TMU alumni share their Lunar New Year watchlist
If you were born in 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989 or 2001 — the Year of the Snake is yours! Unlike western iconography, where snakes are often depicted as treacherous or devious, in the Chinese horoscope, snakes are enigmatic, observant, charming and imaginative.
Famous snakes include singer Taylor Swift, basketball star Caitlin Clark and Rush musician Geddy Lee. Also a snake: James Hong, the Asian American actor who has appeared in more than 450 TV shows and films — including Kung Fu Panda, the classic Seinfeld episode titled “The Chinese Restaurant” and the Oscar-winning film Everything, Everywhere All At Once.
To commemorate Lunar New Year, which begins on Jan. 29, we’ve asked two Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) alumni what’s on their watchlist of new shows or old favourites. And in our ginseng contest, we want you to let us know what you’ll be viewing! See below for contest details.
Happy watching and Happy Lunar New Year!
Winnifred Jong
Image Arts ’92
Filmmaker
Zodiac sign: Horse
Winnifred Jong is an award-winning Toronto-based filmmaker. Known for her cinematic style and emotionally authentic storytelling, Jong is adept at directing drama, comedy and action. Since being named one of Playback’s 5-to-Watch in 2018, she has gone on to be nominated for six Canadian Screen Awards (twice for directing Pretty Hard Cases) and won twice for directing her bold, satirical comedy, Tokens (external link, opens in new window) , which she created as part of the prestigious Women In the Director’s Chair Program. She won a 2020 Directors’ Guild of Canada Award for her work on Hallmark’s Mystery 101: Dead Talk and another in 2024 for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Family Series for her work on the AppleTV+ series, Jane. She was recognized with the 2020 ACTRA Sandi Ross Award and the 2023 Reelworld Trailblazer Award for her advocacy and leadership.
Winnifred’s Lunar New Year watchlist
I’m absolutely obsessed with Pachinko, which is based on the New York Times bestseller. It is a sweeping saga which chronicles the hopes and dreams of a Korean immigrant family across four generations as they leave their homeland in an indomitable quest to survive and thrive. The performances are so amazing and the writing is very layered and thought provoking. Since I’m in the film/TV industry, I’ve been watching and supporting all the creative works coming out from the Asian community, which have been stellar and inspiring.
Image source: AppleTV
Tony Wong
Journalism ’87
Television Critic/Journalist, The Toronto Star (retired)
Zodiac sign: Rabbit
Tony Wong was born in the Year of the Rabbit. It’s supposed to be the luckiest lunar sign. After all, he got to watch TV for a living as the television critic for the Toronto Star, Canada’s largest newspaper. Along the way, he did stints covering crime, politics, technology and business. Now retired, and after more than 30 years in journalism, he watches TV (sadly) for free. Wong graduated from the journalism program in 1987, where he won the CBC Broadcast Award and the Toronto Star Award for Print journalism — which he still keeps somewhere in his office to remind him of his love for his alma mater and Salad King.
Tony’s Lunar New Year watchlist
For the family:
Turning Red, Pixar’s animated coming-of-age story looks at the perils of adolescence. Thirteen-year-old Mei turns into a giant red panda when she gets excited. Which is a lot. And how can you not root for a movie directed by a Torontonian, the uber-talented Domee Shi?
Image source: Disney+
For couples:
Forget the annual Love Actually binge. No romance has ever been shot as lovingly as In the Mood for Love. Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai’s masterpiece builds a sense of restraint and slow burning passion with such lavish cinematography. A feast for the soul as well as the eyes.
Image source: Criterion Collection
A Canadian classic:
Double Happiness, the directorial debut of the brilliant Vancouver director and writer Mina Shum, is 30 years old — and the themes of blood and belonging still resonate. Sandra Oh in her breakout role plays Jade Li, an actress who is trapped in two worlds. I was blown away when I first saw this in theatres — funny, sly and insightful, and a watershed in Canadian cinema.
Image source: Toronto International Film Festival
What’s on your Lunar New Year watchlist?
Tell us what you’ll be screening for a chance to win premium ginseng from one of Canada’s largest and most reputable ginseng farms. This ginseng is valued at $200 and makes a perfect gift for someone who is celebrating the Year of the Snake, or keeping to enjoy for yourself!
How to enter
- Visit one of TMU’s Alumni social media accounts: Instagram (external link, opens in new window) or Facebook (external link, opens in new window) .
- Provide your FULL NAME, your PROGRAM and GRADUATION YEAR.
- Comment on the contest image with what’s on your Lunar New Year watchlist.
Enter the contest now
Contest runs from Monday, January 27, 2025 9:00 am Eastern time to Monday, February 3, 2025 11:59 pm Eastern Time. Winners will be randomly selected from the entries received. For full details see contest rules.