With the FascinAsian Film Festival preparing for its second year, celebrating film in Edmonton, it marks a momentous occasion for the organization. Over five years, the festival has grown into a multi-city showcase bringing movie lovers and filmmakers together in Winnipeg, Calgary, and Edmonton for storytelling, community connection, and emerging creative voices.
According to Alan Wong, the President and Board Chair, this marked the festival’s strongest turnout to date. The Winnipeg festival hosted 13 physical events, including screenings, professional development sessions, and an awards dinner. Twenty-nine films were shown, with 4 full-length features and 25 shorts, drawing in 347 unique attendees and 604 tickets.
Jessica Gibson, co-director of the Winnipeg festival, says much of that growth can be attributed to focusing on local voices and meaningful engagement. “We really like to focus on local filmmakers as much as filmmakers from around North America,” she says. “When we program those films in their hometowns, it’s really nice to see the support, to see people come out. And so are there friends who have made these films, and it just really makes it a community event.”
That local focus was highlighted in the film lineup with Winnipeg filmmakers such as Sidney Phommarath (Dear Nya), Angeline Javier (All The Words), Quan Luong (Portraits), and Gabriel Besos and Evan Rivard (Friendchips).
The Erin Hembrador Emerging Filmmaker Award remains one of the most meaningful recognitions presented in Winnipeg. This year’s recipient, Sidney Phommarath, joins a growing list of emerging artists honoured for their work in short film. The Award is presented in partnership with the Hembrador Family, the Winnipeg Film Group, and Frank Digital. It includes a plaque, a $500 cash prize, and an in-kind gear rental valued at over $3,000. Wong says this Award serves as a tribute to Erin Hembrador, a rising filmmaker who passed away in 2022. Further support from the Hembrador Family means this Award will be offered for another four years.
Watching films is just one aspect of the festival, says Gibson; the other, and equally important, is the industry and professional development programming. Winnipeg’s panels and workshops explored everything from cinematography to the growing role of artificial intelligence in creative storytelling. The session, FascinAsian Film School: Case Study: Montreal, Ma Belle, also gave audiences a detailed look at filmmaking from concept to distribution.
At its core, the festival remains rooted in community. “I think what’s great about stories, about Asian stories, about seeing what’s going on in the community, it’s what helps us connect with each other. This is a film festival for Asian filmmakers, but it’s a festival for everyone to attend,” says Gibson. “I think that when we see each other’s stories, we see that we’re more alike than we’re different. And so that is part of like the community building that I really love about the festival.”
An event lives or dies by those who support it, and those behind the scenes of the FascinAsian Film Festival continue to play a crucial role in its success. Volunteer coordinator Karen describes volunteers as “ambassadors for FascinAsian” who help create the experience from start to finish.
“I’m so proud of the support our volunteers provided to help the festival run smoothly. They serve as ambassadors for FascinAsian. They were always on hand to step in and help out, sometimes over and above their assigned tasks. I take great pride in building the team every year and ensuring they get the most out of their experience.”
As FascinAsian prepares for its Edmonton programming from May 12 to 16, the momentum built in Winnipeg signals that the festival’s growth shows no signs of slowing.
– Ryan Funk, U Multicultural
