Happy 25th Reelworld! This is a big year for this Toronto-based film festival, and not just because it’s turning a quarter century.
Founded by award-winning actress and producer Tonya Williams to advocate for racial equity in Canadian content, Reelworld Film Festival provides education and opportunities for success in the film industry to Indigenous peoples and Canadians who are Black, Asian, South Asian and People of Colour.
But what makes this year extra special is that Reelworld Institute alumni are involved with several of the films that will be screened.
“The 25th anniversary is going to be a big one for us. A lot of our films this year are actually kind of full-circle moments for a lot of our program participants throughout the year,” said Reelworld Communications Manager Natalie Nadeen. “It was important for a lot of them to submit their film for consideration this year, because of what they learned through Reelworld and what they experienced through Reelworld.”
Not only will recent alumni be screening their films, but the Retrospective Shorts program will feature Reelworld award winners and alumni projects created throughout the 25 years of the festival, followed by a Q&A session with the filmmakers.
“So this shorts program actually has a music video and some short films from back in the day, from people like Cazhmere Downey,” Nadeen explained.
“We have RT Thorne, who was a big music video producer turned filmmaker. We have Jennifer Podemski, we have Supinder Wraich,” Nadeen explained, adding that a lot of people are taking projects created when they were emerging artists, and using the festival as an opportunity to revisit and showcase some of their old work.
We also asked Nadeen which three feature films people need to get tickets to. These are her picks:
It Comes in Waves
The opening night film follows Akai, a promising track star from Rwanda, and his family as they flee to Canada to escape the Rwandan genocide. Though they hope a new country brings a better life, they find themselves facing the repercussions of their traumatic past in this piece directed by Fitch Jean.
In the Room
This powerful documentary features five Afghan women speaking about their struggles living under Taliban rule. Directed by Brishkay Ahmed, In the Room is not just a character study but a platform for these brave women to speak their truths and amplify their mission to reclaim their homeland.
Have You Heard Judi Singh?
Judi Singh was a Black-Punjabi jazz singer based in Edmonton. Being a gifted vocalist, she was able to garner a niche following in the 1960s Edmontonian jazz scene, but was overlooked by the industry. Directed by Baljit Sangra, this documentary is a full portrait of an underappreciated artist, featuring moments of struggle, perseverance and brilliance.
The Reelworld Film Festival runs from Oct. 16 to Oct. 26. Tickets are available here.
