AAIFF47 Program Book

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Platinum

MaryLi Hsu

CHARITABLE TRUST

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Public Support

Media & Print Partners

Venue & Exhibition Partners

Contributors

@asiancinevision asiancinevision.org

Contents

Schedule Tickets/Venues Staff Notes Jurors Spotlights Special Presentations

06 10 12 16 26

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Narratives Documentaries Shorts Blocks Live Events Print Sources Staff Thanks

34 46 58 74 78 81 84

Schedule

Asia Society Auditorium

Thursday

Aug 01

7pm

8pm Friday

Nobuko Miyamoto: A Song in Movement Opening Night 55 mins + red carpet @6pm + reception @8:45pm

Regal USQ | Aud 14 6pm

Aug 02

Saturday

Coloring Out of the Lines Shorts Block 7:45pm 94 mins 8:30pm Our Favorite Recipes Shorts Block 10:15pm 96 mins Regal USQ | Aud 14 12pm

Aug 03

6

1pm

Ones to Watch Shorts Block 51 mins

Regal USQ | Aud 15 6:15pm Ashima Documentary 7:45pm 86 mins 8:30pm Fanti Narrative 109 mins 10:30pm Regal USQ | Aud 15 12pm 1pm

Celluloid Synergy Special Presentations 42 mins

1:45pm Roadmap to the Soul Shorts Block 3:30pm 93 mins

1:45pm Paper Marriage Narrative 90 mins 3:30pm

4:15pm Joke Book Shorts Block 95 mins 6pm

4:15pm Home Court Documentary 95 mins 6pm

Regal USQ | Aud 15

*continued

Aug 03 Sunday

Sugar Mouse 8:30pm

Reel Laughs Film Improv 10:15pm 105 mins Regal USQ | Aud 14 12pm

Regal USQ | Aud 15

Library of Congress: Hidden Portals Discussion 60 mins

12pm

Future Date Narrative 81 mins

2:15pm Inay Documentary 73 mins 3:30pm + 1 short film

4:15pm Tales That Go Bump in the Night Shorts Block 98 mins 6pm

4:15pm Meeting You, Meeting Me Narrative 5:45pm 85 mins

1pm 2pm

Aug 04

6:45pm Decoupling 脱钩 Documentary 8pm 64 mins

3:30pm

CUNY Shorts Special Presentations 89 mins

1:30pm

7pm

Smoking Tigers Centerpiece 91 mins + red carpet @6:15pm 8:45pm + reception @9pm 7

Wednesday

CUNY

Aug 07

6:30pm AAISC Reading Live Events 8:45pm 135 mins

Thursday

Regal USQ | Aud 14

Aug 08

6pm

8:15pm Wakhri Narrative 99 mins

8:15pm Heaven Rain Flows Sweetly Documentary 9:30pm 67 mins

Regal USQ | Aud 14

7:30pm

8pm

9:45pm Saturday

Aug 10

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Regal USQ | Aud 15

How to Live as an Asian Woman in NYC Shorts Block 7:45pm 89 mins

6pm

Aug 09

8:30pm AAISC Happy Hour 9:45pm Live Events

6pm

9:45pm Friday

Snafu Bar

Daughters of Monster Magnet Narrative 46 mins 7:30pm + 1 short film

Regal USQ | Aud 15

Choose Your Fighter Shorts Block 78 mins

6pm

We’re All Gonna Die Narrative 110 mins

8pm

Regal USQ | Aud 14 12:30pm Rise Up! Shorts Block 2pm 82 mins

7:15pm

9:15pm

Madina Narrative 77 mins

Guián Documentary 76 mins

Regal USQ | Aud 15 12:30pm Eat Bitter Documentary 95 mins 2:15pm

*continued

Regal USQ | Aud 14

Regal USQ | Aud 15

2:45pm Dissidents Documentary 4pm 75 mins

Aug 10

4:30pm 4:45pm A Great Divide Narrative 100 mins 6:30pm

5:15pm

Documenting Good Trouble A-Doc Panel 45 mins DROM

7pm 10pm Sunday

Aug 11

Music Night Out Music Video Showcase *Main show 8-10pm

Regal USQ | Aud 14

Regal USQ | Aud 15

12:15pm A Field Guide To The Natural World Shorts Block 1:45pm 86 mins

12:30pm Dear Mother Documentary 40 mins 1:45pm + 2 short films

2:30pm Chaperone Narrative 99 mins 4:15pm

2:30pm Yūrei Documentary 3:45pm 83 mins

5:30pm Awards Ceremony 5:45pm 15 mins 7pm

9pm

The Queen of My Dreams Closing 97 mins + red carpet @6:15pm + reception @9pm 9

Tickets & Venues There are no refunds or exchanges. If you have made a significant purchase in error, please email boxoffice@asiancinevision.org with the subject heading “REFUND REQUEST” and we will review your email.

