Reel Asian has expanded its programming team to meet the festival’s evolving artistic objectives, welcoming Roger Garcia as a programming consultant for its 23rd edition in November. Garcia served as Director of the Hong Kong International Film Festival when it began in the late 1970s, establishing the first international film festival in Asia. He returned to the festival as Executive Director from 2010-18. He also led the Asian Film Awards from 2010–13 before being appointed Executive Director of the Asian Film Awards Academy upon its establishment in 2013 and served until 2018. He has served as advisor, consultant, programmer and juror for many international festivals, including the Venice Biennale, Locarno, Berlin, San Francisco and Far East Film Festival Udine, among many others. Publishing credits include Asiaweek, British Film Institute, Cahiers du cinéma, Film Comment and Variety, among others. He was awarded the prestigious Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the Government of France earlier this year.
Reel Asian also welcomes back two key team members from previous years in new roles. Filmmaker and programmer Aram Collier will focus on features from the Asian diaspora as Programmer, North America and Industry, while former Reel Asian Interim Executive Director Savine Wong returns as Programmer, East Asia.