” (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert).

VAFF along with the Racial Equity Screen Office (RESO) have been active with its advocacy work to increase representation in front and behind the screens. Advocacy work with Knowledge Network resulted in targeted racial equity mandates for B.C. broadcasters that will provide greater funding and access for IBPOC content creators. In addition, VAFF, RESO and Elimin8Hate published its “Diversity On Screen Audit Report of Canadian Broadcasters 2022”, highlighting how five Canadian broadcasters have failed to represent Asian Canadians on screen.

There is finally a stirring of recognition for the cultural importance and entertainment value of Canadian stories from creatives of Asian heritage. Global audiences are hungry for Asian diaspora stories and VAFF’s mandate is to incubate, elevate and showcase Canadian stories from creatives of Asian heritage.

It has taken a communal effort to build VAFF to be one of Canada’s premier Asian film festivals and the largest racialized festival in Western Canada. Board, Executives and volunteers have kept VAFF going all these years, so a big THANK YOU to this year’s Executive team led by Susan Hanson, Regina Leung, Lynne Lee and Audrey Wong. If the work that VAFF does resonates with you, please reach out to our team to see how you can get involved.

Continued representation requires unwavering year-after-year support from the community and government. As I always say - “Representation Matters, Showing up Matters”. Show your support by “Liking”, “Following”, and “Sharing” Asian Canadian content and attending events like VAFF is vital.

As we move into a post-pandemic world, the recognition for racial equity has begun, but there is still so much more to do. Enjoying the hard work of these filmmakers is a good place to start.

See you at the Festival!

Barbara Lee

Founder and President

Welcome to the 26th Annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival! We begin the next chapter of VAFF after a successful celebration of our milestone year of a quarter century in 2021. This year, we carry on the momentum of possibilities from 2021 and expand our horizon with the tagline “Representation Matters” for the Asian diaspora in the TV & Film industry.

In our 26th year, we wish to highlight not only the talent in front of the camera but all those involved behind the lens and in the background who work tirelessly to make the films possible for the audience to enjoy. Every detail, be it sound, set, costume, lighting, fact checking for authenticity, script writing, location scouting and so much more must all come together for a film to tell a story in the manner it was intended. We often forget that it takes an entire community of people in the film industry to bring a film to life and this year, we would like to acknowledge and celebrate everyone involved.

Our 26th Anniversary Festival is an 11-day hybrid model, with 4-day in-person screening followed by 7-day virtual screening ending with an in-person formal awards ceremony, much like last year. In addition to our lineup of amazing films with wide range of genres including comedy, drama, documentary, thriller, animation, winning films from MAMM, selected films from E8H, local and Canada-wide films as well as international films of Asian diasporas, we bring you the opportunity to meet filmmakers through Q&A sessions along with industry professionals from Canada and around the globe through our panel sessions, both virtually and in-person!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our amazing Executives, Committees, Board, and event volunteers for all their hard work and the generous support of our sponsors, donors, and partners for making this festival possible.

I look forward to greeting and meeting many of you during the in-person portion of the festival. Enjoy the festival. Let the show begin!

Susan Hanson Festival Director

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA JUSTIN TRUDEAU

It is with great pleasure that I welcome everyone to the 26th Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF).

Canada’s oldest Asian film festival presents us all with the opportunity to recognize, and appreciate, the creativity, the knowledge, and the talents of a community that has made invaluable contributions to our shared nation.

In a world full of division, I am proud to live in a country where our diversity is our biggest strength. The work that VAFF does to not only showcase the brilliance of Asian-Canadian and Asian-American filmmakers, but to also build a cultural bridge between Asian and non-Asian communities truly deserves praise.

Over November 3-12, as you take in some wonderful films, I hope that you all leave with smiles on your faces and inspiration in your hearts. I would also like to congratulate the organizers for putting this fantastic event together, despite the challenges brought on by the ongoing pandemic, and thank them for all their work to make theirs a resilient and inclusive community.

Please accept my warmest greetings and best wishes.

A MESSAGE FROM PREMIER JOHN HORGAN

As Premier of the province of British Columbia, I extend my warmest greetings to everyone participating in the 2022 Vancouver Asian Film Festival.

Cinema can be a powerful force for dialogue, inviting us to a deeper understanding and appreciation of one another, and for 26 years, this annual event has offered a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the diversity and depth of Asian culture and identity in film and media. B.C. is proud of our vibrant multiculturalism, and we are fortunate to have access to festivals like this that provide viewers with engaging cinematic experiences and a broad range of perspectives.

Coordinating a hybrid festival of this nature takes a great deal of time and dedication, and I would like to extend my appreciation to all the staff, volunteers, sponsors and filmmakers who have worked hard to make this a safe, enjoyable festival for all. By providing a space to honour the stories of emerging and established Asian Canadian and Asian American filmmakers, you help to make our communities more welcoming and inclusive for everyone.

I wish you all an exciting and enjoyable 2022 Vancouver Asian Film Festival!

A MESSAGE FROM THE HONOURABLE MELANIE MARK

On behalf of Premier John Horgan, Parliamentary Secretary for Arts and Film, Bob D’Eith and the Government of British Columbia, I am pleased to welcome you to the 26th Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF).

I am so pleased and proud to recognize the incredible dedication VAFF has shown us for over 25 years. Your commitment and passion bring us together to celebrate our differences and diversity through film. This same passion and commitment builds a cultural bridge between Asian and non-Asian communities in Metro Vancouver and sets a shining example of inclusion for everyone in British Columbia. We are privileged to have so much talent in B.C. that adds vibrancy to our communities. Our artists are known all over the world for their talent, passion and high quality of works. Festivals, like the Vancouver Asian Film Festival, spotlight the key role cultural diversity plays in our province’s strength and economic success. The Province is proud to support this festival through Creative B.C. and the B.C. Arts Council.

October 2019

I am thrilled 2022 continues the return of in-person screenings for VAFF. This festival is a wonderful way for people to get back to having fun together. I encourage all British Columbians to take part in the VAFF and attend one of the feature films in person or online. This is our opportunity to support the hard work of filmmakers in B.C. and across North America and to shine a light on the powerful storytelling VAFF promises to share. I commend everyone involved in this year’s festival, thank you for sharing your gifts with us.

A MESSAGE FROM THE HONOURABLE YONAH MARTIN

T’ooyaksim’ N’iisim’

Warmest greetings to all those in attendance at the annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF).

A MESSAGE FROM HONOURABLE YONAH MARTIN

Since its debut in 1997, VAFF has successfully provided a platform for international and national filmmakers to showcase their creative works and talent. Today, the Festival attracts thousands of independent filmmakers and movie enthusiasts in support of cultural diversity, representation and authentic storytelling in Canadian cinema.

Films have a special way of uniting us, inspiring us, and igniting our imagination and I am delighted to extend my warmest greetings to all those in attendance at this year’s Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF).

I commend Lynne Lee and the VAFF Board of Directors for their leadership and dedication. I would also like to acknowledge all the directors, writers, actors and crew for your commitment to artistic excellence; and all the volunteers, sponsors and donors for your invaluable contributions.

Today we celebrate 26 years of incredible film and talented artists. VAFF continues to provide an avenue of support for many young aspiring actors and filmmakers. They appreciate the importance of community, culture and heritage and understand that through the telling of stories we can bridge divisions between us and in doing so, contribute to the wonderful mosaic we call home.

On behalf of the Senate of Canada, best wishes on another memorable and inspiring Festival.

I would like to commend Festival Director Susan Hanson and all of the members of VAFF for their leadership, tireless work and dedication. I would also like to acknowledge all of the supporters, volunteers and organizers without whom this festival would not be possible. To all of the wonderful filmmakers, directors, writers, actors and crew, thank you for sharing your artistic talent and vision with us.

Best wishes for a truly memorable festival and continued success!

Sincerely,

Sincerely, The Hon. Yonah Martin Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate

The Honourable Yonah Martin L’honorable Yonah Martin

A MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR ELECT KEN SIM

Congratulations to the Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF) in celebrating its 26th annual festival this year.

VAFF is an organization that endeavours to provide a cultural bridge between Asian and non-Asian communities, and within Asian communities themselves. The festival has continued to grow and provide an engaging platform for Asian-Canadian and Asian-American filmmakers and creators to showcase their talents.

For Vancouver, a city with deep roots in the film and TV industry, VAFF is an important event that brings together international and local industry professionals, strengthening it as a destination for film and TV production in North America.

Thank you and congratulations to the filmmakers, artists, organizers, and volunteers for another successful year of VAFF!

Sincerely,

A MESSAGE FROM TELEFILM CANADA INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CEO

We could not be more excited to come back to the festival circuit to celebrate the artistry of film and showcase Canadian creatives around the world and at home. That is why we are proud to support the 2022 Vancouver Asian Film Festival!

Over the last year, Canadian talent have worked hard to tell their stories in innovative and creative ways that show the world that Canada is a thriving audiovisual hub. We are so proud of all our creators and excited to welcome them back to cinemas at festivals like this, where their work can be shown in front of audiences of film-lovers. We are grateful to the Government of Canada for the Reopening Funds which provided additional funding to film festivals across the country.

At Telefilm, our mission is to elevate storytelling. It is to support Canadians of all backgrounds, especially underrepresented communities that deserve to be able to tell their own stories. Right now, our priority is to reflect the diversity of our country on screen and bring representation to the forefront of our initiatives and programs.

We want to thank and congratulate the 2022 Vancouver Asian Film Festival for its continued support of diverse voices in film and for fostering the return to cinemas so we can all celebrate these talents from around the world in theatres once again.

And remember, keep supporting Canadian talent in theatres and online whenever you can!

A MESSAGE FROM CREATIVE BC CEO PREM GILL

Congratulations to VAFF for 26 years from Creative BC!

Creative BC elevates a diverse and dynamic creative sector through leadership, collaboration, and investment in British Columbia. We are proud to support Vancouver Asian Film Festival, Canada’s longest running Asian film festival and a champion of Asian communities and creatives.

Importantly, we recognize VAFF’s ongoing commitment to anti-racism work within the sector. Ensuring representation and inclusion within the creative industries is core to our values, and it is also important for the sector’s success and sustainability.

Our sincerest congratulations to the team and volunteers at VAFF for highlighting, advocating and creating access for Asian creatives. We are excited to participate in the festival again this year, and to celebrate the diversity and depth of Asian culture and identity in film and media.

Sincerely,

A MESSAGE FROM BURNABY-DEER LAKE MLA ANNE KANG

Please accept my highest regards for promoting diversity and multiculturalism in your works, providing a point of connection for cultural exchanges between communities. I am proud to support independent Asian filmmakers as seeing these communities share our unique stories is remarkable. I am excited to see the work that the Vancouver Asian Film Festival will continue in the future.

Thank you for your contributions towards a more beautiful and diverse British Columbia.

Congratulations!

Francesca Accinelli Interim Executive Director and CEO, Telefim Canada

Mayor-elect Ken Sim

Prem Gill CEO, Creative BC

STAY THE NIGHT

RENUKA JEYAPALAN A failed work opportunity prompts chronically single Grace to pursue a one-night stand with a stranger. Turns out he's an on-the-outs professional athlete in town with a problem of his own. Maybe they can help each other.

RENUKA JEYAPALAN is a Toronto-based writer/ director. Her short films have screened at TIFF, Tribeca, and the Berlinale. She has directed episodes of KIM’S CONVENIENCE, WORKING MOMS, SORT OF, CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING, SON OF A CRITCH and the Netflix original series GINNY & GEORGIA. STAY THE NIGHT premiered at SXSW and is her first feature film.

ELIMIN8HATE PROGRAM

IN–THEATRE SCREENING IV - CINEPLEX ODEON THEATRE 10

LIVE FRI NOV 4, 4:30PM

RYN - MY NAME IS HIEU

8:00 min • 2022 • Canada • English

• Documentary

Within a few months of arriving in Canada, Hieu Fraser had her name taken away from her twice. Based on a refugee experience in Canada, MY NAME IS HIEU shows the importance of names and the microaggressions apparent in western society.