In-Person

General Admission Discounted (Students, Seniors, people with disabilities) 3-Pack 5-Pack

Online

General Admission Discounted (Students, Seniors, people with disabilities) Household 3-Pack 5-Pack

Special Programs General Opening General Centerpiece General Closing Comedy Night Music Night Music Night VIP

Passes

Gold Pass Cine Pass Online Fest Pass

Pay-What-You-Can

CUNY Shorts Showcase Ones to Watch: Filmmakers Under 21 AAISC Screenplay Reading The above events are pay-what-you-can. Suggested amount is $15.

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$17 $14 $42 $70

$10 $8 $15 $25 $40

$70 $30 $60 $25 $20 $30

$300 $130 $100

Asia Society & Museum 725 Park Ave New York, NY 10021

Regal Union Square 850 Broadway New York, NY 10003

Sugar Mouse 47 3rd Ave New York, NY 10003

Linen Hall

101 3rd Ave New York, NY 10003

Penny Farthing 103 3rd Ave New York, NY 10003

DROM

85 Avenue A New York, NY 10009

Snafu Bar

127 E 47th St New York, NY 10017

CUNY School of Labor & Urban Studies 25 W 43rd St, 19th Floor, Rm 1425 / 1426 New York, NY 10036

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Staff Notes

John Woo Executive Director

How you doing, New York?

On behalf of the Asian CineVision Board of Directors, we welcome you to this 47th edition of the Asian American International Film Festival. We are excited to be back live with you here with our presentation partners at Asia Society. Thank you and your amazing staff for having us.

We are genuinely honored to welcome back to the City, Japanese American author, songwriter, dancer and theater artist, activist, and OG of the Asian American movement, Nobuko Miyamoto, with the East Coast premiere of Tadashi Nakamura and Quyen Nguyen-Le’s documentary, NOBUKO MIYAMOTO: A SONG IN MOVEMENT. With a program of over 100 films from over 25 countries in 21 languages that reach back into ACV’s rich exhibition history, we fast forward to today’s new generation of activists that have risen up to address the critical issues that confront our communities with new tools and strategies. We celebrate the remarkable cinematic achievements by our Asian Pacific Islander American storytellers, many who had their careers nurtured on this stage. We do this for you. This is your Festival.

We are grateful to all of our new and returning supporters: the Mary Li Hsu Charitable Trust, the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, the Library

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of Congress, SAG-AFTRA, all of our Community Partners, and the Many Friends of ACV. Most of all I need to thank this year’s remarkable team: Co-Festival Directors Kayla Wong and David Rances, Kris Montello and the Programming team, Development team Young Chen and Eunice Chen, Operations Manager Tiffany Bai, Creative Manager Murielle Hsieh, Asia Society’s Rachel Cooper and Diya Radhakrishna, and to ALL the managers, interns, and volunteers that make these 11 days happen. Thank you!

Finally, last year as summer slipped in fall, our dear friend, sister, gifted, award winning filmmaker Sikay Tang lost her battle with cancer. Asian CineVision was a familiar home for Sikay. As a filmmaker, editor, juror, Sikay was a influential member of the New York Asian Pacific American storytelling community. The 47th Asian American International Film Festival is announcing the Sikay Tang Special Jury Prize for Outstanding Documentary Filmmaking. We miss you every day.

So. Remain vigilant, watch out for each other, keep it safe and stay angry.

Cheers, John Woo

David Rances & Kayla Wong Festival Co-Directors

Dear Reader, Perhaps you’re reading this during the Festival, or maybe a couple of months after to remind yourself of that cool film you saw, or in a few decades while researching the evolution of Asian diasporic cinema. If the latter, you may have noticed that there hasn’t been an AAIFF program book for the past few years.

Rest assured that the show indeed went on— amidst the effects of ongoing global crises, our festival persevered, but we really had to think about what we needed to prioritize. We had to shift the way we operated, but maybe that had been the case for a while.

