Deanna Wong has been appointed as executive director of the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival (Reel Asian).

The appointment marks a return for Wong, who previously held the festival’s exec director role from 2005 to 2008. Wong takes over from outgoing director Louanne Chan who departed in 2018 following her maternity leave. Savine Wong has filled the role in the interim since 2017.

Wong returns to Reel Asian following her role as administrative director of Reel Canada from 2011 to 2018 where she helped to create strategic partnerships and launch National Canadian Film Day 150. In a statement, Wong said she is excited to return to the festival at a “watershed moment, when Asian artists are finally being recognized for their talent and contribution in all areas of film and media.”

Reel Asian is one of Telefilm’s designated partners, which also include Inside Out LGBT Festival, Female Eye Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival. Reel Asian selected Scarborough (directed by Rich Williamson and produced by Shasha Nakhai) as its chosen project for Telefilm’s Talent to Watch program in 2018. This year’s festival opened with the film Dear Ex, by directors Mag Hsu and Chih-Yen Hsu.