ANNOUNCEMENTS

The 13th edition of the Montreal Asian International Film Festival officially opened on May 14 at Cinéma du Musée with an evening celebrating cinema, community, music, and food. Marking an exciting new chapter for the festival under its rebranded name, the opening ceremony reflected the collective effort of the many volunteers, interns, and creative team members who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to bring the event to life. From preparing the welcome table to installing festival posters designed by the MAiFF design team, the evening highlighted the dedication required to launch an international film festival.

The Opening Film Program showcased three distinctive works. The evening’s feature presentation was There Are No Words, an award-winning documentary by filmmaker Min Sook Lee, who attended the screening and participated in a post-film Q&A with audiences. The program also included Saekdong / Colour of Korea by pioneering experimental filmmaker HAN Okhi, presented as part of a retrospective honouring Asian women’s experimental cinema since the 1970s, as well as Red Star Alley, a paper-cut animation by Jenny Yujia Shi.

The opening night welcomed a large and enthusiastic audience, including filmmakers, artists, festival supporters, and distinguished guests, setting the tone for an exciting edition of the festival and reaffirming MAiFF’s commitment to celebrating Asian cinema and cross-cultural artistic exchange in Montreal.