Fall festival season picked up this last week with Venice and Telluride, and now Toronto is just around the corner, from 5-15 September 2024. This year, we’re seeing an exciting number of festival-favorite auteurs return, including Jia Zhang-ke (“Caught with the Wind”), Kiyoshi Kurosawa (“Cloud”), Mohammad Rassoulof (“The Seed of the Sacred Fig”), and Hong Sang-soo (“By the Stream”). For those who are in Toronto and are interested in the older classics, TIFF Classics offers some delectable 4k restorations of South Asian and Iranian selects this year, including Raj Kapoor‘s classic “Awara” (1951) and Sohrab Shahid Saless‘ “Time of Maturity” (1976).
In addition to these, genre films seem to make up a healthy number of Asian selections this year. Korean blockbuster star Hyun-bin returns in Woo Min-ho’s latest historical spy movie, “Harbin,” and Tumpbal Tampubolon‘s “Crocodile Tears” promises a “slow-burning suspense thriller.” Three of the infamously-campy Midnight Madness screenings this year are taken up by Asian films – including “Dead Talents Society” (John Hsu), “Escape from the 21st Century” (Yang Li), and “The Gesuidouz” (Kenichi Ugana). Palestinian writer-director Mahdi Fleifel also returns with a more intuitive thriller, with his newest feature, “To a Land Unkown.”
Notable debuts abound as well. Eight-time Grammy Award winner Anderson .Paak makes his filmmaking foray with “K-Pops”. Renowned scriptwriter Hou Xin also tries her hand at directing with “Bound in Heaven.” Asian diaspora filmmakers and themes have also made it to the slate – ranging from Elizabeth Lo, who previously directed the dogs-in-Istanbul documentary “Stray” (“Mistress Dispeller”), to French actress-director Julie Delpy, who directed a comedy about assimilation in “Meet the Barbarians.”
These are just some of the highlights. Without further ado, let us share with you the entire publicly-accessible of Asian, Asian diaspora, and Asian-themed films that we could find through this year’s TIFF list.
A Sister’s Tale (Leila Amini, Switzerland, France, and Iran, International Premiere) – TIFF Docs
In A Sisters’ Tale, seven years in the making, director Leila Amini films her sister Nasreen in Tehran as she pursues her dreams of becoming a singer in a country where women are banned from performing in public.
Moving from urban bustle to seaside idyll, this exquisitely beautiful and heartfelt fiction feature debut from Payal Kapadia (“A Night of Knowing Nothing”) follows two nurses experiencing personal turning points tinged with the possibility of romance.
An Unfinished Film (Lou Ye, Singapore and Germany, North American Premiere) – Centrepiece
Lou Ye recalls the days of the Chinese lockdown through a hybrid of documentary, web videos from the COVID era, and fragments from his past films, spinning a powerful drama in recognition of a nation’s collective trauma.
April (Dea Kulumbegashvili, Italy, France and Georgia, North American Premiere) – Centrepiece
A powerful convergence of existence and womanhood, April is the timely second feature of writer-director Dea Kulumbegashvili, who tells the story of an ob-gyn in eastern Georgia who performs illegal abortions.
Awara (Raj Kapoor, 1951, India, 4k restoration World Premiere) – TIFF Classics
This screening commemorates the 100th anniversary of director Raj Kapoor’s birth in 1924. Raj Kapoor directs and stars in this recently restored Bollywood classic, which threads messages of socialist reform among its musical numbers and Charlie Chaplin homages, and is often considered to be the greatest film by “The Greatest Showman of Indian Cinema.”
Boong (Lakshmipriya Devi, India, World Premiere) – Discovery, TIFF Next Wave Selects
In her debut film, Lakshmipriya Devi crafts a vibrant and poignant portrayal of childhood resilience following a schoolboy, Boong, as he defies borders and ethno-racial discord in Manipur to reunite his family.