The two of us have been a part of AAIFF for 12 years. During this time, we’ve had the honor of meeting arts programmers and organizers from all across the world. Though we all love what we do, it’s become apparent that film festivals as currently structured are not sustainable. So many of us are thrown into the deep end without institutional knowledge, adequate support systems, or consistent workflows. A niche festival like AAIFF, centered around community-building and with limited resources, ends up being fueled solely by the passion of its staff. This drive to contribute to something more than ourselves is what makes the whole experience exciting, but it can very easily turn into overextension.

It’s all-consuming, and we’ve seen so many fellow organizers burn out.

To avoid this, and to protect our passion for AAIFF, we are going to take a step back into a supporting role. This would also enable the next generation of organizers to step forward, make the space their own, and hold each other accountable. When our leadership grows, so does our network of support and sense of organizational stability, allowing us to redirect that energy towards a more complex and diverse media ecosystem.

As you read this in whatever ~unprecedented~ future you may be in, we hope that our work has contributed to a stronger and more resilient Asian American filmmaking community. And we hope you know you played a part in this, too. Thank you for engaging with our programs, encouraging creativity, demanding change, and sharing your stories.

Thank you, John, for holding the ship together for so long, and the comprehensive history lessons. Thank you to the hundreds of staff members and volunteers who we’ve had the privilege to work with. Our compensation is more than anything physical; it’s the connections, growth, and memories we made together.

Cheers, David & Kayla

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Kris Montello Programming Manager

Dear Friends, I’m so happy to be at the movies with you this summer for AAIFF47!

I can recall just four years ago sitting alone at my parents’ house, sifting through AAIFF film submissions for our 2020 festival and longing to dive back into the vibrant, colorful world inside my laptop.

What a film festival was—maybe what a film was—changed that year. We were huddled around computer screens or TVs watching the world we longed to return to.

Indeed: it’s been a long few years as we’ve gradually increased our in-person presence following the pandemic, and this year I’m proud to say we’ve selected films from 30 countries, such as Kazhakstan, Pakistan, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Australia: all on the big screen.

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I also want to take the time to highlight especially the local NYC filmmakers, communities, and individuals that make the festival possible by volunteering, organizing, attending, and of course making many of the films included in this program.

But, when we could, we have made these films available to you online to share with farflung friends and family across the country.

So no matter where you are, we hope that the laughs, tears, music and good food on display here touch your heart like a dispatch from an old friend. Let’s get together again soon.

Sincerely yours, Kris Montello

Demi Y. Guo CineVue Editor-in-Chief

We are in the golden age of Asian American media, and yet it barely scratches the surface of who we are and what we are capable of. Our roots in this land run deep, with countless stories overlooked throughout history. And although we are labeled “Asian American Pacific Islander” for May, our Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander family doesn’t share anywhere near the amount of our on-screen attention.

Those developments are not far behind, and nowhere is it more visible at the 47th Asian American International Film Festival.

We will be showing ASHIMA and HOME COURT, where Asian Americans excel in sports beyond Jeremy Lin. Stories of reconnection and growth lead us off the beaten paths–off the tourist traps of Hawai’i in CHAPERONE and alongside the Mexican descendants of Japanese immigrants in YŪREI.

And we explore the rest of the world through the eyes of a teenager lost in his ancestral home in TAYAL FOREST CLUB by Taiwan’s first Indigenous film director, and Kevin Woo’s life as a K-pop star in SEOUL SWITCH. Our stories are defined by diaspora, and often the burden of intergenerational trauma in a world that moves faster tahan that of our ancestors. This is why we come together. We may be uncertain where we are going, but we’ll have fun along the way.

To come to AAIFF is to come to the gateway of Asian American Pacific Islander creativity on the East Coast.

Tschüss, Demi Y. Guo

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Jurors & Award Nominees

Asian American International Screenplay Competition

ALEX LIN

HELEN SHANG

MOHAMAD SALEH

Alex Lin is just a girl from Jersey. Her plays have been developed at Roundabout, Second Stage, NYTW, MTC, the O’Neill, Ojai, and more. As an actor, Lin has appeared at Actors Theatre of Louisville (THE WOLVES), New Victory (IN THE LAND OF MAUVE & GOLD), HVSF (JULIUS CAESAR), Ma-Yi (THE HOUSE OF BILLY PAUL), and more. She is a Susan Smith Blackburn Prize finalist and a Weissberger Award nominee.

