21 April 2019 | 2:00 p.m.
The theme for 2019 activities is Unity in Diversity: Fusion of Communities in Canada
Welcome: Justin Poy, Honourary Patron, Asian Heritage Month-CFACI
Featured talks by Chinese Canadian Legend Award Recipients
What’s happening in the world of film in China, and its opportunities for Canada?
Presentation by Justin Poy
Over the last two decades we have seen China develop into a blockbuster machine. Yet, Chinese films rarely get much international attention. Is it an intentional snub? Or are Chinese films not made for the international market? Was ‘Wolf Warrior 2’ actually a good action flick? Or was it good considering it came from China? With recent big budget flops like ‘Asura’ (backed in part by Alibaba’s Jack Ma), which cost US$122 million to make yet only brought in US$7.1 before it was yanked from theatres, to cross over movies like ‘The Great Wall,’ starring leading man, Matt Damon, that garnered a dismal audience and reviews—what is actually happening that has made “Chinawood” rethink their movie production formula? How can Canada optimize this opportunity, and what are the implications for Toronto, Hollywood North?
Watch Justin Poy’s presentation | Part I | Part II | Part III
Jews in Shanghai—Revisited and Parallels to Canada
Presentation by Stephen Siu
Stephen is the producer of the Jews in Shanghai project in Toronto and a researcher on that period of history who has met with Dr Ho Feng Shan’s daughter Manli Ho in Winnipeg and Toronto, and interviewed the head of the Jewish Studies Centre in Shanghai. Dr Ho was the Chinese Consul General to Vienna from 1938 to 1940, and he was called “Chinese Schindler” because he saved thousands of Jews. How will this talk rekindle memories of the Holocaust, and in what ways Toronto is serving similar roles as Shanghai in addressing multiculturalism and providing asylum?
Watch Stephen Siu’s presentation | Part I | Part II | Part III
Kathak Dance: Sunset in Fall
Performance by Mushtari Afroz
Watch Mushtari Afroz’s presentation | Part I | Part II
Asian-Canadian Artists in Digital Age Photography Workshop-ProShow Application
Presentation by Philip Chan
Watch Philip Chan’s presentation | Part I | Part II | Part III
The Opening also featured the launch of Diversity – Fusion – Unity, the 2019 featured exhibitions with photographs by members of the Chinese Canadian Photographic Society of Toronto (CCPST) and by Stephen Siu, Edwin Ho and Tam Kam Chiu, Grand Master of the Photographic Society of America.
Visual Art by WE Artists’ Group: Henry Ho, Erik Chong, Sharon Cook, Jessica Deng , Irene Hung, Brian Lau, and introducing new artists: Guo Yue Dou, Wendell Chen, Gyan Sandhu, Kulwant Singh
This event explored the fusion of two types of visual art: painting as an imaginative reproduction of reality and photography as a realistic representation of life. In juxtaposing these two visual art forms, the innovative ways Asian artists manipulate the multicultural setting of Canada can be seen, such as applying oil painting techniques on Chinese themes, or using Chinese brush painting to show Canadian themes. How photography aspires to be a verisimilitude of life and an imaginative interpretation informed by Asian philosophy will also be shown. Dr. Lien Chao works with the Artists Association, and the Chinese Canadian Photographic Society of Toronto to feature their members’ works. During the festival weekend, the artists and photographers will be present to talk about Asian art media and demonstrate their techniques; these educational activities aim at helping the public to develop necessary knowledge and critical skills to appreciate Asian art.
All photographs by Edwin Ho, CCPST
Co-Organizers: Asian Heritage Month—Canadian Foundation for Asian Culture (Central Ontario) Inc.; Chinese Canadian Photography Society of Toronto; WE Artists’ Group; Social Services Network
Asian Heritage Month Festival is partially funded by the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.