Reel Asian is proud to present the Asian programme at the Victoria Film Festival, curated by Reel Asian’s programming team.
To all our west coast Canadian followers, you’re in luck! Reel Asian has packaged a few of our 2015 festival favourites and we’re bringing it to the 22nd edition of the Victoria Film Festival, which takes place from February 5 – 14, 2016 in British Columbia.
The programme showcases a variety of films including: indie drama Miss India America, a charming animation of Hong Kong’s beloved cartoon pig, Tamil action film Kirumi, and Driving With Selvi – winner of the 2015 Truth To Power Documentary Award. There is something for everyone!
MCDULL: ME & MY MUM
Dir. Brian Tse
Sunday February 7, 2016 @ 1:00pm | Odeon2
SYNOPSIS: It’s the return of McDull, Hong Kong’s most beloved cartoon pig! Narrated by the now-adult McDull, this is the story of his childhood and how his mother made him into who he is now—Bobby Mak, a renowned detective and star in his own popular cartoon show. As a child, McDull watched as Mrs. Mak tried to make ends meet by working countless jobs, including appearing as a superheroine in a traveling roadshow where she dispensed handy lifehacks. Occasionally, Mrs. Mak made suspicious trips to ‘astronaut training’ which took her away from McDull for a time. Of course, Mrs. Mak wasn’t really slated for a space flight. It was a bittersweet game of pretend. Me & My Mum is a charming, nostalgic look into the strength of maternal love. Trailer
MISS INDIA AMERICA
Dir. Ravi Kapoor
Tuesday February 9, 2016 @9:15pm | Odeon 2
SYNOPSIS: Lily Prasad’s ambitious life plans are thrown into confusion when her boyfriend Karim becomes smitten and runs off with the reigning Miss India Golden State beauty queen. Determined not to lose, Lily decides that she must become the new queen; however, she’ll have to do more than simply outsmart the other girls. To demonstrate her commitment to tradition, talents must be learned, dresses must be stolen, lies must be told and the competition must be crushed! Miss India America is a tale of ambition, and what it means to win in both the South Asian community and at large. Lily will discover you’re not always a winner when you win, and there may be more to learn when you lose.
KIRUMI
Dir. Anucharan
Thursday February 11, 2016 @9:45pm | Odeon 1
SYNOPSIS: Combining elements of a commercial Indian action flick with a surprisingly deplorable protagonist and rare narrative on the hush-hush world of police informants, Kirumi is a complex, gritty and refreshing entertainer. Chock full of get-richquick ideas with little follow through, Kathir is an irresponsible young man, scheming and ratting on others until it lands him and his loved ones in danger in Chennai’s underworld. Filmmaker Anucharan has shunned conformity and chosen to show you the grey area beyond conventional villains and heroes. Kirumi embodies the new wave of South Indian independent cinema that is attracting international audiences and expanding notions of archetypal Tamil movies. Trailer
DRIVING WITH SELVI
Dir. Elisa Paloschi
Sunday February 14, 2016 @ 12:00pm | The Vic Theatre
SYNOPSIS: As a young girl, Selvi had her childhood stolen from her as a result of gender violence and poverty. In deep despair, she escapes with the intention of throwing herself under a bus on the highway. Instead, she gets on the bus, choosing to live, and goes on to become Karnataka’s first female taxi driver. Documentarian Elisa Paloschi follows Selvi as she navigates through the harsh realities that millions of women and girls in India face. In a society where women are often considered expendable or worthless, Selvi refuses to accept this estimation. Sincerely charming, remarkably strong, and utterly courageous, Selvi shares important, hard-won secrets about happiness and life. Her refusal to surrender offers hope and the clear message that real change is possible. Trailer
View Reel Asian’s World Perspective film series section on pages 48 – 49 HERE.