GUARDIANS

6:00 min • 2021 • Canada • Tagalog, English • Participatory Documentary

With concerned phone calls from friends and family, GUARDIANS walks the viewer through the psychological reality of a girl's nightly trip home. Discussions surrounding seemingly mundane choices are framed with a hyper-vigilant lens, bringing into question what the true price of safety is.

year. Her love for digital media is most prevalent in film.

“KAMAYAN” (2020), which has been

at the 2022 TIFF Next Wave, she aims to explore hyperpersonal stories of cultural dysphoria and girlhood with intimate specificity.

BLURRING THE COLOR LINE

CRYSTAL KWOK

What did it mean to be Chinese in a Black space during segregation? Following director Crystal Kwok’s personal journey of discovery, she digs into how her grandmother’s family navigated life as grocery store owners in the Black neighborhood of Augusta, Georgia.

CANADIAN PREMIERE

77 minutes • USA • 2022 • English • Documentary

CRYSTAL KWOK is an award-winning filmmaker with experience both in front of and behind the camera. As a strong women’s advocate, her talk show, “KWOKTALK” broke boundaries in the Hong Kong media with conversations about women and sexuality.

DIRECTOR | WRITER

Crystal Kwok

PRODUCERS Daniel Wu W. Kamau Bell Lisa Ling

ANGELA is an avid consumer of media and an occasional creator of media. She is a graduate of UBC’s Media Studies program, and unnecessarily flaunts her pride of being part of the first graduating

MINERVA NAVASCA is an emerging Filipina director and producer, entering her final year of the BFTV program at Sheridan College. Best known for

showcased

Minerva Navasca PRODUCER Brianne Harvie

Angela Leung PRODUCERS Vancouver Asian Film Festival, Elimin8Hate

O CANADA!: CANADIAN SHORTS PROGRAM

IN–THEATRE SCREENING IV - CINEPLEX ODEON THEATRE 10

REMNANTS

19:31 min • 2022 • Canada • English

• Heist Comedy

LIVE

FRI

Bryce Bakshi finds himself in financial trouble after losing at the racetrack. His friend Danny hatches a plan to steal a tote from Chloe, a jewelry store owner in his neighbourhood. However, unknown to them the tote contains the remains of a mystery woman who turns their plans upside down.

MOTHERLAND

13:10 min • 2021 • Canada

• English, Cantonese • Drama

“MOTHERLAND” is an experimental film that follows a grieving boy who moves across the liminal spaces in his memory to remember someone he’s lost. Through this act, he must confront the tension and trauma within his body to find solace.

NOV 4, 7PM

JANE

17:10 min • 2021 • South Korea

• English, Korean • Drama, Romance, Comedy

JANE is told as a first-person confessional by a young woman who is suffering from “temporary nervous depression – and slight hysterical tendencies”. Her mind starts to trick her as a woman behind the wallpaper comes to life, and they create a bond and a plan to eliminate her husband together and escape the manor.

WATERSHED

14:26 min • 2020 • Canada

• English, Mandarin • Sci-Fi

SYDNEY SCOTIA recently wrapped a series lead role in the Crave series, Pillow Talk. She is best known for her role as Geneva in the YTV/ Netflix comedy, SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED, for which she won two Joey Awards, and a Leo nomination for Best Comedic Actress during its three season run.

PREMIERE

While scavenging around an empty city after a water-borne virus has killed off most of the Earth’s population, a lone survivor finds a sliver of hope when she encounters a young Mandarin girl who may be able to chemically manufacture clean water.

MAXIME BEAUCHAMP is an awardwinning French-Canadian LGBTQ writer/director and co-owner of Aimer Films. In the following year he is slated to direct a TV Series with OutTV and has received widespread acclaim for his work. With his film experience in the narrative world, he specializes in movement and dance pieces.

THE FARAWAY PLACE

11:31 min • 2022 • Canada • English, French • Drama

In the early hours of the morning, Mana stalks a deer through the trees while her father packs up camp and prepares for their endless migration. Their morning is interrupted by a cult hunting party, and Mana and her father must flee their pursuers. Amidst the chaos, her father is wounded and captured, but his sacrifice allows Mana to escape the cult’s grasps, if only for a while longer.

ONE SMALL VISIT

30:00 min • 2022 • Canada • English

• Comedy Drama, Family Film

During a road trip, the Abrahams find themselves in Neil Armstrong’s Midwest hometown. They discover the famous astronaut’s parents still live there. Taking a giant leap of faith, they land not only on the doorstep of the Armstrong home, but on the threshold of an experience they will never forget.

KENNY WELSH is an indigenous filmmaker based in Vancouver.

Growing up in Northern Canada, he draws inspiration from the isolating winters to tell stories of human connection and communication. Since graduating with a Bachelor’s in Film from Emily Carr University, he has been reconnecting with his indigenous heritage through filmmaking.

A Chinese-Canadian career chameleon, JO has worked in arts, media, and corporate branding. She also acted in theatre, TV, and some Hollywood blockbusters, becoming a Mean Girl meme. A global nomad, she was raised in West Africa, Canada, and the U.S., and currently lives in Hong Kong.

CANADIAN PREMIERE

WORLD PREMIERE

WORLD PREMIERE VANCOUVER

CHARLEEN PHELPS is a screenwriter, playwright, actor, director, and producer. Her years spent as a registered nurse in the areas of mental health, forensic nursing, and geriatric care has greatly influenced much of her work. Her experience in radio and theatre then moved her to a huge interest in film. To date SIDARTHA has made 5 short films of which 3 will only be seen by the world. Visual media is one of the most powerful forms of media today and he hopes to continue creating stories that positively impact the audience’s psyche.

ALGER JI-LIANG 梁家傑 (he/him) is an emerging interdisciplinary artist and filmmaker based on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and TsleilWaututh nations (Vancouver). His works explore lived and shared experiences of navigating identity, grief, and space. Alger thinks a lot about forms of kin, love, and (re)orientations.

DIRECTOR | WRITER Kenny Welsh PRODUCER PoChun Chen

DIRECTOR | WRITER Jo Chim PRODUCERS Jo Chim, Morgan Davidoff

DIRECTORS Alger Ji-Liang, Joshua Lam Alger WRITER Ji-Liang PRODUCER Joshua Lam

DIRECTOR Maxime Beauchamp WRITER Andrew McEvoy PRODUCER Kent Donguines

DIRECTOR Sydney Scotia WRITER Jovanna Burke PRODUCERS Phil Planta, Alex Vance, Wai Sun Cheng, Erin Boyes, Sydney Scotia, Jovanna Burke, Braydon Langford, Kimi Alexander, Emily Tennant

B.C.

PREMIERE

DIRECTORS | PRODUCERS Charleen Phelps, Sidartha Murjani WRITER Charleen Phelps

DIRECTOR Q&A

TRAPPED BALLOON

HIROYUKI MIYAGAWA

A woman who has not seen her father for several years and does not have a good relationship with him. An unsociable man who lives near her father’s house. Slowly the relationship between the woman, her father, and the man changes.

Commercial director. In 2018, medium-length film “TERROLUN AND LUNLUN” In 2022, first feature film “TRAPPED BALLOON” IN–THEATRE SCREENING LIVE FRI NOV 4, 9:45PM DIRECTOR Q&A

INTERNATIONAL & CANADIAN ANIMATED SHORTS DIRECTOR Q&A

SUMMER BLOOD

2:27 min • 2022 • USA • English, Cantonese • Comedy and Animation

IV - CINEPLEX ODEON THEATRE 10 IN–THEATRE SCREENING IV - CINEPLEX ODEON THEATRE 10 LIVE SAT NOV 5, 1:30PM WORLD PREMIERE DIRECTOR | WRITER Sarah Djuandy PRODUCER Ringling College of Art and Design

Drac, an eager vampire, finally awakens from his slumber waiting for summertime. Knowing sunlight disintegrates him into ashes, Drac tries every possible way to create shade. Unfortunately, all his plans fail, and he calls upon Invisible boy for an invisible spray so he can finally sunbathe under the sun.

COW

6:35 min • 2022 • USA • English, Cantonese • Animation, Fantasy, Romance

A farmer boy is love-struck by a mysterious girl riding a cow. Consumed by his infatuation of her, he blindly chases after her. After a series of challenges, he finally catches up to her, and his fantasy comes true.

SARAH DJUANDY was born in Australia and raised in Indonesia.

They have always loved drawing and watching Looney Tunes and Tom & Jerry shorts as a child.

Cartoons and animations have always been a great entertainment to their life. With that, they decided to pursue a career in animation.

WENDY KONG (江慧怡) was born on 1st June 1998 in Hong Kong.

She is a director, story writer, and storyboard artist currently based in Vancouver. ‘Cow’ is inspired by her memories of youth and friendship growing up in Hong Kong.

|

DIRECTOR

WRITER | PRODUCER Wendy Kong

INTERNATIONAL & CANADIAN ANIMATED SHORTS

OPERA

3:02 min • 2022 • USA • English, Mandarin • Slice of Life

A Peking Opera troupe performs in North America for the first time. This being their first time in front of an international audience, the troupe is excited but one actor, Xutian, has doubts about the reception of the new demographic.

JUMBO

4:00 min • 2022 • Hongkong • English • Animation

It was an ordinary day in a magical world; Lily was enjoying a perfect afternoon and her cat Mr.TurkeyButt was waiting to have lunch with her. However, there was only one frozen soupdumpling left, so Lily decided to make a growth potion to make it bigger.

EMBRACE

4:30 min • 2022 • Canada • English • Drama, Animation

Arty, a faceless and well-dressed man gets ready for his date until he meets his younger self who makes things complicated.

LILY HOI MAN LAI is a 3D generalist in animation who was born and raised in Hong Kong. She pursued

of

JACQUILE SINGH KAMBO is an award-winning director and writer for “Help Wanted” (2016) focusing on South Asian gang violence.

Fascinated with film noir and drama, he has written and directed his first animated film, “EMBRACE ” (2022), focusing on men and mental health.

FEELING THE APOCALYPSE

7:02 min • 2021 • Canada • English • Documentary, Environmental, Animation

A psychotherapist struggling with climate anxiety explores what it means to live in a dying world.

CHEN SING YAP grew up in Singapore, where he worked as an editor in factual television for 4 years, including long-form documentaries on topics such as dementia, poverty, and conservation. After moving to Canada, he began directing his own films, focused on social and environmental collapse. He also likes turtles.

PIVOT

7:08 min • 2021 • Canada • English • Animation, Drama, Family

Ashley has always felt pressured to wear the feminine clothes her Mom buys her, but today, with the self-confidence she’s gained from playing basketball, she finds the strength to claim her identity.

REYNA

5:30 min • 2022 • Canada • English, Tagalog • Drama, Animation

Reyna is a 2D animated short film about Vina, this year’s lead Queen in the Santacruzan festival, struggling to get ready after community members make negative comments about her appearance. Joy, Vina’s sister, encourages Vina to embrace herself as she is by discussing the historical origins of these harmful comments.

TONGUE 舌

2:02 min • 2022 • Canada, Japan • English • Animation

Tired of being talked at by men, a woman takes a sensual trip with unusual friends.

Born and raised in Brazil, ANA GUSSON is a Director and 2D Animator. Ana attended the Classical Animation Program at Vancouver Film School in Vancouver, Canada, and is currently working as a Director at Kickstart Entertainment.

JENIELLE is a Filipino-American storyboard artist and cartoonist from California who graduated from SJSU in Spring 2022, most recently wrapping up a Creative Internship with Disney Television Animation. They love telling authentic, silly, and warm stories where everyone has the opportunity to feel seen in a way that brings joy.

KAHO is originally from Tokyo and moved to a Canadian suburb by herself at 15. Struggling to fit in, she found great joy in expressing herself through visual art. Kaho is an Emily Carr University graduate, winning multiple awards with her grad film and now works as a director/animator.