Helen Shang is a writer who was most recently a supervising producer on Max’s upcoming IT prequel, WELCOME TO DERRY, and a co-executive producer on season 2 of Netflix’s AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER. Helen was born in Beijing, China, and grew up in Silicon Valley. She graduated from Princeton with a BA in English and a minor in creative writing.

Mohamad Saleh is a Palestinian writer and film director from Amman and Brooklyn. He is a 2024 Tin House Summer Workshop participant and was a 2019 Open City Fellow at the Asian American Writers’ Workshop, where he currently serves as the Programs Manager. His work has appeared in the Los Angeles Animated Film Festival, the Big Apple Film Festival, and The Margins. He is currently working on his first short story collection.

AWARD NOMINEES JOINTLY JUVENILE Written by Brian Du & Anne Mirrop Boyd MISSUS Written by Marissa Carpio RAISED ON HOOPS Written by Noah Kim

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Emerging Director In Narrative Feature

FARIDAH GBADAMOSI

IMAN ZAWAHRY

LINDSAY WATSON

Faridah Gbadamosi is a pop culture enthusiast aiming to make film more inclusive. She seeks to change the space of tastemakers, rethinking the models for curation and exhibition. She has worked for numerous film festivals and other film organizations, including the California Film Institute, Athena Film Festival, Outfest, and many more.

She is also Director of Distribution at Open Your Eyes and Think MF, the distribution wing of David Magdael & Associates, a consultant on different film projects and a freelance culture critic.

Iman Zawahry is one of the first hijabi American-Muslim filmmakers in the nation, collaborating with the non-profit Islamic Scholarship Fund to create the first-ever American Muslim film grant, where she currently serves as Director of Film Programs. She works to amplify the underrepresented female voice and speaks across the nation on Muslims in Film. Her debut film, AMERICANISH, is currently touring the festival circuit and has won numerous awards. She is also a professor of film at the University of Florida.

Lindsay Watson, a Hawaiian actress born and raised on Maui, was immersed in theater and sports before moving to Los Angeles. Lindsay stars as Hana Okumura in Netflix’s family-adventure film FINDING ‘OHANA and portrays the historical role of Pi’ilani in THE WIND AND THE RECKONING, where she speaks ‘Olelo Hawai’i (Hawaiian language).

Besides acting, Lindsay is passionate about writing scripts, singing, and sharing and preserving Hawaiian culture through film for future generations.

AWARD NOMINEES FANTI Directed by Andy Nguyễn PAPER MARRIAGE Directed by Jeff Man WAKHRI Directed by Iram Parveen Bilal

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Emerging Director In Documentary Feature

FÉLIX ENDARA

GEETA GHANDBIR

TIFFANY HSIUNG

Félix Endara, an Ecuadorian-born trans immigrant and independent documentary filmmaker, is dedicated to authentic storytelling. His short films have graced prestigious festivals, including Berlinale, DOC NYC, NewFest, and Mill Valley. Félix advocates for trans filmmakers, advising the 2023 Sundance Institute’s Trans Possibilities Intensive, founding the Trans Affinity Group within the Documentary Producers Alliance, and promoting authentic queer and trans storytelling in outlets like the Hollywood Reporter.

Geeta Gandbhir transitioned from narrative to documentary film after an eleven-year career under the guidance of Spike Lee and Sam Pollard. Her work includes the Oscar-shortlisted HOW WE GET FREE, the Academy Awards-shortlisted CALL CENTER BLUES, the series BLACK AND MISSING, and many others. Directing credits include an episode of THE ASIAN AMERICANS (PBS) and A CONVERSATION ON RACE with The New York Times Op-Docs, which she also co-produced.

Tiffany Hsiung is a multi-Peabody and twotime Canadian Screen Award-winning filmmaker based in Toronto, Canada. She is listed as one of DOC NYC’s 40 Under 40.

Hsiung’s work was recognized with two Emmy® nominations for the Apple TV series, JANE. Harnessing her passion for storytelling and innovation, Hsiung co-created the Peabody Futures of Media Award-winning documentary THE SPACE WE HOLD, and THE BASSINET, a documentary marking the 50th anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in Canada.

