As the Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF) comes to a close, we bring you the second part of our VAFF25 roundup, including highlights from VAFF On Demand, the festival’s closing ceremony, VAFF’s Ovasian Awards, and our upcoming Best Of VAFF25 week.
VAFF On Demand
After 4 days of in-person programming, VAFF25 continued online, offering audiences more content that was accessible from the comfort of their homes. Highlights from VAFF On Demand included several shorts programs, such as Light at the End of the Tunnel with themes of hardships, struggle, and hope, as well as the female-led Canadian shorts program Through a Woman’s Eyes, while the Family Portraits shorts talked about family, loss, and redemption. The last day of VAFF On Demand featured the international premiere of Lumpia With a Vengeance, which was followed by a live virtual Q&A with director Patricio Ginelsa.
VAFF Industry Panels
In addition to showcasing Asian talent in theatre and on demand, VAFF hosted several industry panels covering various topics, from transitioning to professional sets to the importance of representation.
During the “Meet & Pitch with Bell Media” event, filmmakers had the opportunity to meet and pitch their stories to the executives of Bell Media. At the virtual “Asian Representation: Sustaining The Momentum” panel, those who tuned in to hear our guest speakers discuss how characters that share our backgrounds and ethnic origins can make us feel seen and heard.
Final In-Person Day
To conclude VAFF25, attendees got to experience our last in-person program on November 14 inside the ScreenX Auditorium located at Scotiabank Theatre for GUIMOON: The Lightless Door. Theatregoers watched the South Korean horror / thriller unfold on a 270° panoramic screen with an immersive surround sound system using the groundbreaking ScreenX multi-projection technology.
Closing Ceremony & Ovasian Awards
Following VAFF25’s final in-person program was the OVASIAN Awards Ceremony and After Party at the Hollywood Theatre. Guests showed up in their best black & white classic and playful attire for the event to celebrate with the award-winning filmmakers, wrapping up this year’s VAFF. Filmmakers, industry and VAFF volunteers alike listened as actress Nhi Do led the evening’s award ceremony and introduced several special guests, both virtually and in person to say a few words.
Here’s the full list of award winners:
Best Cinematography for a Canadian Short Award – Angelica Perez Anzures, Parabola
Best Cinematography for a Canadian Feature Award – Yung Chang, Wuhan Wuhan
Best Director Award Category sponsored by Director Guild of Canada, BC
Best Director for a Canadian Short – Josh Aries and Daniel Irving, Mr. James is Dead
Best Director for a Canadian Feature – Elizabeth D. Costa, Bangla Surf Girls
Best Canadian Film Award Category sponsored by Warner Media Access Canada and Telefilm Canada
Best Canadian Short Film – Anne Koizumi, In the Shadow of the Pines
Best Canadian Feature Film – Elizabeth D. Costa, Bangla Surf Girls
People’s Choice Award Category sponsored by Canada Media Fund
People’s Choice Overall Performance Award – TRAILBLAZN
People’s Choice Overall Short Film Award – To Make Ends Meat
People’s Choice Overall Feature Film Award – Guimoon: The Lightless Door
“Outstanding Contribution” Diversity in Film Award – Quentin Lee and Justin Lin
Most Impactful Film with Asian Lead – Simu Liu, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Most Impactful TV Series – Hwang Dong-hyuk, Squid Game
Most Impactful Performer – Daniel Dae Kim
Specials thanks to our generous award sponsors:
Best Of VAFF25
In case you were unable to catch some of this year’s feature films, there’s still the opportunity to see the Best of VAFF25 from Nov 19, 2021 (11:00 am) till Nov 26, 2021 (11:59 pm).
For $5.00 per feature film, you can re-experience the following films:
- Drifting
- Try Harder
- Bangla Surf Girls
- Wuhan Wuhan
- Shorts program (also $5) – consisting of the following shorts: Parabola, Mr.James is Dead, In the Shadow of the Pines, To Make Ends Meat, TRAILBLAZN – TRT 98
In addition to these films, our VAFF Retrospective program is available to watch for FREE, including the following films: Bamboozle, The Anti-versary, Stasis, Bulgogi, Bunny Man, My Grandmother’s 80th Birthday Surprise, Srikandi, and All Our Father’s Relations.
For more information and full program details, click here.
Thank you to everyone who made VAFF25 a success this year. We hope to see familiar faces return for the 26th annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival in 2022!
Author, Jared Yu, Jared is a proud Chinese Canadian born in Vancouver, BC and raised in Seattle, WA. As a BSc graduate from UBC’s Biology program, he found solace in writing and creating visual arts during his free time.