CANADIAN PREMIERE

B.C. PREMIERE

B.C. PREMIERE

JANELLE FENG is a student filmmaker from Vancouver, Canada. Janelle is studying Character Animation at California Institute of the Arts and expects to graduate by 2025. They have a passion for storytelling via 2D animation and aspire to become a professional animator and show creator.

her Bachelor

Fine Arts degree in “Animation” at Savannah College of Art and Design (2018-2022). Before that, she studied at Hong Kong Design Institute for two years for Creative Media.

DIRECTOR | WRITER | PRODUCER Janelle Feng

DIRECTOR | WRITER Lily Hoi Man Lai PRODUCER Stephanie Divinagracia

DIRECTOR Jacquile Kambo WRITERS Jacquile Kambo, Sidartha Murjani PRODUCERS Raman K Fenty, Jayesh Kodwani

DIRECTOR Chen Sing Yap PRODUCER Nikolai Osborn

DIRECTORS | WRITER Jenielle Salarda PRODUCER Lillian Lee

DIRECTOR Ana Gusson WRITER Robyn Campbell PRODUCER Tini Wider DIRECTOR

INTERNATIONAL & CANADIAN ANIMATED SHORTS (CONT'D)

IN–THEATRE SCREENING IV - CINEPLEX ODEON THEATRE 10

LIVE SAT NOV 5, 1:30PM

PERFECT RESTAURANT

善美餐廳

3:59 min • 2021 • Canada • English, Cantonese • Comedy, Drama, Animation

A family tries to get through their dinner at a restaurant as a fly begins to wreak havoc on their meal.

WHAT YOU CAN’T TAKE WITH YOU

1:30 min • 2021 • Canada • English • Animation

Adapted from a poem in “THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MOTHS,” Shirley Camia’s second poetry collection, "WHAT YOU CAN’T TAKE WITH YOU" was created in response to the anti-Asian hate that has arisen worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MACARONI SOUP 通心粉湯

6:06 min • 2021 • Canada • English, Cantonese • Romcom Drama

A young woman falls in love with a waitress in a greasy, yet nostalgic, Hong Kong-style cafe. But, a language gap divides the two – or is there something more?

AIKEN CHAU

and

As a Sheridan College

program (2021)

LOW FUEL LIGHT

2:12 min • 2022 • Canada • English

• Animation

After struggling with compulsive skin-picking for many years, a person learns to listen and interpret their Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviour (BFRB). They come to find that their body has been trying to tell them something important this whole time.

THE COMMUTE (HOTHOUSE) 1:30 min • 2022 • Canada • Animation

The distinctive three-note chime of the Toronto subway kicks off a zippy tale of bike theft and survival in an unfamiliar new town.

BAEK-IL

(HOTHOUSE)

1:45 min • 2022 • Canada • Animation

The Korean legend of Ungnyeo, a bear reborn as a woman, becomes a percussive and mesmerizing riff on the themes of transformation and quarantine.

SHIRLEY CAMIA is a Filipina-Canadian poet and filmmaker. Her debut poetry film, ‘Novena,’ has been screened at film festivals in Argentina, Canada, Germany, Guam, Greece and the US. "WHAT YOU CAN’T

ALAYNA is an artist/animator who specializes in making soup. That is, she throws all her experiences into a simmering pot. Whether it be a common flavor, or something only she could enjoy, Alayna always makes what she wants. Much of Alayna’s work takes place on traditional Katzie First Nation land.

JASON YU is a mental health educator in Vancouver, Canada. After years of shame with his compulsive skin-picking, he left his job as a civil engineer to explore his mental health. He now hosts the Fidget podcast, and delivers BFRB and anti-racism workshops.

TARUN PADMAKUMAR is an animator based in Toronto. Hailing from the state of Kerala in South India, Tarun studied film and video at India’s National Institute of Design. He continued his studies at Toronto’s Sheridan College, where he specialized in digital character animation.

GRACE AN is a character-maker working in film and animation, based in what is known as Toronto. Her shorts have been screened at various Canadian festivals. She holds a BFA in Film Animation from Concordia University and is currently an MFA candidate at OCAD University.

WINGS TO THE SUN

12:05 min • 2021 • Canada • English

• Drama

An animation over 45 years in the making, WINGS TO THE SUN is an artistic depiction of a ceremony held by the people of an ancient community living on a vast plateau. During the ceremony the community offers its most precious possession to their revered Sun God.

KEN MIMURA was born in Kobe, Japan in 1941. He’s Toyo Design School graduate and attended the National Academy for Fine Art. He worked as a producer/designer at Hana Barbara and R&D at Disney. In 1993, he moved to Vancouver, B.C. where he completed “WINGS” to the age of 80.

CANADIAN PREMIERE

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

B.C. PREMIERE

is a Chinese-Canadian artist and animator who enjoys storytelling

creating characters.

animation

graduate, he experiments with various animation mediums. He’s collaborated on a number of films, music videos and zines in his community and been showcased in TIFF Next Wave and OIAF.

TAKE WITH YOU" is her second poetry film.

DIRECTOR | WRITER Aiken Chau PRODUCER Christopher Chiu DIRECTOR | WRITER | PRODUCER Alayna Y

Shirley Camia

WESTCOAST TALES: SHORT DOCUMENTARY

IN–THEATRE SCREENING IV - CINEPLEX ODEON THEATRE 10

LIVE SAT NOV 5, 3:30PM

IN LOVE WITH A PROBLEM

22:00 min • 2021 • Canada • English • Documentary, Environmental, Youth culture, Science Miranda Wang and Jeanny Yao were still in high school when they discovered plastic-eating bacteria in Vancouver’s Fraser River. Passionate about the problem of plastic waste, the two millennial innovators are now on an inspiring journey to solve it. Their story has illuminated one of our Earth’s biggest eco-disasters.

BLUE GARDEN

5:25 min • 2022 • Canada, Japan

• English • Animation, Documentary

BLUE GARDEN is a hybrid-doc-animation that retells the history of a Japanese-Canadian fisherman during the WW2 internment. The film explores how trauma can fester and family stories can remain unspoken for generations. However, the younger generation is able to reconcile their grief and feel empowered to tell their family history.

LIKE MINDED

3:07 min • 2022 • Canada • English • Documentary

“LIKE MINDED” is a short film about myself and my friend Aska as we empathize with each other over similar childhood traumas. As a result, both of us found biking as a way to cope with our emotional and mental health. The chaotic blurry aesthetic evokes my struggle while still finding balance through biking.

REVOLUTIONS

14:50 min • 2022 • Canada • English • Short documentary

“REVOLUTIONS” uses the bike as a storytelling device to ask some important questions about sustainability such as: What happens to our “toys” when we’re done with them? What happens to a bike at its end-of-life stage? What would it take to design everything with the end in mind?

NATALIE

embodies the diaspora itself. Her films have played at Sundance, TIFF Next Wave, and Palm Springs ShortFest.

JEREMIAH REYES is a FilipinoCanadian filmmaker and photographer based

dailies

E8 – ASIAN PERSUASION ALL

STARS

8:00 min • 2022 • Canada • English • Documentary

Friendships are formed as a new band comes together in response to the rise of anti-Asian racism during the pandemic.

JON

CINDY AU YEUNG is a ChineseCanadian filmmaker and editor based in Vancouver, BC. She has worked on a diverse range of content from scripted to documentaries, and most recently, in animation - but documentaries remain to be her first love!ir Canada and SBS Australia.

THE REALITY OF A DREAM

23:00 min • 2021 • Canada • English • Documentary

The Nutcracker is the ballet world’s brass ring, that young dancers everywhere seek on their way to the top. In “THE REALITY OF A DREAM,” five teens prepare for the year’s biggest performance, guided by prima ballerina Chan Hon Goh. This thrilling documentary shows what it takes to be extraordinary.

RYAN MAH is a filmmaker based in Vancouver, Canada. A founding member of award-winning production company Black Rhino Creative, he has 10 years of extensive background experience in documentary productions that have screened on CB.C., AMI TV, Telus Optik, Air Canada and SBS Australia.

JULIE KIM is a Korean-Canadianborn director that integrates authentic storytelling with a strong aesthetic. Directing commercials has honed Julie’s technical and professional abilities while her work in documentaries has refined her aesthetic and narrative craft. Her work often focuses on honest, insightful portrayals of females and minorities.

DIRECTOR Julie Kim WRITER Julie Kim, Kim Frank PRODUCER Giuliana Bertuzzi, Amber-Leigh Polowich, Julie Kim

DIRECTOR | WRITER Natalie Murao PRODUCER Thea Loo, Natalie Murao

DIRECTOR Jeremiah Reyes PRODUCER Thea Loo

is a yonsei (fourthgeneration Japanese Canadian) filmmaker from Vancouver. She aims to expand the notion of Asian diasporic cinema by creating an in-betweenness of styles that

in North Vancouver. By day he works at Elemental Post, a boutique postproduction facility where he does

and online editing. At night he enjoys taking photos on 35mm, biking, and composing film scores for his short films.

VANCOUVER PREMIERE

WESTERN CANADA PREMIERE

CHIANG is a Chinese-Peruvian commercial director based in Vancouver. His work reflects the pursuit of uncovering stories from underrepresented people and placing our human experience at the forefront.

DIRECTOR Jon Chiang PRODUCERS Courtney Szto, Jon Chiang

DIRECTOR Cindy Au Yeung PRODUCERS Elimin8Hate & VAFF

DIRECTOR | WRITER Ryan Mah PRODUCER Joanna Wong

DIRECTOR Q&A

BUT I LOOK LIKE A LAWYER

33:00 min • 2021 • Canada • English • Documentary Asians were barred from practising law in B.C. up until 1947. This documentary recounts the Pan-Asian legal community’s lived experiences of discrimination, stereotyping, and bias. FACL B.C. aims to increase awareness and intercultural competency through

“BUT I WAS

VANCOUVER PREMIERE

45 minutes • 2022 • Canada, Japan • English • Animation, Documentary

INCORRIGIBLE – A FILM ABOUT VELMA DEMERSON

KARIN LEE

Want to hear an unbelievable Canadian story? In 1939 Velma Demerson was jailed for falling in love with a Chinese man. Pregnant and without legal counsel, she was sentenced to one year in prison. 60 years later she sued the Ontario government for wrongful incarceration. Here is her story!

this project, inspired by the documentary,

WEARING A SUIT”. DIRECTORS | WRITERS Audrey Jun, Louisa Winn PRODUCERS Dyson Media, Tim Chui, Jeremy Dyson, Brendan Keown, Audrey Jun, Louisa Winn, Hasan Alam, Karen Chow, Afifa Hashimi, Khalil Jessa, Rasmeet Mohar, Steven Ngo, Tina Parbhakar, Sara Pedlow, Angelina Sung, Fiona Wong

DIRECTOR | WRITER Karin Lee PRODUCERS Cheuk Kwan Karin Lee

KARIN LEE is an award-winning filmmaker who has been writing, directing and producing both fiction and non-fiction films. She was awarded a Gemini (Canadian Emmy award) from the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television for her ground-breaking documentary “MADE IN CHINA”.

DIRECTOR Q&A

CANADIAN PREMIERE

MY PERFECT ROOMMATE

LEE SOON-SUNG

Gum Bun, an old lady who’s lived alone all her life, and Ji Woong, a young college student who’s ready to do anything to earn money, now have to live together for “Saving Rent Project with Elderly Living Alone.”

LEE SOON-SUNG has worked as a film sound mixer since 2006, including KINGMAKER, THE DIVINE FURY, I CAN SPEAK, THE DIVINE MOVE, and PUNCH. He was invited to the 24th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival and 19th Florence Korean Film Festival for his first short film AN MISFORTUNE (2020). MY PERFECT ROOMMATE is his feature debut film.

DIRECTOR Lee Soon-sung PRODUCER Park Ja-myung CAST Na Moon-hee Choi Moo-sung

DAYDREAMERS: INTERNATIONAL SHORTS SPOTLIGHT

IN–THEATRE SCREENING IV - CINEPLEX ODEON THEATRE 10 LIVE SAT NOV 5, 9:45PM

BLACK RAINBOW

20:00 min • 2021 • Philippines

• English, Mag-antsi, Filipino • Social drama

Itan, a 12-year-old Aeta, is told to quit school and help his father in planting mountain crops so they can save up for the delivery of his pregnant mother. The young boy finds a flicker of hope when he learns about a scholarship opportunity.