Bound in Heaven (Hou Xin, China, World Premiere) – Centrepiece
The debut feature of renowned scriptwriter Huo Xin, Bound in Heaven is a poignant tale of love and resilience starring Ni Ni, Zhou You, and Liao Fan. This deeply touching film tackles domestic violence and terminal illness with assured direction and outstanding performances.
By the Stream (Hong Sangsoo, S. Korea, North American premiere) – Centrepiece, Luminaries
The latest film by prolific South Korean auteur Hong Sangsoo reunites actors Kim Minhee and Kwon Haehyo in a bittersweet, autumnal tale of loneliness, connection, and creativity that transpires during an annual skit festival at a women’s university.
Caught by the Tides (Jia Zhang-ke, China, North American premiere) – Special Presentations
A transformative exploration of two decades of his cinema and a valentine to Zhao Tao, Caught by the Tides stands as Jia Zhang-Ke’s latest masterpiece, offering a poignant portrait of contemporary China.
Cloud (Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Japan, North American premiere) – Centrepiece, Luminaries
Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Cloud is a suspenseful thriller in which a young internet reseller, Ryosuke Yoshii (Masaki Suda) ignites a cyber-fueled storm of malice. Blurring digital and physical threats, it’s a chilling dive into the dark side of modern connectivity.
Crocodile Tears (Tumpal Tampubolon, Indonesia, France, Singapore, Germany, World premiere) – Centrepiece
In this slow-burning suspense thriller from debut filmmaker Tumpal Tampubolon, a young man and his overbearing mother’s lives on their isolated crocodile farm are turned upside down with the appearance of a young woman.
Daughter’s Daughter (Huang Xi, Taiwan, World Premiere) – Platform
This emotionally faceted, masterfully assembled second feature from Huang Xi stars screen legend Sylvia Chang as a woman forced to decide the fate of her recently deceased daughter’s embryo.
Dead Talents Society (John Hsu, Taiwan, North American Premiere) – Midnight Madness
A meek and newly dead teen (Gingle Wang) learns from an undead diva (Sandrine Pinna) how to haunt the living, in this bloody and hilarious supernatural comedy from writer-director John Hsu (Detention).
Don’t Cry, Butterfly (Duong Dieu Linh, Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, North American premiere) – Centrepiece
Homemaker and breadwinner Tam learns through live TV that her husband is having an affair. She’s determined to turn her situation around, but instead of confronting him, she’s certain mystical means are the answer.
Double Happiness (Mina Shum, Canada, 1994) – Special Events
Writer-director Mina Shum’s 1994 feature debut gave Sandra Oh her breakout role as a Chinese Canadian actor caught between her parents’ expectations and her own hopes and dreams.
Edge of Night (Türker Süer, Germany, North American Premiere) – Centrepiece
Brothers Kenan (Berk Hakman) and Sinan (Ahmet Rıfat Şungar) Yeşilyaprak, both officers in the Turkish army, have been conflicted since birth. Their father was a prominent — later persecuted — general and their mother a member of the oft-discriminated-against Kurdish minority.
Escape from the 21st Century (Yang Li, China, International Premiere) – Midnight Madness, TIFF Next Wave Selects
Three high-schoolers gain the ability to sneeze themselves 20 years into the future in this maximalist martial-arts time-travel caper from writer-director Yang Li (Lee’s Adventure).
Front Row (Merzak Allouache, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, France, World Premiere) – Centrepiece, Luminaries
In his 19th feature film, prolific Algerian movie maestro Merzak Allouache (Omar Gatlato; The Rooftops; Divine Wind, TIFF ’18) opts for a chaotic family dramedy about feuding matriarchs behaving badly at the beach.
Gülizar (Belkis Bayrak, Turkey and Kosovo, World Premiere) – Discovery
Bride-to-be Gülizar believes a brighter future is on the horizon. When a violent assault occurs on her journey from Turkey to Kosovo where she planned a fresh start, she is forced to navigate a new path forward.
