10+ Asian Movies We Are Excited to Watch at the TIFF 2024
Are you ready for another year of cinematic wonders at the Toronto International Film Festival? We know we are! And this year, we are especially stoked about the amazing lineup of Asian movies we are excited about at the TIFF 2024. From heartwarming dramas to mind-bending thrillers, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
1. Boong (India)
A young boy’s determined journey to find his missing father amidst the complexities of ethno-racial discord and the power of belief.
- Boong
- Directed by: Lakshmipriya Devi
- World Premiere
- Country: India
- Year: 2024
- Duration: 94 minutes
- Language: Manipuri
- Category: Discovery | TIFF Next Wave Selects
2. Bound in Heaven (China)
A successful woman’s hidden struggle with an abusive partner leads her to an unexpected and poignant connection with a terminally ill man.
- Bound in Heaven
- Directed by: Huo Xin
- World Premiere
- Country: China
- Year: 2024
- Duration: 109 minutes
- Language: Chinese
- Category: Centrepiece
3. Cloud (Japan)
A Tokyo factory worker’s dream of a peaceful life in the countryside is shattered by mysterious and threatening events.
- Cloud (クラウド)
- Directed by: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
- North American Premiere
- Country: Japan
- Year: 2024
- Duration: 123 minutes
- Language: Japanese
- Category: Centrepiece, Luminaries
4. Dead Talents Society (Taiwan)
A supernatural comedy following a shy teen’s humorous journey through the afterlife under the guidance of an undead diva.
- Dead Talents Society (鬼才之道)
- Directed by: John Hsu
- North American Premiere
- Country: Taiwan
- Year: 2024
- Duration: 110 minutes
- Language: Mandarin Chinese
- Category: Midnight Madness
5. Don’t Cry, Butterfly (Vietnam)
A whimsical blend of surrealism and absurdity as a woman seeks magical help to mend her broken marriage.
- Don’t Cry, Butterfly
- Original Title: Mưa trên cánh bướm
- Directed by: Dương Diệu Linh
- North American Premiere
- Countries: Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia
- Year: 2024
- Duration: 97 minutes
- Language: Vietnamese
- Category: Centrepiece
6. Escape from the 21st Century (China)
Teenagers stumble upon a way to travel to the future, only to discover a bleak reality they must strive to change.
- Escape from the 21st Century (Cong 21 shiji anquan cheli)
- Directed by: Yang Li
- International Premiere
- Country: China
- Year: 2024
- Duration: 98 minutes
- Language: Chinese
- Category: Midnight Madness, TIFF Next Wave Selects
7. Harbin (South Korea)
A historical thriller following a Korean independence activist on a mission to assassinate a high-ranking Japanese official during the occupation.
- Harbin
- Original Title: 하얼빈
- Directed by: Woo Min-ho
- World Premiere
- Country: South Korea
- Year: 2024
- Duration: 108 minutes
- Languages: Korean, Japanese
- Category: Gala Presentations
8. K-Pops (South Korea)
A washed-up drummer’s move to South Korea leads to an unexpected reunion with his long-lost son and a chance to reconnect with his roots.
- K-Pops
- Directed by: Anderson .Paak
- World Premiere
- Country: United States of America
- Year: 2024
- Duration: 114 minutes
- Languages: English, Korean
- Category: Special Presentations
9. The Mother and the Bear (South Korea)
A mother’s journey to reconnect with her estranged daughter leads to unexpected encounters and self-discovery.
- The Mother and the Bear
- Directed by: Johnny Ma
- World Premiere
- Country: Canada, Chile
- Year: 2024
- Duration: 100 minutes
- Language: English, Korean
- Category: Centrepiece
10. Santosh (India)
A widowed woman takes on her late husband’s role as a police officer in a male-dominated environment.
- Santosh
- Directed by: Sandhya Suri
- Canadian Premiere
- Country: United Kingdom
- Year: 2024
- Duration: 128 minutes
- Language: Hindi
- Category: Centrepiece
11. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Iran)
A state investigator grapples with his conscience as he’s forced to approve death sentences for activists during the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement.
- The Seed of the Sacred Fig
- Directed by: Mohammad Rasoulof
- Canadian Premiere
- Country: Iran, France, Germany
- Year: 2024
- Duration: 167 minutes
- Language: Farsi
- Category: Centrepiece
12. Viet and Nam (Vietnam)
A poignant love story between two miners set against the backdrop of a healing but restrictive Vietnam.
- Viet and Nam
- Directed by: Trương Minh Quý
- North American Premiere
- Countries: Philippines, Singapore, France, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Vietnam
- Year: 2024
- Duration: 129 minutes
- Language: Vietnamese
- Category: Wavelengths
13. Sunshine (Philippines)
Sunshine is a dramatic film about a young gymnast named Sunshine, whose dreams of joining the national team are shattered when she discovers she’s pregnant.
- Sunshine
- Directed by: Antoinette Jadaone
- World Premiere
- Country: Philippines
- Year: 2024
- Duration: 86 minutes
- Language: Tagalog
- Category: Centrepiece
These films offer a diverse and captivating look into Asian cinema at TIFF 2024!
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