DESERT DREAM

20:20 min • 2021 • USA • English, Korean

• Drama, Western

A Korean exchange student Hyunsoo has an “odd” aspiration of being a John Wayne-esque cowboy. This gets him in trouble--a deportation. The film follows his journey of dealing with this ultimatum on his last day in the land of his dream.

Recently,

CAN’T GO OUT TONIGHT

24:50 min • 2021 • South Korea

• English, Korean • Drama, Romance, Comedy

Ina hasn’t taken a single step out of her place for a long time. She buys everything online and travels anywhere by using VR devices. She has spent her time with her real doll, Demain. One day she has an encounter with a delivery person who looks exactly like Demain…

Born in Changsha, Hunan, a city deep inside mainland China, DANTE’S life was unexpectedly influenced by world cultures. After getting his master’s in directing from the American Film Institute, Dante now works as a narrative/commercial director in L.A., serving brands such as BMW, Li Ning, and others.

CHANGGEUN studied Theology in Yeonsei University while pursuing his aspiration in screen writing. After receiving his BA degree, he decided to start his film career; he directed his first short film "THE BIRD FIGHTS ITS WAY OUT OF THE EGG" which competed in Busan International Film Festival in 2016. Currently, Changkeun studies Film Directing in Korea National University of Arts, Graduate School.

BLUE CITY SEOUL

29:00 min • 2020 • South Korea

• English, Korean • Drama, Music

Jin-cheol, a cab driver in Seoul, cannot take any passengers because his last customer left his guitar in the backseat. Annoyed and angry, Jin-cheol heads over to a guitar store.

Born in 1997 in Geoje Island, South Korea. In the May of 2019, JEONG SEONG JUN made a short film titled A LONELY ISLAND in his hometown, which dealt with the pains and struggles of the people of Geoje as the shipbuilding industry faces a crisis due to mergers and acquisitions.

ZIG DULAY is a Filipino filmmaker known for creating provocative regional films that explore sociopolitical and cultural issues.

he was invited to be one of the international jury members of the 2022 Vesoul International Film Festival for Asian Cinema in France.

DIRECTOR | WRITER Zig Dulay PRODUCERS Arsenio “Nick” J. Lizaso, Al Ryan S. Alejandre, Marichu G. Tellano

DIRECTOR Dante Jiayu Liu WRITERS Junho Park, Daniel Cubitt PRODUCERS Junho Park, Yuky Shen

WORLD PREMIERE

DIRECTOR | WRITER Cho Changgeun PRODUCER Kang Jiwon

CANADIAN PREMIERE

CANADIAN PREMIERE

CANADIAN PREMIERE

DIRECTOR | WRITER | PRODUCER Jeong Seong Jun

GOLDEN DELICIOUS JASON KARMAN

When basketball-obsessed Aleks moves in across the street, Asian-Canadian teen Jake finds himself trying out for the basketball team to get his attention in this classic coming-of-age drama set in the digital age.

IN–THEATRE SCREENING

IV - CINEPLEX ODEON THEATRE 10

LIVE SUN NOV 6, 1PM DIRECTOR Q&A

120 minutes • 2022 • Canada • English • Drama

JASON KARMAN is a graduate of UB.C. with a Master of Fine Arts in Film Production and Creative Writing. His award-winning shorts include the State of Yo, I’m in the Mood for Love, Kimchi Fried Dumplings, and Lions in Waiting.

DIRECTOR Jason Karman PRODUCER Kristyn Stilling CAST Cardi Wong Chris Carson Parmiss Sehat Ryan Mah Leeah Wong Claudia Kai

MIGHTY ASIAN MOVIEMAKING MARATHON SHORTS PROGRAM

FOOD FOR AH LAN 1:13 min • 2022 • Canada • English • Drama

Connie Wong struggles under the pressure of finding a trendy name for the rebrand of “Food From Ah Lan”, which carries 30 years of Ah Lan’s legacy in Canada. Meanwhile, Ah Lan just wants Connie to take a break. L Ê 1:16 min • 2022 • Canada • English, Vietnamese • Experimental, Drama, Thriller

In this dark, feminine short film, LÊ is a young Vietnamese woman forced into an arranged marriage and an unwanted pregnancy by her controlling in-law family. Through sensual hallucinations of durian and a reclamation of her bodily agency, LÊ contemplates her vengeance.

PETER and KAITLYN LEE are a ChineseCanadian brother-sister filmmaking duo from Vancouver. Their first film together “Not My Age” took home the Best First Time Director Award at MAMM16. They are passionate about sharing untold Asian experiences and stories through their films.

SOLARA (she/her) is a VietnameseChinese writer, director & artist residing in Vancouver, Canada as a guest on unceded Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh territory. Her creative process is informed by trauma, feminine identity, nostalgia, violence, and the human experience. Her personal manager & cat companion, Mei Mei, helps her meet deadlines.

DIRECTOR | WRITER Solara Thanh-Binh Dang PRODUCER Nic Altobelli

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

DIRECTORS | WRITERS Peter CS Lee, Kaitlyn Lee PRODUCER Chiraag Matthew

DIRECTOR Q&A

MIGHTY ASIAN MOVIEMAKING MARATHON SHORTS PROGRAM

IV - CINEPLEX ODEON THEATRE 10 LIVE SUN NOV 6, 3:45PM

LITTLE MANILA

13 min • 2022 • Canada • English, Tagalog • Drama

A Vancouver-based travel agent tries to recreate her ill Filipino housemaid’s childhood home before she dies.

OLLIE BEAR

1:30 min • 2022 • Canada • English • Family

Four-year-old Oliver spends every afternoon with his Lola. Get a glimpse into his world and adventures, as we discover his Ollie Bear origins. Best enjoyed with a pack of rice crackers.

MIKA BANTOG is a Filipino/Japanese actor and creative from Vancouver, British Columbia. Ollie Bear is her first film, which she wrote and directed for MAMM17. Inspired by her younger cousin Oliver, Mika hopes the film is a reminder to rediscover and embrace your inner Ollie Bear.

FOR ROY

12 min • 2022 • Canada • English • Drama, Family Legend says, folding a thousand paper cranes will give a person one wish. For young Celeste, it was for her dying father to be there on her birthday. Using the power of imagination and the art of origami, she grapples with the reality of losing her father in the hospice.

VIVIAN CHEUNG is an emerging Chinese-Canadian female filmmaker born and raised in Vancouver, B.C.. She made her directorial debut with her 10-minute short, "FOR ROY" , which earned her Best First Time Director and People’s Choice Best Short at the 17th Mighty Asian Moviemaking Marathon competition.

DANIEL “JUN HO” LEE

1:14

In a short montage-like film, Jun Ho, a young Korean boy immigrates to Canada with his family. To better fit into the new country, he changes his name to “Daniel.” The film shows his acceptance with his new name over the years and how he’s come to still keep his Korean name a part of his identity.

KEVIN (JIN KWAN) KIM is a Korean-Canadian editor/director from Vancouver, B.C. whose work has been recognized worldwide, playing at festivals from Germany to Ireland. His work is often rhythmic and emotional, finding the most powerful connections between shots. He values collaboration and aims to tell stories based around minority communities.

THE MESS WE’RE IN

10:30 min • 2022 • Canada • English, Cantonese • Drama

On the cusp of finding her future, Dara lives at home with her hoarder mother May. When Dara’s friend Liz visits from out of town, she’s inspired to try moving to another city. Moving on isn’t easy though, as we witness the gravity that keeps Dara in one place.

From Richmond, B.C., JAMIE is an emerging director, writer, and filmmaker of Hong Kong descent. Her work aims to explore the nuances in how human connection is pursued, built, or undone. She hopes to tell stories that represent honest depictions of life, all while building empathy through better BIPOC representation.

min • 2022 • Canada • English, Korean • Drama

ARTHUR RODGER ‘HARLEY’ MARANAN is a Vancouver-based film writer, director, and composer from Manila, Philippines. His storytelling focuses on defining— and redefining—the roles of Asians in the modern world, told through his unique Filipino blend of humor and drama.

DIRECTOR | WRITER Arthur Rodger ‘Harley’ Maranan PRODUCERS Wai Sun Cheng, Aileen Wu

DIRECTOR | WRITER Jamie Lam PRODUCERS Jamie Lam, Nadine Widjaja

DIRECTOR | WRITER Vivian Cheung PRODUCERS Ian Tan, Donna Cheung

DIRECTOR | WRITER Mika Bantog PRODUCER Shakil Jessa DIRECTOR | WRITER Kevin Jin Kwan Kim PRODUCER Anastasia Itkina

IN–THEATRE SCREENING

IN–THEATRE SCREENING IV - CINEPLEX ODEON THEATRE 10

MISS CANTONESE

8:00 min • 2022 • Canada • English • Fantasy, Martial Arts, Puppetry, Animation Artist-Advocate and singer-songwriter Kristina Lao workshops a song called “MISS CANTONESE (廣東話小姐)” with members from the Vantopop Collective, which ultimately explores Kristina’s own background of identifying between two cultures.

LIVE SUN NOV 6, 5:15PM

THE NARROW ROAD LAM SUM

During the COVID-19 pandemic, an owner of a cleaning company meets a young mother and her daughter. Would their encounter save each other during the recession of Hong Kong’s economy?

CANADIAN PREMIERE 85 minutes • 2022 • Hongkong • English, Cantonese • Drama DIRECTOR Lam Sum PRODUCER Mani Man CAST Meteor Cheung Yu Hon

FEAN CHUNG graduated from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. In 2015, he founded the “Ground Up Student Film Festival”, and has since won various awards. His feature debut “May You Stay Forever Young” (2021) was nominated for “Best New Director” and “Best Film Editing” at Golden Horse Awards.

CINDY AU YEUNG is a ChineseCanadian filmmaker and editor based in Vancouver, BC. She has worked on a diverse range of content from scripted to documentaries, and most recently, in animation - but documentaries remain to be her first love!

DIRECTOR Cindy Au Yeungn PRODUCERS Elimin8Hate and VAFF

WESTCOAST TALES: CANADIAN SHORTS SPOTLIGHT

IN–THEATRE SCREENING IV - CINEPLEX ODEON THEATRE 10 LIVE SUN NOV 6, 7:30PM DIRECTOR Q&A

DIFFERENT THAN BEFORE

6:00 min • 2022 • Canada • English, Mandarin • Music video, Drama

CANADIAN

PREMIERE

An Asian Canadian family gets a racist comment at their eldest daughter’s engagement party at a Chinese karaoke place. The stern Asian father fails to stand up for his family. When the time comes for his turn to sing on stage, he reluctantly makes his way up to the mic. He turns into a Pop Icon.

MY NAME IS ARNOLD

15:00 min • 2022 • Canada • English, Korean • Drama

A Korean-Canadian boy and his mother struggle with their identity while adapting to a new life in a small, rural, Canadian Community.

Born in Japan, raised in three continents, MAYUMI YOSHIDA is a director, actor and writer based in Vancouver, B.C.. Since making her directorial debut on “AKASHI” , she has created many short films centering around Asian characters and has won many awards worldwide.

WOK HEI

10:30 min • 2022 • Canada • English • Drama

A first generation Asian-Canadian mother of two restores a rusty family wok, and reconnects with her cultural roots.

Korean-Canadian writer-director ARNOLD LIM won Telefilm’s Talent to Watch grant twice, winning the national feature film grant to direct his first feature All-in Madonna. Lim is a multiple-time winner of grants from the B.C. Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, BravoFACT and more. He hails from Victoria, B.C.

Joel Salaysay is an Asian-Canadian filmmaker, and winner of numerous awards, including the B.C. Leo, TIFF Top Ten, and Montreal World Film Festival awards for Best Student Short. He is also a director of 3D animated series including “THE DEEP,” and “SONIC PRIME.”