AWARD NOMINEES DECOUPLING 脱钩 Directed by Yinan Wang EAT BITTER Directed by Pascale Appora-Gnekindy & Ningyi Sun GUIÁN Directed by Nicole Chi Amén

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Excellence In Narrative Short Filmmaking

IRENE SORIANO

JINGYI SHAO

TAYLOR SHUNG

Irene Soriano is an independent film curator and producer. She programs short films for the Sundance Film Festival and serves as the Lead Curator for the I SEE YOU Independent Queer Filipinx Short Film Microcinema. Irene is also the founding producer of KITA Initiatives, an artistic collaborative that supports the creation, distribution, and exhibition of work by new voices emerging within the Filipino diaspora. Central to Irene’s mission in the film space are the principles of building community, fostering collaboration, and providing sustainable support for the various projects she champions.

Jingyi Shao is a writer and director with experience in commercials, TV, and film. He began his career directing international ads for brands like Honda, Levi’s, and more. Transitioning to narrative projects, Shao has developed TV and film content for HBO, Amazon, and Netflix. He worked with Emmy-winning creator Lena Waithe on BOOMERANG and TWENTIES, and they collaborated again on Shao’s feature debut, CHANG CAN DUNK. The script placed 2nd on the 2020 Black List, and Variety named Shao to its 2023 Directors to Watch List for his work on the project.

Taylor Shung is a producer born and raised in New York City. She began her career in production, working with filmmakers and artists such as Kogonada, Kahlil Joseph, and The Daniels. Her most recent film credits include Celine Song’s PAST LIVES and Chloe Zhao’s NOMADLAND. As a producer, Shung has helped bring to the screen films by emerging filmmakers such as Zia Anger (MY FIRST FILM), Hannah Peterson (THE GRADUATES), and Olivia West Lloyd (SOMEWHERE QUIET). Shung is a 2019 Sundance Creative Producing Fellow.

AWARD NOMINEES AMERICAN OXYGEN Directed by Adam Hazelton & Emily Hazelton

THE STEAK Directed by Kiarash Dadgar

CHILDREN OF LIGHT Directed by Minkyu Kang

29 HOUR FAMINE Directed by Vivienne Shaw

SHE AND HER GOOD VIBRATIONS Directed by Olivia Griselda & Sarah Cheok

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Excellence In Documentary Short Filmmaking

CHITHRA JEYARAM

KITTY HU

PULKIT DATTA

Chithra Jeyaram is a physical-therapist-turned-filmmaker with an MFA in Film from the University of Texas at Austin. Her work dismantles stereotypes by centering narratives that illuminate the perspectives, struggles, and complexities of the most fundamental social unit: the family. Her upcoming film, OUR DAUGHTERS, examines open adoption through immigrant eyes.

Jeyaram is an alumna of Visions du Réel Rough Cut Lab, Chicken & Egg (egg)celerator Lab, BGDM Artist Fellowship, Gotham Documentary Fellowship, and Jerome Foundation.

Kitty Hu is a queer, Chinese documentary filmmaker. As the daughter of immigrants, Hu’s work amplifies character-driven stories that reflect the work of our social movements, exploring topics such as labor, housing, culture, migration, and climate. She recently directed the Emmy-nominated L.A. REBELLION: A CINEMATIC MOVEMENT (PBS Artbound) and produced TASTE THE NATION (Hulu), WILD HOPE (PBS), TAKE OUT (HBO Max), and AMERICA OUTDOORS (PBS). She is also a proud member of BGDM and A-Doc.

Pulkit Datta is a producer, director, and film programmer based in New York.

His films have screened at festivals such as Toronto, Tribeca, Atlanta, and more.

Datta’s key credits include ISRAELISM, INVISIBLE, DO WE BELONG?, and the upcoming climate activism doc series VS. GOLIATH and fiction feature JERSEY BOY. Datta has been a Producing Fellow at the Center for Asian American Media as well as Impact Partners. He is active in the filmmaking community, establishing initiatives to nurture underrepresented talent, build alternative distribution strategies, and curate for film festivals.

AWARD NOMINEES BENKYODO: THE LAST MANJU SHOP IN J-TOWN Directed by Tadashi Nakamura & Akira Boch

DEAR DAD Directed by Noah Kim

KOWLOON! Directed by Mona Xia & Erin Ramirez

MINSEO Directed by Emily May Jampel

LOVE LETTER TO ASIAN WOMEN Directed by Min Soo Park

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Excellence In Music Video

ALEX PORAT

JAMES MAO

KENZO LE

Alex Porat is a magnetic force. She delivers lighthearted pop with serious skill, effortlessly combining memorable melodies with fresh electronic production and crystalline vocal delivery.

