May is Asian Heritage Month in Canada!
For the month of May, we will be spotlighting the artists that graced us with their work and presence from our 2017 Reel Asian Film Festival. We will unveil different themes at the start of every week of this month to celebrate these Asian storytellers from around the world.
This week is the second Asian Canadian Week! Our last post was the first part of two of highlighting Asian Canadian artists and filmmakers from across our country. Portraits by Mike Tjioe Photography.
Patrick Alcedo
2017 Festival Selection:
A PIECE OF PARADISE
Biography:
Patrick Alcedo is an associate professor in the Department of Dance at York University, and is a recipient of the Government of Ontario’s Early Researcher Award. Currently, he is working on a short documentary film about the lives of underprivileged ballet dancers living in poor urban districts of Manila, who dream of dancing professionally abroad. A Piece of Paradise took home both the National Bank First Feature Award and the Centennial Best Canadian Film Award at Reel Asian in 2017.
On The Horizon:
Patrick is continuing to bring his documentary to other festivals including the 2017 CITYFLIX International Film Festival in Toronto, and the 2018 Telling Tales International Film and Audio Documentary Festival in Manchester, UK. Patrick also garnered the Impact Doc Awards (2017) and the Spotlight Documentary Film Awards (2017).
Rosalina Lee
2017 Festival Selection:
STAND UP MAN
Biography:
Hailing from right here in Toronto, Ontario, Rosalina got her big break after landing the role of Korean adoptee Kris Schultz in Benson Lee’s Seoul Searching, which was also Reel Asian’s closing night film in 2015.
On The Horizon:
With her latest film Stand Up Man making its rounds at festivals, Rosalina continues to act while pursuing her studies at McMaster University. She is currently signed with Patterson Talent Management.
Immony Men
2017 Festival Selection:
EVERYTHING IN PLACE
Biography:
Immony Men is a bilingual visual artist and educator currently based in Toronto. His practice takes the form of new medias, installation, time-based performances, and community-based research. He has exhibited and worked with several different artist-run centres, art galleries, museums, and academic institutions across Canada. He has completed an MFA in Visual Arts at the University of Windsor and an MA in Communications and New Media at McMaster University. He is currently an associate professor at OCAD University .
On The Horizon:
Immony is currently teaching as an associate professor at OCAD University. Since collaborating with Reel Asian and other artists for the multi-channel exhibition Everything In Place, he was awarded the Graduate Studies Teaching Award from OCAD.
Thi Vo
2017 Festival Selection:
MADE IN VIETNAM
Biography:
Thi Vo is a Vietnamese-born Canadian who grew up in Calgary, Alberta. As a teen, he performed across Calgary’s stages breakdancing with his friends. His animated personality drew him further into the performing arts, landing acting roles in the films Tigers at the Gate, Pseudo: Blood of Our Own, American Virgins, and even as a contestant on Wipeout Canada. Behind the camera, Thi started his own media production company focusing on digital branding and design and continued his passion for visual storytelling by creating films. Made in Vietnam is his first feature work.
On The Horizon:
Besides being a talented filmmaker, Thi Vo is talented dancer and actor having landed several film and television roles. When he is not flexing his storytelling muscles, Thi works as the Creative Director of Double Whammy Studios.