TORONTO -- The Toronto Film Festival has tapped Raymond Phathanavirangoon as Southeast Asia programmer for this year's event, which runs Sept. 4-13.

No stranger to Toronto, Hong Kong-born Phathanavirangoon was international programmer for the Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival. Most recently director of marketing and special projects for Fortissimo Films, Phathanavirangoon also programmed for the Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival and served on the Teddy Jury in Berlin in 2007.

Fortissimo announced the hiring of Esther Yeung as its director of marketing & special projects to replace the departing Phathanavirangoon. Yeung previously served as the Manager of the Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF).

"Asian cinema continues to thrive internationally," said Toronto fest co-director Cameron Bailey. "This appointment confirms out commitment to bringing the best in Asian cinema to our festival audience."

Fest's newest programmer -- fluent in English, Cantonese, Mandarin and Thai -- is responsible for selecting films from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. He will work alongside Toronto festival vet Giovanna Fulvi and will join the fest's delegation at Cannes this month.

In a further executive development at Fortissimo, Ingrid Y. Lim who has been with the company for more than 2 years has been promoted to be director of distribution and Asian sales and will make her first appearance in her new position at the upcoming Cannes Market.

"(Yeung's appointment is) an indication of how much more emphasis we intend to place on local and Asian sales and how integral she is to our Hong Kong operation,” Fortissimo co-chief Michael J. Werner said.

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