TORONTO, May 22, 2008 -- York University will screen seven films at its Keele Campus this weekend as part of a new collaboration between the University, the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival and the Canadian Foundation for Asian Culture.
The Reel Asian Spring Showcase will offer a diverse range of free films and video screenings by, from and about people from Hong Kong, China, Canada, India, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, the United States, the Philippines and Vietnam as part of Toronto's celebration of Asian Heritage Month.
Organized by Faculty of Fine Arts Professors Suzie Young and Wendy Wong in conjunction with the Reel Asian organizing committee and with assistance from the York Centre for Asian Research, the showcase promises to deliver an eclectic assortment of film and video presentations.
The showcase kicks off tomorrow, Friday, May 23, with acclaimed Hong Kong filmmaker Jacob Cheung Chi-Leung's A Battle of Wits (2006). One of Asia's biggest hits of 2006, the spectacular war epic brings the harrowing era of China's warlords vividly to life in an epic re-creation of the popular comic series BOKKO. The screening begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Price Family Cinema, 102 Accolade East (number 92 on the York U map).
The closing night presentation on Sunday, May 25, at 7p.m., features Kieu (2006) by filmmaker Vù T. Thu Hà. A unique collaboration between female filmmakers, Kieu is a poetic film portraying dignity and grace in the face of political and economic suffering. In the making of the film, Hà enlisted real massage parlour workers from San Francisco's Tenderloin district to work as script consultants and actors. Many of the women were given an opportunity to tell their own stories. Kieu will be screened in the Nat Taylor Cinema, 102 Ross Building (number 28 on the York U map).
Other highlights of the showcase include Hou Hsiao-Hsien's Three Times (2005); the Toronto premiere of The Other Half (2006); internationally acclaimed Canadian filmmaker and York film Professor Ali Kazimi's Continuous Journey (2004); and Canadian filmmaker Cheuk Kwan's Chinese Restaurants: Latin Passions (2005).
A special panel discussion featuring Canadian filmmaker Cheuk Kwan and guests will focus on his films. It will take place at 2 p.m. in the Nick Mirkopoulos Screening Room 004, Accolade East Building (number 92 on the York U map).
Admission to all events is free, however tickets are required. For a guide to the showcase, including film summaries, ticket information, screening times and locations, visit the Reel Asian web site, or contact Reel Asian at (416) 703-9333 or e-mail springshowcase@reelasian.com. The Box Office opens 45 minutes prior to each screening.
Reel Asian is Canada's longest-running showcase of contemporary Asian cinema and work from the Asian diaspora. The showcase fosters the exchange of cultural and artistic ideals between East and West, provides a public forum for homegrown Asian media artists and their work, and fuels the growing appreciation for Asian cinema in Canada.
The spring showcase is sponsored by the Department of Canadian Heritage, with additional support from the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Canada).
York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 50,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 190,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 11 faculties and 24 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation.
Media contact:
Janice Walls, Media Relations, York University, 416 736 2100 x22101 / wallsj@yorku.ca
Killeen Kelly, Media Relations, York University, 416 736 2100 x22938 / killeenk@yorku.ca
