REEL IDEAS The Reel Ideas conference unites industry professionals, including screenwriters, producers, filmmakers, and performers, to engage in candid discussions about the challenges and successes of starting from scratch, all while drawing inspiration from our roots. Paving a new pathway for today’s storytellers and advocates, celebrating their contributions and giving them their well-deserved recognition.
This year, Reel Ideas presents From the Ground Up, learning from our origins, creative journeys, and the path to forging unique trajectories.
HOW TO FAIL AS A POPSTAR: THE CLUMSY ART OF FINDING YOURSELF (screening and panel) Discover the comedically honest and heartwarming story of the CBC Gem original short-form series How to Fail as a Popstar. Unravel the creative evolution of the series, which was adapted from Vivek Shraya's hit play and subsequent book, tracing its journey from page to stage to screen. Vivek and the creative team will join for an insightful conversation about adapting for film, the realities of the music industry, and the power of one’s intersecting identities. Panelists: Vivek Shraya (creator/artist), Vanessa Matsui (director), Ayesha Mansur Gonsalves (actor) THURS, NOV 16 • 7 PM • HOT DOCS TED ROGERS CINEMA
JOURNEY BACK: EXPLORING ORIGIN IN FILMMAKING AND CREATING CHARACTER OUT OF “HOME” There is a profound connection filmmakers forge when revisiting their roots through a cinematic lens. This in-depth conversation explores how filmmakers turn places into their own dynamic character, and unpacks the emotive pull of returning, despite its tensions and contradictions. Panelists: Fawzia Mirza (director/writer), Zarrar Kahn (director/screenwriter) THURS, NOV 9 • 2:30 PM • FESTIVAL LOUNGE (401 RICHMOND ST W SUITE 440)
BUILDING FORCES: THE DIRECTOR PRODUCER RELATIONSHIP The producer/director relationship is a partnership constantly in flux. What is required for these roles to work harmoniously? Panelists will explore the vital but tumultuous collaboration behind every successful film. TUES NOV 14 • 1 PM • FESTIVAL LOUNGE (401 RICHMOND ST W SUITE 440)
TO THE WRITERS' ROOM: CANADIAN TV WRITERS ON CREATIVITY, COLLABORATION AND RESISTING TOKENISM (Online YouTube Live Roundtable) Step into the thrilling world of TV writing as talented writers share their insights into crafting a successful series, advancing careers in the writers' room, and promoting diversity in showrunning. Explore their creative processes, approach to pitching, and how they navigate tokenism and stereotypes while fostering collaborative writers’ rooms. Panelists: Rob Michaels (writer/director/comedian), Léa Geronimo (writer/director), additional TBA WED, NOV 15 • 4:30 PM • ONLINE YOUTUBE LIVE ROUNDTABLE
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN PITCH? A fun and exciting way to support emerging filmmakers, as the five finalists pitch their projects to esteemed jurors for a chance to win an amazing prize package toward kick-starting or finishing their film. Cheer on a new generation of filmmakers, and let the future of Asian Canadian cinema inspire! SUN, NOV 19 • 5 PM • CSI ANNEX
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