GOOD NEWS

13:46 min • 2021 • Canada • English • Drama

Happily married without kids and an intent to focus on his career, Ryan struggles with the news of an unplanned pregnancy and his wife Nicole’s decision to keep it.

MOM VS MACHINE

14:03 min • 2021 • Canada • English • Sci-Fi, Comedy

When Kamal’s adult son introduces a 3D foodprinting appliance into their home, it shatters her maternal identity and forces her to go on a journey to heal old wounds, rediscover herself, and literally battle the machine.

TESH GUTTIKONDA is filmmaker born in India, raised in Canada. Since discovering filmmaking, Tesh has worn many hats, from writing to directing short films and music videos with worldwide recognition. Tesh established his production company, Kalpana Films, to branch out and create empowering stories that bring people together.

DIRECTOR | WRITER Mayumi Yoshida PRODUCERS Lynne Lee, Sebastien Galina, Mayumi Yoshida, Amanda Sum

DIRECTOR | WRITER Tesh Guttikonda PRODUCERS Praneet Akilla, Kashif Pasta, Shyam Valera, Bhavesh Chauhan, Jasleen Kaur

DIRECTOR | WRITER Joel Salaysay PRODUCER Rheanna Toy

DIRECTOR | WRITER Arnold Lim PRODUCERS Lynne Lee, Sohee Hong

WORLD PREMIERE

WORLD PREMIERE

DIRECTOR | WRITER Osric Chau PRODUCER Ben Van Kleek

Born and raised in Vancouver B.C., OSRIC has been an actor for over 20 years. In recent years, he has spent more time behind the camera and has produced 3 feature films. Good News is Osric’s directorial debut.

VANCOUVER PREMIERE

CANADIAN PREMIERE

B.C. PREMIERE

DEMIGOD: THE LEGEND BEGINS

CHRIS HUANG

When he ignores his master Eight-Toed Qilin’s advice, martial world fledgling Su Huan-Jen is caught up in a perilous power struggle because of his friend Yu Huan. Ensnared in a conspiracy that even his own master cannot escape from, Su Huan-jen must turn back the tide and stop the evil mastermind once and for all…

CHRIS HUANG WEN CHANG, the chief director of Pili puppet show series, has produced more than 3,000 hours of the show over 30 years in Taiwan. He has directed the glove puppet movie “The Legend of the Sacred Stone” in 2000, the first 3D glove puppet movie “The ARTI: The Adventure Begins” in 2015, and the puppet show stage performance “Wolf Castle” in the National Theater in 1998.

DIRECTORS Chris Huang Wen Chang PRODUCER Huang Liang Hsun CAST Huang Wen Tze

WESTCOAST TALES PROGRAM

Westcoast Tales Program – Showcasing unique, independent local Asian Canadian voices

After 26 years of nurturing and showcasing local filmmakers, this year VAFF is pleased to present Westcoast Tales,a series of film programs, VAFF has selected to showcase the works of local filmmakers and content creators as well as providing opportunities for community members to interact with the filmmakers through filmmaker talks and panel discussions. Westcoast Tales Filmmaker Panel is part of the VAFF Industry Insights Series aimed at spotlighting local filmmakers and content creators and offers access for community members to actively participate in discussions with filmmakers.

DATE & TIME

WESTCOAST TALES FEATURE PROGRAM

Date: Sunday, November 6, 1:00 pm

• GOLDEN DELICIOUS.............................................................................. 2:00:00

WESTCOAST TALES SHORTS PROGRAM

Date: Sunday, November 6, 7:30 pm

• DIFFERENT THAN BEFORE 6:00

• MY NAME IS ARNOLD 15:00

• WOK HEI 10:30

• GOOD NEWS 13:46

• MOM VS MACHINE 14:03

WESTCOAST TALES SHORTS DOCUMENTARY PROGRAM

Date: Saturday, November 5, 3:30 pm

• IN LOVE WITH A PROBLEM 22:00

• BLUE GARDEN 5:25

• LIKE MINDED 3:07

• REVOLUTION 14:50

• THE REALITY OF A DREAM 23:00

• E8 - CONCERT ASIAN PERSUASION ALL-STARS 5:00

WESTCOAST TALES FEATURE DOCUMENTARY PROGRAM

Date: Saturday, November 5, 5:30 pm

• BUT I LOOK LIKE A LAWYER 33:33

• INCORRIGIBLE 45:00

WESTCOAST TALES FILMMAKER PANEL

Date: November 7, 9, 11, 2022

Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (PST)

Local filmmakers will be featured on this panel to discuss their experiences and journey in making their film.

VAFF has encouraged community involvement by integrating volunteers into the festival planning, programming and delivery of the festival, and for most of its history, VAFF has been run by a dedicated team of local community volunteers.

THE GRIZZLIE TRUTH KATHLEEN

JAYME

To die-hard NBA fans, the Vancouver Grizzlies' abrupt move to Memphis is more than a sore spot, it’s an unsolved mystery and possibly a criminal conspiracy. What begins as a superfan’s investigation becomes an exploration of the deep roots of fandom, and an irreverent expose of professional sports' wild side.

VAFF ON DEMAND

(AVAILABLE ONLY AS OF MONDAY NOV 7 AND CAN BE VIEWED UNTIL NOV 13)

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE

90 minutes • 2022 • Canada • English • Documentary

KATHLEEN

WE DON’T DANCE FOR

NOTHING

STEFANOS TAI

A love letter to Filipina Domestic Workers of Hong Kong, this film highlights the community's passionate street dancing and one woman’s plan to run away. Captured on Super-16 amidst the Hong Kong protests, WE DON'T DANCE FOR NOTHING tackles LGBTQ+ themes, issues of workers’ rights, and Hong Kong’s political landscape.

VAFF ON DEMAND

(AVAILABLE ONLY AS OF MONDAY NOV 7 AND CAN BE VIEWED UNTIL NOV 13)

86 minutes • 2022 • USA, Canada, Philippines, Hong Kong • English, Tagalog, Cantonese • Drama, Dance, Photo-Montage

STEFANOS TAI is a Greek-ChineseAmerican director. His works remind us of a simple idea: we have more in common than sets us apart. He’s screened at Tribeca, BAM, Cinequest, DOXA, Woodstock, and Savannah – and he’s received several awards including the “ONE TO WATCH” award from the

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DIRECTOR | WRITER Kathleen Jayme PRODUCERS Michael Tanko Grand James Brown DIRECTOR

WRITER Stefanos Tai PRODUCERS Paloma Choque Roger Young Mariel Mendoza

JAYME is an awardwinning Filipina-Canadian filmmaker based in Vancouver, B.C. who is passionate about telling meaningful and personal stories. Her breakthrough documentary "FINDING BIG COUNTRY" has screened to sold out theatres and been met with critical acclaim.

Asian American Film Festival.

VAFF ON DEMAND

(AVAILABLE ONLY AS OF MONDAY NOV 7 AND CAN BE VIEWED UNTIL NOV 13)

K BODY AND MIND

CONOR WYLIE

In 20XX, Kawabi sheds the scars of sickness, hunger, and war — crossing over to a new body at an idealistic start-up, The Grove. But when a hostile entity colonizes the minds and bodies of the Grove’s network, Kawabi must rescue her new home…by reckoning with a ghost of the past.

77 minutes • 2021 • Canada • English • Science fiction, Experimental

CONOR WYLIE is an award-winning creator of theatre, film, television, and video games. He blends highbrow and lowbrow aesthetics, but filled with moments of action, whimsy, music, and humour. He is a member of A Wake of Vultures and a Narrative Designer at Sunset Visitor Studios. conorwylie.ca

DIRECTOR | WRITER Conor Wylie PRODUCER A Wake of Vultures

THIS TOO SHALL PASS: CANADIAN SHORTS PROGRAM

VAFF ON DEMAND (AVAILABLE ONLY AS OF MONDAY NOV 7 AND CAN BE VIEWED UNTIL NOV 13)

LOVE, AMMA

14:00 min • 2022 • Canada

• English, Kannada • Documentary

Love, Amma is an intimate, intergenerational conversation about the diagnosis and acceptance of borderline personality disorder in a South Asian Canadian family.

THERE ARE NO CHILDREN HERE

15:00 min • 2022 • Canada • English, Urdu • Drama

After experiencing a traumatic event at a family wedding, Saima seeks guidance from the woman in her family only to realize that she must fend for herself.

QUEER ISOLATION

11:17 min • 2021 • Canada • English • Romance, Drama

“Queer Isolation” is a short drama film produced for the Barrie Film Festival’s Youth Virtual Media Arts Program. The story follows Noelle, a young Asian-Canadian transgender woman forced back into the closet when she moves back in with her parents after losing her job due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

THE TIME YOU LEFT

26:29 min • 2022 • Canada • English

• Drama

When single mother Erica Wang gets diagnosed with cancer, she has one goal: to protect Amelia, her precocious nine-year-old daughter, from the harsh realities of sickness. But Amelia will not be deceived so easily, and turns to her own devices - namely, her camcorder - to figure out the truth.

A HUNDRED JOYS

5:06 min • 2021 • Canada • English, Cantonese

• Documentary

This documentary pairs cinematic impressions of Toronto’s East Chinatown neighbourhood alongside interviews with residents and business owners, giving voice to their experiences of community, identity, anxieties, and hopes for the future.

IF YOU SAY TOO MUCH

10:56 min • 2022 • Canada • English • Fantasy drama

Margo and Oliver connect through a state of lucid dreaming. Outside of her dreams, Margo is confronted with a terminal illness. In a last dying effort, she travels back into her dreams to part with her beloved friend. She finds Oliver, only to discover their dream world is about to collapse.

Muslim stories tackling taboo subject matters in her community. Mian has won various awards and her film “Concrete Valley” will have its world premiere at TIFF 2022.

She’s drawn to South

JORDANA VALERIE ALLEN-SHIM is a lesbian, and less importantly, an award-winning Korean and Jewish writer, director, and editor. Her greatest hope in life is to make art even gayer than She-Ra, ideally in the form of an anti-capitalist musical

As two female artists from EastAsian immigrant backgrounds, NIKITA and YVETTE have always been drawn to themes of sorority, intersectionality, and human experience. United in their love for off-beat, emotionally-driven narratives, Nikita and Yvette have embarked on their largest collaboration yet. "THE TIME YOU LEFT" is the pair’s co-directorial debut.

AMANDA ANN-MIN WONG (they/ their) is a Toronto-based film director, writer, and musician. Their directorial work often explores themes of loss, nostalgia, and memory. Amanda is currently working on short film “ROSA’S FLOWERS” , and writing their debut feature, “SCUM” . In their free time, they love rocking out with their band, cutsleeve.

KIRA THIPHAVONG is a LaotianCanadian, female writer/director from Nova Scotia, Canada. Kira brings a whimsical approach into her writing, which is inspired by her heritage. Her debut short film, "IF YOU SAY TOO MUCH" , has encouraged her exploration into experimental writing and filmmaking.

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CANADIAN PREMIERE

B.C. PREMIERE B.C. PREMIERE WESTERN CANADA PREMIERE

PRAJWALA DIXIT is an author, journalist, documentary filmmaker and theatre practitioner whose works have been produced and published by local and national organizations, including the National Film Board of Canada, CB.C., The Globe and Mail, The National Post, POV, J-Source, Newfoundland Quarterly, Breakwater Books, the Arts and Culture Centre, and Artistic Fraud.

SHEHREZADE MIAN is a Pakistani director/producer who seeks to tell bold, unconventional stories that explore the human condition.

Asian

DIRECTOR | WRITER Prajwala Dixit PRODUCER Annette Clarke

DIRECTOR | WRITER Jordana Valerie Allen-Shim PRODUCER Barrie Film Festival

DIRECTORS | WRITERS Yvette Sin, Nikita Zhang PRODUCER Jodie Man

DIRECTOR Amanda Ann-Min Wong PRODUCER Jeff Chiu

DIRECTOR

WRITER Kira Thiphavong PRODUCERS Jenelle Hagerman, Nicole Fonseca, Donna Bo

DIRECTOR | WRITER | PRODUCER Shehrezade Mian

featuring her favorite ABBA songs.

