Bunni Pop's guide to TIFF 2024: Asian-led movies to keep your eyes out for
From Hyun Bin, Kim Go-eun to Anderson .Paak, big names are descending to Toronto!
While I have often focused on music here on this newsletter, I have at times directed attention to film and TV, just as long as it highlights Asian-led projects.
One of the biggest events that comes to Canada every year is the Toronto International Film Festival. This is often where audiences get to be one of the first people ever to preview a film that will very likely head to the Academy Awards.
From Parasite, American Fiction to The Fabelmans, many of the biggest films often play in the city. But amongst the glitz and glam, there are also several other underrated, foreign films that never get the same type of pomp and circumstance.
As someone who has been attending TIFF for 13 years and covering it for three, one of my favourite things about this event is the sense of discovery going into a screening. And while I’ve often gravitated to Hollywood films, I’ve started making a more conscious effort to watch more international films and support Asian artists.
So without further ado, I’m sharing a few titles that you should keep your eye out for!
(P.S. I’ll try to pop in here once in a while over the next two weeks. But I’ll likely be watching films! Catch me on Instagram, Letterboxd and Threads for more updates)
Love in the Big City
Inspired by the novel of the same name by Park Sang-young, Kim Go-eun and Steve Sanghyun Noh star in this romance exploring how young adults live and love in the big city of Seoul. This film just looks so cute and I love the friendship vibes the two leads are giving here.
Harbin
Set in 1909, Harbin is a historical spy thriller that sees South Korean actor Hyun Bin playing an independence activist leading an attack on Japanese forces in China, despite the looming concernm that one of his accomplices may be a Japanese informant. Also starring Park Jeong-min, Jeon Yeo-been, Jo Woo-jin and Lee Dong-wook.
Cloud
In this Japanese psychological thriller, Yoshii (played by Masaki Suda), a young man who resells goods online, finds himself at the center of a series of mysterious events that put his life at risk. The film is directed by Japanese auteur Kiyoshi Kurosawa, and has already been picked as Japan’s 2025 Oscar entry foe Best International Film.
I, The Executioner
Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, this South Korean action crime film is the sequel to his 2015 film Veteran. Hwang Jun-min reprises the lead role as a detective who hunts a serial killer targeting criminals.
The film is a standalone sequel that builds on the original, and explores the dark side of justice and the dangers of populism. Starring Hwang Jung-min and Jung Hae-in.
K-Pops
Singer and rapper Anderson .Paak stars and directs opposite his real-life son Soul Rasheed in K-Pops. The film revolves around a father who rides the coattails of his long-lost son’s rising fame in the K-pop industry. This film is a personal family project, and allowed Anderson .Paak to follow his own history and connection to Korea. Also starring Yvette Nicole Brown, Jee Young Han, Dumbfounded and Kevin Woo.
Sunshine
Directed by Filipina filmmaker Antoinette Jadaone, Sunshine follows the story of a young gymnast (played by rising singer/actress Maris Racal) who finds out she is pregnant just before she is trying out for the national team. The film examines themes including healthcare, conservative religious culture and lack of reproductive support—issues that also remain relevant in other parts of the world.
Dead Talents Society
Dead Talents Society is a 2024 Taiwanese horror comedy film directed and written by John Hsu. It follows a meek and newly dead teen (Gingle Wang) who learns how to haunt the living from an undead diva (played by Sandrine Pina).
The Mother and The Bear
Directed by Johnny Ma, the film tells the story of Sara, a woman who travels from Korea to Canada, to take care of her comatose daughter. She sets up to find her husband to take care of her before she wakes up. So she signs up to a dating app, unaware that this will change her life forever.
Bound in Heaven
This Chinese romantic crime drama tells the story of a terminally ill man and a woman trapped by violence, interwoven through their escape after an unforeseen incident. This film is a tale of resilience and love, that also tackles issues around domestic violence. It stars some of China’s biggest stars, including Ni Ni, Zhou You and Liao Fan.
The Paradise of Thorns
Thongkam and Sek, a devoted gay couple, have worked tirelessly to build a life together, including owning a house and a durian orchard in Mae Hong Son. Tragedy strikes when Sek dies suddenly in an accident, revealing the harsh reality that same-sex marriage is not legally recognised in Thailand. The film features some of Thailand’s biggest stars, including Engfa Waraha and Jeff Satur.
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