30 years of breaking through: Reel Asian festival’s next generation aims for ‘excellence’

Detailed summary

The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival runs in-person from Nov. 11 to 21 and online from Nov. 16 to 29.

Thirty years after creating a space for Asian filmmakers and storytellers, the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival is celebrating its legacy while looking to the next generation of voices and stories.

For actor Andrew Phung, who returns this year as a host, the word that captures what he hopes to see is simple: excellence.

“Thirty years ago, the idea of an entire film festival of Asian-created Asian stories was rare. It was tough to find them, so you needed to bring them together,” he said. “Now, Asian cinema is thriving and growing.”

The Reel Asian festival runs across Toronto from Nov. 11 to 21, as well as online from Nov. 16 to 29. It’s Canada’s largest pan-Asian film festival. Dozens of features, short films and readings by Asian storytellers are scheduled, and previous editions of the festival have drawn thousands of attendees.

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