Happyend (Neo Sora, Japan and USA, North American Premiere) – Centrepiece and TIFF Next Wave Selects
In near-future Tokyo, rebellious students struggle to find their path in a society dangerously close to complete and total surveillance.
Harbin (Woo Min-ho, S. Korea, World Premiere) – Gala Presentation
This historical spy-thriller directed by Woo Min-ho stars Hyun Bin as a independence activist and political assassin.
I, the Executioner (Ryoo Seung-wan, S. Korea, North American premiere) – Special Presentations
Detective Seo Do-cheol (Hwang Jung-min) returns in a gripping, high-octane sequel to Ryoo Seung-wan’s 2015 blockbuster Veteran. A fresh take on the crime action genre, I, The Executioner explores the dark side of justice and the dangers of populism.
K-Pops (Anderson .Paak, USA, World Premiere) – Special Presentations
A father hopes to ride the coattails of his long-lost son’s rocketing stardom in this feature debut from eight-time Grammy winner Anderson .Paak.
Love in the Big City (E.oni, S. Korea, World Premiere) – Special Presentations
No one believes roommates Jae-hee and Heung-soo are just friends, but they’re used to being misunderstood. Kim Go-eun and Steve Sanghyun Noh star in this romance exploring how young adults live and love in the big city of Seoul.
Masala (Srinivas Krishna, Canada, 1991, 4k Restoration World Premiere) – TIFF Classics
Srinivas Krishna’s debut — a bold, irreverent take on maintaining multiple identities that follows a recovering heroin addict attempting to make peace with his extended family — was recently restored in gorgeous 4K.
Meet the Barbarians (Julie Delpy, France, International Premiere) – Gala Presentations
A small town in France preparing to welcome a Ukrainian refugee family is surprised when a Syrian family shows up instead, in Julie Delpy’s touching comedy of integration.
Mistress Dispeller (Elizabeth Lo, China and USA, North American Premiere) – TIFF Docs
Sure to be a conversation starter and filmed with an astonishing emotional intimacy, Mistress Dispeller follows the work of a Chinese woman who practices unorthodox techniques to repair marital infidelity.
My Sunshine (Hiroshi Okuyama, Japan and France, North American Premiere) – Centrepiece
From Hiroshi Okuyama, a rising star in Japanese cinema, this beautifully crafted film follows adolescent figure skaters as they navigate budding emotions. It evokes the nuanced storytelling of master director Kore-eda Hirokazu.
Paying for It (Sook-yin Lee, Canada, World Premiere) – Platform
A cultural snapshot of turn-of-the-millennium Toronto with subtle comic energy and a great cast, Sook-Yin Lee’s adaptation of Chester Brown’s autobiographical 2011 graphic novel is a movie only Lee could make… because it’s her story, too.
Perfumed with Mint (Moattar Binanaa, Muhammed Hamdy, Egypt, France, Tunisia, Qatar, North American Premiere) – Wavelengths
In this stirring elegy for a desolate Cairo from Emmy-winning cinematographer-turned-director Muhammed Hamdy, mint is sprouting from the bodies of a tormented generation of dreamers, attracting moving shadows that chase people through the streets.
Santosh (UK, Canadian premiere) – Centrepiece
In rural Northern India, the widow of a slain police officer takes his place on a force rife with compromised ethics. The arrival of a charismatic female inspector, who takes the title character under her wing, challenges the prevailing patriarchy even as the pair discover how deep it runs.
Seven Days (Ali Samadi Ahadi, Germany, World Premiere) – Centrepiece
Ali Samadi Ahadi’s latest explores an agonizing struggle. When imprisoned human rights activist Maryam is granted a rare medical leave, she has the chance to escape Iran but at the expense of her battle for equality and democracy.
Shook (Amar Wala, Canada, World Premiere) – Discovery
Struggling writer Ashish is thrown for several loops when he falls for barista Claire and learns his estranged father has just been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, in Amar Wala’s first dramatic feature.