She first gained a strong following by posting covers on YouTube. Now, with only a few years of solo releases under her belt, she has amassed over 120 million streams on DSPs, 1.1 million YouTube subscribers, and more than 200 million total YouTube views.

James Mao, also known as Mamesjao, is a multifaceted artist, director, and creative director renowned for his work in music videos, multimedia campaigns, and visual art. Born in Shenzhen and raised between China, Canada, and the US, Mao’s bicultural background informs his unique aesthetic.

He gained fame with innovative animated sequences for Western artists like Lil Uzi Vert and Kehlani, leading to collaborations with 88rising directing top Asian artists including Jackson Wang and (G)I-dle. Known for his edgy and experimental style, Mao continues to challenge traditional visual norms in the music video industry.

Kenzo Le is an LA-based cinematographer and producer committed to creating intentional, meaningful work. As a first-generation Vietnamese-American, Le seeks to grow his community and foster the next generation. His visual style is sensory-driven, imaginative, and impressionistic.

He is the founder and creative director of Crimson Edge, a film production company dedicated to uplifting underrepresented directors and communities through their distinct visual work. He has cultivated a love for narrative shorts and features, resulting in several distributions and features with CryptTV, LALIFF, and Outfest.

AWARD NOMINEES

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ADAM ACOSTA - FIREWORK FAM Directed by Alexander Nguyen

JANUARY 28TH, 2020 Directed by Kimberly Te

ALMOST HOME Directed by Jen Kim

RINE - I WISH U COULD LOVE ME TOO Directed by Alex Chen

FROGS Directed by Maya Marzuki Peters

STOP ASIAN HATE LOVE ONE ANOTHER Directed by Perry Yung

One to Watch Youth Filmmaker

DAVID TANH

SEN-I YU

WU-CHING CHANG

David Tanh serves as the Partnerships Director at the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival. A Teochew Chinese American and child of Cambodian refugees, he has a deep passion for storytelling. He has contributed to the Harvey Award-nominated ONCE UPON A TIME MACHINE and the multiple Eisner and Harvey Award-winning LITTLE NEMO: DREAM ANOTHER DREAM. Tanh is dedicated to promoting and preserving the visions and voices of AANHPI storytellers.

Sen-I Yu is an award-winning filmmaker based in New York, originally from Taiwan. Her feature directorial debut, My Heavenly City, was selected for the 43rd Hawaii International Film Festival and was nominated for the NETPAC Award. The film had theatrical releases in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and limited releases in the United States, UK, and Canada, achieving $1.2 million at the box office. She serves as an assistant professor in Cinema Production at Ithaca College.

Wu-Ching Chang, a worldclass animation director with an MA from the Royal College of Art, serves as an adjunct assistant professor specializing in Communication Design at Shih Chien University, Taiwan.

She also works as a judge at the FFTG Awards, and her globally screened films address women’s issues, modernity, and humanistic views through interviews and artistic practice. Her animated film, My Grandmother Is an Egg, won a Jury Special Mention at the Atlanta Film Festival and was selected for Animafest Zagreb and Flickerfest.

AWARD NOMINEES BUTTERFLY: THE KING OF YUE Directed by Jingxuan Qi

RED GUARD Directed by L-J ShenFilerman

CLASS CRUSH Directed by Katherine Lynn-Rose

THE STORY OF A STRANDED FROG Directed by Steven Yao

MUTED Directed by Chris Zou

WAIPO’S COMING OVER! Directed by Shin Mun Yee & Glenda Quek

‘NORMAL GIRL’ Directed by Kimmy Nguyen-Thoi

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Sikay Tang Critical Lens Award

Sikay Tang & John Woo Photo by Jennifer Fong

This year, we have created a special award, the Sikay Tang Critical Lens Award, to go to a filmmaker whose documentary explores complex issues with an innovative perspective.

This Award is in honor of longtime ACV friend, filmmaker, and teacher, Sikay Tang, who passed away last year from cancer.

For more than 20 years, Sikay was a photographer and filmmaker, who also served as editor for numerous critically acclaimed features, short films, and television series. However, to us here in NYC, she was first and foremost a pillar of our Asian American creative community.

Born in Hong Kong and growing up in New York, themes of her work include belonging, acceptance, cultural identity, and the loving communities we create for ourselves.

