Réi on ‘Shutter Bird,’ Personal Loss, and Finding Catharsis Through Film

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) has long been a showcase for emerging filmmakers, and this year, Justin Réi Ching, who more commonly goes by just “Réi” brought his deeply personal short film, "Shutter Bird," to the festival’s lineup. Réi spoke about the cathartic process of filmmaking, his approach to visual storytelling, and working with actors like Dallas Liu and Isabella Ferreira.

Gillian McKercher’s “Lucky Star” Brings an Authentic Asian-Canadian Story to SBIFF

The 2025 Santa Barbara International Film Festival has once again proven to be a hub for groundbreaking cinema, and among this year’s standout selections is “Lucky Star”, a gripping drama that offers a fresh perspective on the Asian-Canadian experience. Following their successful premiere screening, Writer and Director Gillian McKercher and actors Olivia Cheng and Conni Miu sat down with Awards Focus for an exclusive interview. McKercher, Cheng, and Miu spoke candidly about the inspirations behind the film, their journeys navigating the industry as Asian artists, and the exciting projects on their horizons.