B.C. PREMIERE

FAMILIES OF ORIGIN, FAMILIES OF CHOICE: CANADIAN SHORTS PROGRAM

VAFF ON DEMAND (AVAILABLE ONLY AS OF MONDAY NOV 7 AND CAN BE VIEWED UNTIL NOV 13)

WE DON’T NEED YOUR KIND

12:30 min • 2022 • Canada • English • Drama

Sara, an Asian-Canadian Youtuber, likes to eat interesting food on camera. When she wakes up to a slur spray painted on her wall, Sara's forced to deal with the hate crime. Sara finds solace in her YouTube platform and realizes how social media can be used to amend her situation.

LATE BLOOMER

13:01 min • 2021 • Canada • English • Drama, Comedy

A naive and wide-eyed girl moves into a dorm with her best friend. As her friend grows up and moves on, she fights to maintain her relationship with her, while also struggling to come of age on her own terms.

KENNEDY

COPELESS

17:09 min • 2022 • Canada

• English, Punjabi • Drama

A young man struggles to find peace at his father’s funeral. He meets an unassuming guest who understands what it’s like to lose a parent. Together, they must reconcile past, present, and future to overcome their losses and prepare to make tough choices to close this loop in life.

MY MOTHER’S HOME

15:00 min • 2021 • Canada • English, Tagalog • Drama

JERSEY grown and raised, but now Toronto-based, Jaskaran has been a filmmaker since he was fifteen. In the last five years, he’s written, directed, and produced multiple short

WORLD PREMIERE

After not contacting his mother for many years, Gino returns home after her funeral and decides to sell the house he grew up in. His distasteful demeanour towards the home and his mother changes as he begins to recognize and remember who he once was.

THREADS OF LOVE

17:21 min • 2022 • Canada • English, Vienamese • Documentary

WESTERN CANADA PREMIERE

Started by mural artist Tina Nguyen, the Ontario based scrunchie business XXL & CO exploded after going viral on Tik Tok during the pandemic with more than 2 million views. Tina and XXL & CO beat the odds and highlights acts of service, the love language of East Asian parents.

BADUK

WESTERN CANADA PREMIERE

5:40 min • 2021 • Canada• English, Korean • Drama

Haejin rediscovers the game ‘baduk’ that she played with her mother in her youth, and revisits the moments that shaped their relationship.

AMY’S a Toronto based TaiwaneseCanadian journalist that makes award-winning podcasts, films and writes about food, culture and the Asian American experience.

INDUK LEE is an emerging Korean Canadian filmmaker from Halifax, Nova Scotia.

BADUK is her debut short film that has screened internationally and is the recipient of the Best Atlantic Short award at the Atlantic International Film Festival.

REGINALD is a Filipino/Canadian filmmaker with a passion for strong visuals and meaningful narratives. Always challenging the limits of his creativity but never losing focus of the big picture.

KAO is a Toronto-based filmmaker who crafts stories about Asian-Canadian diaspora. His film “DANICA’S MOM” won the Grand Prix Prize at Montreal Festival du Nouveau Cinema 2020 and was screened at Canadian Film Fest in 2021. His film “WE DON’T NEED YOUR KIND” is currently making its festival run.

EMMA is a writer and actor based in Toronto, Canada. She attended Ryerson University for film studies and trained at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York. She contributes to youth programming at the TIFF as a part of the Next Wave Committee.

DIRECTOR | WRITER Kennedy Kao PRODUCER Dina Dong

DIRECTOR | WRITER Jaskaran Singh PRODUCERS Virinderpaul Singh, IFFSA Talent Fund

DIRECTOR | WRITER Reginald Bernandino PRODUCERS Robin Macabulos, Allen Xu

DIRECTOR | WRITER Induk Lee PRODUCER Kelsey Power

DIRECTOR Emma Cheuk WRITERS Ashton Boyle, Emma Cheuk PRODUCERS Luke Avoledo, Caroline Biedka

films, and won the 2020 Whistler Film Festival’s Power Pitch Competition.

DIRECTOR | WRITER | PRODUCER Amy Chyan

B.C. PREMIERE B.C. PREMIERE

FALLING IN LOVE WITH A#

15:06 min • 2021 • Japan • English, Japanese • Romance

When I wanted to create a moment where people fall in love, my wife farted beside me. For some reason I felt it was lovely. This is such a rare and beautiful “encounter” movie in which two people “fall in love by farting.”

Born in Japan. While in college, KOHEI HIROTA wrote and directed the movie “SAEZURI,” which won an award for excellence at the FOX Movie Premium Short Film Festival. After graduating from university, he participated in commercials and movies as an assistant. He has been working as a movie director.

SURRENDER

19:33 min • 2022 • USA • English • Drama

Surrender is the story of Naomi, a young Asian female who continues to wrestle with her past family trauma. As Naomi attempts to regain a sense of control, she is drawn back into the world of Blackjack after abstaining for 100 days.

PITCH BLACK

27:32 min • 2021 • South Korea

• English, Korean • Mystery

Weary from his wife’s repeated suicide attempts, one husband seeks help from a secretive agent an old doctor introduced to him. In the middle of the night, “they” come to his house.

Born in 1989 in Seong-nam, LEE JUN SUP grew up in Seoul. He studied film in New York and directed short films after his return to Korea. His films have been invited to Jeonju Int’l Film Festival, Jecheon Int’l Music & Film Festival, and others.

KIM’S

9:23 min • 2022 • USA • English, Korean • Drama

MINHO KIM, an immigrant from South Korea, thought he would have a day like any other since his wife passed away: cook breakfast for his son, drop him off at school, and hope for the best, until the breaking news that North Korea attempted to detonate a nuclear bomb in California.

VAFF ON DEMAND (AVAILABLE ONLY AS OF MONDAY NOV 7 AND CAN BE VIEWED UNTIL NOV 13)

BROKEN DRAWER

FULL FILM

14:20 min •

DIRECTOR | WRITER Kohei Hirota PRODUCER Jun Kanaizuka

CANADIAN PREMIERE

DIRECTOR | WRITER Mijin Han PRODUCER Thang Ho

DIRECTOR | WRITER | PRODUCER LEE Jun Sup

MIJIN HAN is an award-winning filmmaker from Seoul, Korea. She graduated from Korea National University of Arts.

JESS DANG is a Chinese-American writer and director based in Los Angeles. She is committed to amplifying Asian voices and centering underrepresented communities in her body of work.

Jess holds an MFA from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and a BFA in Communication Design from Parsons School of Design.

CANADIAN PREMIERE

DIRECTOR | WRITER Jess Dang PRODUCERS Darren Rae, Graehme Middleton

CANADIAN PREMIERE

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

VAFF ON DEMAND (AVAILABLE ONLY AS OF MONDAY NOV 7 AND CAN BE VIEWED UNTIL NOV 13)

RIPPIN SINDHER is a multihyphenated South Asian storyteller. She has directed festival-winning films including “BROKEN DRAWER,” “THE HIDEOUT” and “SEVA” and was hired off of her short film to pen the feature adaptation of “THE VILLAGE BRIDE OF BEVERLY HILLS.”

DIRECTOR Rippin Sindher WRITERS Rippin Sindher, Matt Gamarra PRODUCERS Rippin Sindher, Gurinder Sindher

CANADIAN PREMIERE

TRIALS & TRIBULATIONS: INTERNATIONAL SHORTS PROGRAM

VAFF ON DEMAND (AVAILABLE ONLY AS OF MONDAY NOV 7 AND CAN BE VIEWED UNTIL

RED 23:49 min • 2022 • USA, China

• English, Mandarin • Drama, Fantasy

Yearning to be a poet but trapped in her soulsucking job, Zhuang develops a red-phobia after her beloved grandmother passes away. Drifting into a dream-like state, Zhuang's poetry writing jeopardizes her work performance. After her poems get destroyed, Zhuang wakes to find grandmother making a bowl of red bean soup.

DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT

12:28 min • 2022 • USA • English

• Animation, Documentary

Hannah is avoiding visiting her father’s grave. She’s also in intensive therapy for contamination OCD. Hannah’s therapist helps her realize that her OCD is connected to why she is unable to visit his grave. Hannah knows that she must face the feelings she’s been running away from and find closure.

AN ISLAND DRIFTS

18:32 min • 2021 • USA • English

• Dramedy

An Island Drifts follows a teacher, Glen, who witnesses a primary-six student, Andrew, in a troubling incident. Glen deals with Andrew but Andrew doesn’t understand the situation and this leads to devastating consequences. Glen ultimately has to meditate on whether or not his actions align with his principles.

MIDNIGHT BLUE

20:35 min • 2022 • South Korea

• English • Documentary

After getting a call late at night informing her that her daughter, Ye-ri, is passed out drunk, Hwa-jeong hits the road.

NOV 13)

YICHI'S previous works have been selected for the Palm Springs International ShortFest, Hollyshorts Film Festival and Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival. She has also won awards at DGA Student Awards and the South Asian Film Festival of America. Yichi received her MFA in Directing from UCLA.

MELISSA is a comedy/dramedy writer and director. Her off-beat, humorous, and hopeful stories highlight the underdog, all while subverting tropes and expectations. Like her writing, she can be silly yet profound. She wears her heart on the page and probably a food stain on her shirt.

VIVIAN IP is a Singaporean-Chinese filmmaker and recovering lawyer based in Los Angeles. Her short film AN ISLAND DRIFTS was the inaugural grant recipient of the ARRI Support and Education (ARRIse) Program and premiered at the Urbanworld Film Festival.

DANA LEE was born in Seoul, South Korea. She is currently majoring in film at Korea National University of Arts. She has directed several short films, and “MIDNIGHT BLUE” is her fourth.

VAFF ON DEMAND (AVAILABLE ONLY AS OF MONDAY NOV 7 AND CAN BE VIEWED UNTIL NOV 13)

STUMBLING FAMILY

25:20 min • 2021 • South Korea

• English, Korean• Drama, Comedy

A disharmonious family decides to visit a theater with a partially paralyzed father. In the crowded theater, the family struggles to move ahead.

Born in 1993 in Seoul, Korea. RYU YEON-SU quit college in 2012 to enter the Korea National University of Arts to study film direction. Her short film, HAPPY! PAPA’S BIRTHDAY and BETWEEN US received a lot of attention at film festivals.

DIRECTOR | WRITER Melissa Kong PRODUCER Grace Hahn

DIRECTOR | WRITER Vivian Ip PRODUCERS Jasmine Tay, Kim Mariel

DIRECTOR | WRITER Dana Lee PRODUCER Haneol PARK

CANADIAN PREMIERE

CANADIAN PREMIERE

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

WORLD PREMIERE

DIRECTOR | WRITER | PRODUCER Joyce Yueyi Xing

DIRECTOR | WRITER | PRODUCER RYU Yeon-su

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

BLOOD RELATIONS: INTERNATIONAL SHORTS PROGRAM

COME EAT

12:22 min • 2022 • USA • English, Chinese

• Family drama

Following a day in the life of Chinese immigrant Jun as she prepares for the return of her American-born daughter, “Come Eat” is a story that explores the challenges of disconnection in immigrant families.

I BOT

18:10 min • 2022 • China • English, Mandarin • Sci-Fi

In the near future, as the younger generation suffers an increasingly heavy burden from work and family, it is difficult to be a good son and a good worker at the same time. But Ai Li seems to have found his perfect solution.

TONY HE is a thriving filmmaker based in Beijing. He graduated from Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Canada, and has worked as an assistant of Bille August. Later in his career, He has worked on feature films, short films and commercials.

TRYING

14:47 min • 2022 • USA • English, Korean • Comedy

Alice Moon, a family-oriented Korean American actress, struggles to retain her confidence while taping an audition for a coveted role in a film about a North Korean defector. Jaded by her struggles being Asian in Hollywood, Alice must determine how to affirm her self-worth, and whether trying will be enough.