Sunshine (Antoinette Jadaone, Philippines, World Premiere) – Centrepiece
The latest from Filipina filmmaker Antoinette Jadaone is a dramatic story of a young gymnast who finds out she’s pregnant just before trying out for the national team.
Superboys of Malegaon (Reema Kagti, India, World Premiere) – Gala Presentations
Helmed by Reema Kagti (Talaash: The Answer Lies Within) in her latest collaboration with producer Zoya Akhtar (Gully Boy), this uplifting story chronicles the life of Nasir Shaikh, whose no-budget, community-sourced movies turned his hometown into an unlikely dream factory.
The Gesuidouz (Kenichi Ugana, Japan, World Premiere) – Midnight Madness
From rising cult filmmaker Kenichi Ugana, a misfit horror-themed rock band moves to the Japanese countryside to write the greatest punk anthem in the world.
The Last of the Sea Women (Sue Kim, USA, World Premiere) – TIFF Docs
A spirited portrait of an endangered tradition and a galvanizing plea for better stewardship of our oceans, Sue Kim’s documentary dives deep into the culture of the haenyeo, the South Korean fisherwomen who have been harvesting seafood for their communities for centuries.
The Mother and the Bear (Johnny Ma, Canada and Chile, World Premiere) – Centrepiece
When her grown daughter Sumi has a bad fall in Winnipeg, anxious widow Sara (Kim Ho-jung) travels from Korea to be with her — and discovers she doesn’t really know Sumi at all.
The Paradise of Thorns (Boss Kuno, Thailand, International Premiere) – Discovery
When a tragedy takes Sek away from Thongkam, it’s as though the whole world is denying the love between the two men. Thongkam has no option but to fight for the fruits of his labour and love.
The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Mohammad Rasoulof, Iran, France and Germany, Canadian Premiere) – Centrepiece
From renowned filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof, The Seed of the Sacred Fig (winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival) is a social drama turned cat-and-mouse thriller that will have you at the edge of your seat.
Time of Maturity (Sohrab Shahid Saless, 1976, Germany, International premiere of 4k restoration) – TIFF Classics
Recently restored, Sohrab Shahid Saless’ Time of Maturity reveals — with a sparse, unhurried, deeply generous approach — the harsh realities of the world as seen through the eyes of a nine-year-old boy, sharing a room with his sex worker mother in Berlin’s Wedding district.
To a Land Unknown (Mahdi Fleifel, UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Greece, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, North American Premiere) – Centrepiece
From burgeoning Palestinian auteur Mahdi Fleifel (A World Not Ours, TIFF Docs ’12; A Drowning Man, Short Cuts ’17) comes an intuitive thriller about displaced cousins who will stop at nothing for a reliable path out of purgatory.
Vice is Broke (Eddie Huang, USA, World Premiere) – TIFF Docs
Eddie Huang of Huang’s World undertakes a first-person investigation into how Vice went from scrappy Montreal indie magazine to media giant. He interviews former contributors who were crucial to its rise and witnessed its downfall.
Amidst the darkness 1,000 metres underground sparkles an intimate romance between Viêt and Nam in this mystical story of two young miners in search of a brighter future.
Winter in Sokcho (Koya Kamura, France, World Premiere) – Platform
In this debut from filmmaker Koya Kamura, a young woman struggling to claim her identity and independence has her routine disrupted when a French artist checks into the small guesthouse in snowy Sokcho where she works.
Youth (Hard Times) (Wang Bing, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, North American Premiere) – Wavelengths, Luminaries
Hard Times, the second chapter of Wang Bing’s monumental Youth, continues exploring the harsh living conditions of young migrant workers in the Yangtze Delta’s garment district while offering a broader perspective on the local economy’s dynamics.
Youth (Homecoming) (Wang Bing, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, North American Premiere) – Wavelengths, Luminaries
Homecoming, the final chapter of Wang Bing’s Youth, follows young textile workers from Zhili workshops to their rural homes for New Year’s celebrations. It’s a powerful documentary and an unprecedented record of the young labour force that fuels the global economy.
