Note: Interviews and events referenced in this article took place before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes and contains quotes from talent who are not members of those organizations. We stand in solidarity with members of both organizations.
By now, you’ve likely heard of the latest Asian American-led film, Joy Ride. The film follows four friends travelling from Seattle to different parts of Asia in search of their next big career step, family, and self.
What you’re less likely to have heard is that Joy Ride was filmed entirely in Vancouver, BC, Canada, Cold Tea Collective’s home, and the city that never plays itself.
Alongside our partners at Cineplex Pictures, Touchwood PR, Vancouver Asian Film Festival, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Gardens, and 8ight Magazine came together to host a hometown advanced screening, a Q&A session, and an afterparty for the film.
Cold Tea Collective moderated a Q&A with some local talents that helped put Joy Ride on the big screen. Check out the highlights of this special event below.
Read more: Joy Ride arrives at an intersection of inclusive storytelling for the Asian American diaspora
Vancouver was the perfect place to film Joy Ride
If you didn’t notice, Joy Ride was filmed entirely in Vancouver. The Seattle and Shanghai airports? Vancouver. The rivers of China? Vancouver. Korean cafe street scenes? That was in Vancouver as well. The nightclub in China? Yes, it’s in Vancouver, where I spent many late nights in my 20’s.
Vancouver is a top city for talent behind the scenes and on our screens. More specifically, Asian Canadian talent as the Greater Vancouver area is home to the largest proportion of Asians per capita in North America. A report from 2021 shares that over half of Metro Vancouver’s population identifies as a visible minority and more than 40% of that group identifies as Asian.
With Joy Ride’s premier, we wanted to celebrate the local cast,…
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