LIKE FATHER, LIKE

12:23 min • 2021 • USA • English • Thriller

When a stern immigrant father catches his daughter kissing a girl, he decides to come out of the closet himself.

ALICE LEE is a bilingual, secondgeneration Korean American multi-hyphenate, born in Chicago and based in LA. She is an Aries, and an avid cannabis advocate.

Credits: Amazon Prime’s “BRITTANY RUNS A MARATHON” , NB.C.’s “ZOEY’S EXTRAORDINARY PLAYLIST” , Lois Lane in HBOMax’s “MY ADVENTURES WITH SUPERMAN” Graduate of NYU, Music Business.

URVASHI PATHANIA is a writer/ director based in Brooklyn. She received her B.A. with Honors in Film Studies from Columbia University and her M.F.A. in Film Production from USC. Her films explore gender, sexuality and decolonization.

ALL I WANT IS EVERYTHING

17:00 min • 2022 • USA • English, Korean • Drama, Crime Thriller

ALL I WANT IS EVERYTHING is a coming-ofage crime drama about a good Asian girl gone very, very bad. Fiercely driven Alice Kim battles class, race and family pressure to become a drug dealer in NYC’s wild underground rave scene.

ALEXANDRA CUERDO is a rising star AAPI + LGBTQ+ voice recently named one of the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women In the World

Filipina Women’s Network. Her first documentary feature ULAM: MAIN DISH (2018) is the first Filipino food documentary released globally currently streaming on Hulu. Her documentary short DANCING ON MY OWN (2019) is a LGBTQ+ hit.

AVALANCHES

14:23 min • 2022 • USA • English • Drama

When Auggie’s younger brother Kurt joins high school lacrosse team, he’s flattered by the special attention he receives from their coach. But Auggie has seen this before and knows the dangerous path his brother is on. With his athletic career on the line, he decides to speak up.

ZHEI XIE (pronounced “Jay See-ah”) is a Canadian director, writer, and editor based in Boston, MA. A graduate from Wellesley College, she creates women-centric films and works on the programming team at the Wicked Queer Film Festival.

by

DIRECTOR | WRITER Zhei Xie PRODUCER Dan Frank

DIRECTOR | WRITER Tony He PRODUCERS Tony He, Zixia Han

WORLD PREMIERE

CANADIAN PREMIERE

CANADIAN PREMIERE

CANADIAN PREMIERE

VAFF ON DEMAND (AVAILABLE ONLY AS OF MONDAY NOV 7 AND CAN BE VIEWED UNTIL NOV 13)

DIRECTOR Alice Lee WRITERS | PRODUCERS Alice Lee, Zach Reiner-Harris

DIRECTOR | WRITER Urvashi Pathania PRODUCERS Nana Frimpong, Danny Rogers, Beidi Wang

LIZ LIAN is a first-generation Chinese American filmmaker from New Jersey. She is a graduate of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and Princeton University. Her mission as a filmmaker is to inspire audiences toward self-expression, discovery, and empathy through thought-provoking stories led by underdogs and underrepresented voices.

DIRECTOR Liz Lian WRITER Evan Hartney PRODUCERS Ian Phillips, Aidan Wheeler

CANADIAN PREMIERE

DIRECTOR | WRITER Alexandra Cuerdo PRODUCERS Rebecca Maa, Alexandra Cuerdo

TOGETHER WE'RE ONE: INTERNATIONAL SHORTS PROGRAM

VAFF ON DEMAND (AVAILABLE ONLY AS OF MONDAY NOV 7 AND CAN BE VIEWED UNTIL NOV

BORDERLINE

17:29 min • 2022 • South Korea

• English, Korean • Drama

Yoonsung, who is a radical feminist, works as a waitress for a part-time job. One day, her position was suddenly changed from hall to kitchen, and the newcomer, Jihee unintentionally replaces her.

MURDER TONGUE

17:38 min • 2022 • Canada, Japan • English

• Animation, Documentary

The 1992 state sanctioned “Operation” has put the city of Karachi in constant unrest. Abdul Aziz Ansari’s daughter-in-law, Naseema, informs him one night that his son hasn’t returned home. As they travel to the hospital, they witness racism deeply rooted beneath the system, marking the city’s most brutal historical chapter.

VEILS

17:57 min • 2022 • Pakistan • Urdu, Sindhi • Drama

Ayumi and Sayaka are a closed lesbian couple living together in Japan.They are looking forward to having a wedding photo shoot on their fiveyear anniversary, but it’s not easy finding a photo salon that serves LGBTQ couples.

ALI

13)

IMPOSTERS

26:00 min • 2022 • USA • English

• Comedy

Ward University is thrust into a national scandal, when a fraternity hazing ritual is mistaken for a white supremacy rally.

ERIKA started her journey as a writer in 2015. In 2019 she debuted as a director with a short

”TEKKIN HANABI”

ELIZABETH is an award-winning film and TV director, writer, producer, and artist. As a mixed ChineseAmerican woman, she is passionate about telling stories that explore identity, sexuality, and relationships.

FREEDOM FIGHTERS: INTERNATIONAL SHORTS PROGRAM

A young indentured Chinese prostitute must overcome her toxic dependency on the brothel madam on the eve of the 1885 anti-Chinese riot in Eureka, California.

EUREKA won the prestigious Golden Reel Award at the 38 th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, which qualifies the film for award consideration for the Academy Awards. Miida holds an MFA in directing from the American Film Institute.

NIPPLE

Born in 1984. PAEK SIWON majored in sociology in college and worked as a TV producer for ten years. After studying film directing in Korea National University of Arts, she directed NIPPLE WAR 3 (2021), a short comedy film based on her run-in with censorship while she worked at a broadcasting company.

SOHAIL JAURA is an independent filmmaker from Karachi, Pakistan who enjoys incorporating emotions into different styles of storytelling in his films. His recent shorts “NANU AUR MAIN” (Grandpa and I) and Dry Leaves were officially selected by many prestigious festivals like the Miami Short and Indie Memphis Film Festival.

film titled

, where she managed to cast and direct a child who had no acting background.

Born and raised in Incheon, South Korea. Completed Master’s degree in filmmaking at Chung-Ang University.

DIRECTOR Ali Sohail Jaura WRITER Ammar Zafar Siddiqui PRODUCER Zafeer Khan

DIRECTOR | WRITER Erika Nakayama PRODUCER Marie Murata

DIRECTOR Elizabeth Jaeleigh Davis WRITERS Sandie Cheng, Daniel Jossman PRODUCERS Sandie Cheng, Elizabeth Jaeleigh Davis, Daniel Jossman

DIRECTOR | WRITER Ko Eunsang PRODUCER Baek Yongwook

CANADIAN PREMIERE

CANADIAN PREMIERE

VANCOUVER PREMIERE

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

VANCOUVER PREMIERE MIIDA CHU is a Los Angeles-based writer-director. Her short film

FREEDOM FIGHTERS: INTERNATIONAL SHORTS PROGRAM

BAAHAR (OUTSIDE)

13:34 min • 2021 • USA • English, Hindi

• Drama

Disaster brews when Seher gets accepted to a boarding school—a dream come true—on the evening of a big family dinner. Through the eyes of a young South Asian American teen who is coming of age, Baahar explores relationships among women in intergenerational families and opportunities for change.

MOM, IF I WERE

A

VAMPIRE

16:40 min • 2021 • Taiwan • Mandarin

• Coming of age, LGBTQ, Thriller, Horror

Wen, a 17-year-old restless and insecure teenage girl is sick of her overbearing and disapproving mother. When Wen meets Jo, the cool school girl with that couldn’t-give-a-damn attitude, she becomes infatuated. Jo leads Wen down a rabbit hole, fueled with drugs, sex, and dangerous encounters.

PRAKSHI

STRENGTH IN HERITAGE: INTERNATIONAL SHORTS PROGRAM

IISE 13:46 min • 2022 • USA • English

• Documentary

Using fashion as a platform for exploring their identity, Kevin and Terrence Kim imbue their perspective on their Korean-American experiences into their brand, IISE.

MANJI 38:56 min • 2021 • USA • English, Japanese

• Documentary

MANJI follows Reverend TK Nakagaki, a Japanese Buddhist priest who lived in America for the past thirty-five years. He travels the globe on a mission: to reclaim the swastika as a symbol of peace. The documentary speaks to individuals from varying backgrounds to get their take on the swastika symbol.

38 AT THE GARDEN

38:00 min • 2022 • USA • English

• Biography, Documentary, Sports, Politics

In a hostile time for Asian Americans, the revisiting of an unlikely athlete’s story 10 years later gives hope and shatters stereotypes on sport’s biggest stage.

DAVID CHANG is an NYC-based cinematographer and director. His current focus is bringing the Korean-inspired documentary series, Gajok, to fruition.

YOUSUKE KINAME is a Tokyo based director and cinematographer. He studied film making at New York University and graduated in 2010. After residing in New York for 15 years, he moved to Tokyo and continues to work internationally.

FRANK CHI is a filmmaker, artist and creative director. From helping create the Notorious RBG phenomenon to his social justice-themed short films, Frank’s work in film and design tells narratives around justice and inclusion in American life.

DEBORAH DEVYN CHUANG , writer, director and producer. Deborah is a UC Berkeley graduate who worked as a Wall Street investment banker and a three Michelin starred restaurant cook. Deborah pivoted to independent filmmaker to pursue her lifelong passion in film, she is currently a film MFA candidate at Columbia University.

MALIK is a filmmaker and dancer creating cinema about women of color from a global perspective. She was awarded the 2020 Short Film Grant by Austin Film Society for her short film, BAAHAR, which won Best Short Film at the DC South Asian Film Festival.

DIRECTOR | WRITER Prakshi Malik PRODUCERS Dahee Kim, Zahra Tapal

DIRECTOR | WRITER | PRODUCER Deborah Devyn Chuang

CANADIAN PREMIERE

CANADIAN PREMIERE

DIRECTOR David Chang PRODUCER Lea Bouchat

DIRECTOR Yousuke Kiname PRODUCERS Adam Weissman, Yousuke Kiname

CANADIAN PREMIERE

CANADIAN PREMIERE

VAFF ON DEMAND (AVAILABLE ONLY AS OF MONDAY NOV 7 AND CAN BE VIEWED UNTIL NOV 13)

VAFF ON DEMAND (AVAILABLE ONLY AS OF MONDAY NOV 7 AND CAN BE VIEWED UNTIL NOV 13)

DIRECTOR | WRITER Frank Chi PRODUCERS Travon Free, Samir Hernandez

CANADIAN PREMIERE

Twenty Two (22) nominees for 2022 BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR CANADIAN SHORT AWARD , 2022 BEST DIRECTOR FOR CANADIAN SHORT AWARD and 2022 BEST CANADIAN SHORT AWARD are (alphabetically, by film title):

Jason Karman

VAFF INDUSTRY INSIGHT (VI 2) SERIES

Date: November 5, 6 & 12 (In-person), 2022; November 7 - 11 (Virtual), 2022

Date: November 5 (Saturday), 2022 Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (PST)

IN PERSON SESSION

Date: November 6 (Sunday), 2022 Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (PST)

IN PERSON SESSION Date: November 6 (Sunday), 2022 VIRTUAL SESSION Date: November 8 (Tuesday), 2022

ANNUAL EVENTS IMAGE

VAFF co-hosted with Elevation Pictures of “Everything Everywhere All at Once” during June 2022

As a celebration of our See Us, Hear Us Campaign during May Asian Heritage Month, we present “See Us, Hear Us” Concert by the Vancouver Asian Film Festival and Elimin8Hate, its social advocacy arm with some of our city’s hottest emerging musical artists, who are challenging the status quo, championing positive change, and relaying uplifting stories of resilience within our strong Asian Diaspora.

Panta Mosleh, Daniel Irving, Josh Aries, Filmmakers

Kristina Lao

Serena Sun

VAFF Outreach Event

Vancouver Chinatown Festival July 2022

^ Images Credit: Alesandria Mentari, VAFF volunteer photographer

^ Images Credit: Alesha Wang, VAFF volunteer photographer

Susan Hanson, Festival Director of VAFF

Amanda Sum

Katana

VAFF Outreach Event

BC Dumpling Festival at Coquitlam, BC August 2022

Asian Persuasion All Stars

Kayee Lee

Jasmin Orton

VAFF co-hosted THE FABULOUS FILIPINO

BROTHERS SPECIAL SCREENING

Canadian Premier January 2022

Tamlyn Tomita, Dante Basco, Darion Basco

Derek Basco, Dionysio Basco, Arrianna Basco

MAMM OVERVIEW

The Mighty Asian Moviemaking Marathon (MAMM) concluded its 17th edition with a sold-out gala and awards ceremony at the Vancouver Playhouse on August 26, 2022. It was the biggest MAMM to date, with not only the highest number of submissions in the competition’s history, but also the most films being made and screened: 8 ten-minute shorts and 11 one-minute ultra shorts.

MAMM17 was celebrated with lots of firsts. For the first time in its history, the competition expanded beyond Vancouver, with one team taking part all the way from Toronto. This year’s representation theme also saw not one but two queer stories being selected and screened. Additionally, various other important milestones were met, such as 80 percent of crews consisting of Asian Diaspora talents, and nearly 60 percent of this year’s film creators and directors comprising of female or gender diverse creatives.

Winning films will be screened again during the 26th Vancouver Asian Film Festival. Here is the full list of winners:

Best CINEMATOGRAPHY for Ultra Short: Cathy Ye of Food for Ah Lan

Best CINEMATOGRAPHY for Short: Rachel Chen of The Mess We’re In

Best PERFORMANCE for Ultra Short: Avery Bantog of Ollie Bear

Best PERFORMANCE for Short: Lissa Neptuno of Little Manila

Best SCREENPLAY for Ultra Short: Solara Thanh-Binh Dang of Lệ

Best SCREENPLAY for Short: Arthur Rodger ‘Harley’ Maranan of Little Manilla

Best FIRST TIME DIRECTOR for Ultra Short: Mika Bantog of Ollie Bear

Best FIRST TIME DIRECTOR for Short: Vivian Cheung of For Roy

Best DIRECTOR for Ultra Short: Kevin Jin Kwan Kim of Daniel “Jun Ho” Lee

Best DIRECTOR for Short: Jamie Lam of The Mess We’re In

Best FILM for Ultra Short: Daniel “Jun Ho” Lee by Team Mireu (Kevin Jin Kwan Kim)

Best FILM for Short: The Mess We’re In by Team XS (Jamie Lam)

The

BEST OVERALL PERFORMANCE for Ultra Short: Ollie Bear

BEST OVERALL PERFORMANCE for Short: The Mess We’re In

BEST

BEST OVERALL SHORT: For Roy by Vivian Cheung

MAMM Producing Team:

Being VAFF’s annual short film-making competition, MAMM supports, fosters and showcases emerging Asian and mixed Asian filmmakers through pitch selection, masterclass-level MAMMentorship, film production, a Screening Gala and Awards Ceremony. VAFF is very proud that many of these films have gone on to be screened at festivals around the world and have won many awards. MAMM will be back in 2023 with its 18th edition.

Images Credit: Alisha Weng

following “People’s Choice Awards” were voted for by viewers:

OVERALL ULTRA SHORT: Ollie Bear by Mika Bantog

JOSHUA LAM MAMM Lead Creative Producer

REGINA LEUNG MAMM Producer

LYNNE LEE MAMM Director / Producer

MOHEB JINDRAN MAMM Creative Co-Producer

PANTA MOSLEH MAMM Creative Consultant

ELIMIN8HATE OVERVIEW

As the social advocacy arm of VAFF, we leverage the power of arts, film and media to combat racism against Asian Canadians. With Covid-19 winding down and the spotlight shifting away from racism against Asian Canadians, Elimin8Hate has shifted focus from pandemic specific racism to ensuring that Canadians continue to be aware of and educated on the ongoing systemic racism faced by Asians in Canada.

2022 has been a successful year for this transformation, the beginning of this year saw us partner with the Vancouver Canucks during their Lunar New Year celebrations raising awareness of our organization.

For the summer, we launched our ongoing Reclaim Your Name 2.0 – Your Name Is Not A Typo campaign that recognizes non-anglicize names that have historically been deemed typos and shared in community building with activations at festivals including ones at Chinatown. This campaign garnered 100+ million impressions. Thank you to partner Citizen Relations!

During Asian Heritage Month we hosted our Elimin8Hate See US Hear US Music Concert and video. We also spoke at large organizations and schools about the rich history of Asians in Canada.

We are closing off our successful year by showcasing films at VAFF that celebrate the Asian Canadian diaspora while continuing to highlight issues of race.

The funds we’ve raised this year will be going towards sustaining these efforts and culminating in the launch of 2023 educational programming that will focus on working with institutions and companies and their role in eliminating systemic racism.

Special thanks to groups that supported us this year including:

And our ambassadors:

Thanks to all of you for dedicating your emotional energy to this very important cause. Please visit Elimin8Hate .org to learn more about us and donate. I look forward to sharing our plans for 2023 with you!

Audrey Wong Executive Director

Vancouver Canucks Publicis Group Vancity

Coastal Reign Citizen Relations Keurig/Dr.Pepper

Zoe Si Lainey Lui Eileen Park Robertson Andrew Phung

RESO OVERVIEW

In 2017, VAFF’s Board and Senior Executive team participated in a Strategic Visioning workshop and identified the need to launch a national organization to focus on advocacy activities for accessing equitable funding, increasing representation in front and behind the camera and developing connections and opportunities within the screen-media industry to bring underrepresented racialized Canadian content to global markets.

Then in 2020, with the growing recognition of the inequities faced by BIPOC filmmakers at every level that — continually resulting in under-financed and under-supported projects—VAFF realized that this was the moment to revisit its 2017 vision. This led to the genesis of the Racial Equity Screen Office (RESO), which launched in the Fall of 2021.

RESO is a Vancouver-based national office that focuses on the distinct nature of the immigrant diaspora and the opportunities, realities, and stories that live within our communities and our lived experiences. RESO is founded on the core principle of collaboration to address the culture of scarcity within governmental funding bodies. Its mandate is to elevate diverse stories told through our diasporic migrant lens, advocate for equitable funding for racialized Canadian content creators, and develop greater business opportunities and markets for content from racialized communities in and outside of Canada through export.

www.reso-ca.org RESO’s work has included advocating for Knowledge Network’s independent equity audit and the 50% BPOC commissioning targets that have been mandated for Knowledge, collaboration on VAFF’s Diversity On Screen Equity Audit of Canadian Broadcasters and its recent publication of National Film Board of Whose Canada?: Racial Equity Audit of the NFB Productions 2012-2021.

Barbara Lee Founder & President

Clement Lau Vice President

Edmond Ng Treasurer Andry Tanusdjaja Member at large Alex Gray Member at large Justin Park Member at large

Ernest Yee, Nilesh Patel, Leon Ng, Ken Takagi and Kevin Li

Alex Leung Member at large Cher Lee Member at large

Daniel Hsia Member at large

SUSAN HANSON

HANBIN

38 AT THE GARDEN P36 | 8 min

A HUNDRED JOYS P30 | 5 min

ALL I WANT IS EVERYTHING P34 | 17 min

AN ISLAND DRIFTS P33 | 18 min

AVALANCHES P34 | 14 min

BAAHAR P36 | 13 min BADUK P31 | 6 min

BAEK-IL P14 | 2 min

BLACK RAINBOW P18 | 20 min

BLUE CITY SEOUL P18 | 29 min

BLUE GARDEN P15 | 5 min

BLURRING THE COLOR LINE P10 | 77 min

BORDERLINE P35 | 17 min

BROKEN DRAWER P32 | 14 min

BUT I LOOK LIKE A LAWYER P16 | 33 min

CAN’T GO OUT TONIGHT P18 | 25 min

COME EAT P34 | 12 min

COPELESS P31 | 17 min

COW P12 | 7 min

DEMIGOD: THE LEGEND BEGINS P23 | 103 min

DESERT DREAM P18 | 20 min

DIFFERENT THAN BEFORE P22 | 6 min

DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT P33 | 12 min

E8 – ASIAN PERSUASION ALL STARS P15 | 8 min

EMBRACE P13 | 4 min

EUREKA P35 | 15 min

FALLING IN LOVE WITH A# P32 | 15 min

FEELING THE APOCALYPSE P13 | 7 min

FOR ROY P20 | 12 min GOOD NEWS P22 | 14 min

GUARDIANS P10 | 6 min

I BOT P34 | 18 min

IF YOU SAY TOO MUCH P30 | 11 min IISE P36 | 14 min

IMPOSTERS P35 | 26 min

IN LOVE WITH A PROBLEM P15 | 22 min

INCORRIGIBLE – A FILM ABOUT VELMA DEMERSON P16 | 45 min JANE P11 | 17 min JUMBO P13 | 4 min

K BODY AND MIND P29 | 77 min

KIM’S P32 | 9 min

LATE BLOOMER P31 | 13 min

LIKE FATHER, LIKE P34 | 12 min

LIKE MINDED P15 | 3 min

LITTLE MANILA P20 | 13 min

LOVE, AMMA P30 | 14 min

LOW FUEL LIGHT P14 | 2 min

MACARONI SOUP 通心粉湯 P14 | 6 min

MANJI

P36 | 39 min

MIDNIGHT BLUE P33 | 21 min

MOM VS. MACHINE P22 | 14 min

MOM, IF I WERE A VAMPIRE P36 | 17 min

MOTHERLAND P11 | 13 min

MURDER TONGUE P35 | 18 min

MY MOTHER’S HOME P31 | 15 min

MY NAME IS ARNOLD P22 | 15 min

MY PERFECT ROOMMATE P17 | 91 min

NIPPLE WAR 3 P35 | 23 min

ONE SMALL VISIT P11 | 30 min

OPERA P13 | 3 min

PERFECT RESTAURANT 善美餐廳 P14 | 4 min

PITCH BLACK P32 | 28 min PIVOT P13 | 7 min

QUEER ISOLATION P30 | 11 min RED P33 | 24 min

REMNANTS P11 | 20 min

REVOLUTIONS P15 | 23 min

REYNA P13 | 5 min

RYN – MY NAME IS HIEU P10 | 8 min

STAY THE NIGHT P9 | 94 min

STUMBLING FAMILY P33 | 25 min

SUMMER BLOOD P12 | 2 min

SURRENDER P32 | 20 min

THE COMMUTE P14 | 1 min

THE FARAWAY PLACE P11 | 12 min

THE GRIZZLIE TRUTH P28 | 90 min

THE NARROW ROAD P21 | 85 min

THE REALITY OF A DREAM P15 | 23 min

THE TIME YOU LEFT P30 | 26 min

THERE ARE NO CHILDREN HERE P30 | 15 min

THREADS OF LOVE P31 | 17 min

TONGUE 舌 P13 | 2 min

TRAPPED BALLOON P12 | 104 min

TRYING P34 | 15 min

VANTOPOP P21 | 5 min

VEILS P35 | 18 min

WATERSHED P11 | 14 min

WE DON’T DANCE FOR NOTHING P28 | 86 min

WE DON’T NEED YOUR KIND P31 | 12 min

WHAT YOU CAN’T TAKE WITH YOU P14 | 1 min

WINGS TO THE SUN P14 | 12 min

WOK HEI P22 | 10 min

OLLIE BEAR P20 | 1 min

DANIEL “JUN HO” LEE P20 | 1 min

THE MESS WE’RE IN P20 | 1 min

FESTIVAL SPONSORS

Thank you to the following VAFF 2022 Festival sponsors for making this festival possible.

PRESENTING SPONSOR

BENEFACTORS

RICHARD K . WONG

VAFF LIFETIME PATRON

PUBLIC FUNDERS

INDUSTRY SPONSORS

FESTIVAL SPONSORS

CONSULATE GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES Vancouver, Canada