Sikay was one of ACV’s greatest friends and supporters, and we are so honored to share her with you at this year’s Festival.

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JEAN TSIEN

JUDY DOCTOROFF

SAM POLLARD

Jean Tsien has worked in documentaries for 40 years as an editor, producer, and consultant. She was executive producer for PLASTIC CHINA (Golden Horse Award for Best Editing) and PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE (SXSW Grand Jury Award).

Judy Doctoroff was privileged to work with Sikay Tang on multiple occasions. An award-winning executive producer with more than 30 years of experience, Judy most recently served as Managing Director of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism initiative committed to improved climate coverage. Doctoroff also worked with Bill Moyers as President and Chief Operating Officer of Public Affairs Television, and played a critical role in the production of innovative and courageous works on subjects ranging from the politics and the environment to the role of the media in democracy to the world of ideas.

Sam Pollard is an accomplished feature film and television video editor, and documentary producer/director. He has collaborated with Spike Lee on a number of films, including Four Little Girls and When The Levees Broke.

She has received Peabody Awards for her work on the PBS series ASIAN AMERICANS and the Emmy Award-winning 76 DAYS. Recent projects include FREE CHOL SOO LEE and HBO’s aka Mr. Chow.

Jean is a recipient of numerous awards, including: the Art of Editing Mentorship Award (Sundance Institute); the Lifetime Achievement Award (DOC NYC); and the Luminary Award (Doc10).

Since 2012, Mr. Pollard has completed a number of projects, including Slavery By Another Name (PBS), August Wilson: The Ground On Which I Stand (American Masters), and Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me (American Masters). In recent years, his work includes the series, Why We Hate (Discovery Channel) and Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children (HBO), and the film MLK/FBI.

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Spotlights

Opening: Nobuko Miyamoto: A Song in Movement Directed by Tadashi Nakamura & Quyên Nguyen-Le 60 Minutes | USA English East Coast Premiere August 1 | 7-8PM Asia Society Auditorium In-person only

This screening is followed by a performance

by Nobuko Miyamoto and Derek Nakamoto.

After decades of groundbreaking cultural work that unites communities and sets the bar for Asian American storytelling, Miyamoto reflects on a life that has bridged coasts, industries, families, and history.

Featuring rare archival footage, NOBUKO MIYAMOTO: A SONG IN MOVEMENT is a story of a changing community told through the singular life of one of its most beloved storytellers.

Tadashi Nakamura is an Emmy-award-winning filmmaker and the Director of the Watase Media Arts Center, a production company of the Japanese American National Museum. Tadashi was named CNN’s “Young People Who Rock” for being the youngest filmmaker at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Now with over 20 years of filmmaking experience, his films include MELE MURALS (2016), JAKE SHIMABUKURO: LIFE ON FOUR STRINGS (2013), A SONG FOR OURSELVES (2009), and PILGRIMAGE (2006). He is currently working on THIRD ACT, about his pioneering filmmaker father, Robert A. Nakamura.

Quyên Nguyen-Le (they/them) is a daytime emmy nominated queer vietnamese filmmaker born to refugee parents where Chumash and Tongva lands meet (San Fernando Valley, Los Ángeles). Quyên’s work focuses on the ways histories are deeply felt in the quotidian everyday. Their short documentary, THE MORNING PASSING ON EL CAJÓN BOULEVARD (2019) opened the 20th San Diego Asian Film Festival. Quyên was Associate Producer for Sundance award winning films FREE CHOL SOO LEE and THE ACCIDENTAL GETAWAY DRIVER. They hold B.A. degrees from USC in Santiago and a M.A. in Visual Studies from UC Irvine.

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Centerpiece:

Smoking Tigers Directed by So Young Shelly Yo 91 Minutes | USA English & Korean CW: Nudity August 4 | 7-8:45PM Regal Union Square, Aud 14 Available online Aug 5-11

Set in Los Angeles in the early 2000s, SMOKING TIGERS is a portrait of a lonely Korean American teen named Hayoung who is taken under the wings of three wealthy students she meets at an elite academic boot camp. As she falls deeper into their world, Hayoung works harder to hide her insecurities about her problematic family and lower-income background, only to discover the bittersweet pains of adulthood that will forever shape her life.

So Young Shelly Yo is an award-winning Korean American filmmaker. Her feature film, SMOKING TIGERS, was the winner of Tribeca & AT&T’s Untold Stories and was awarded Best Screenplay, Best Performance, and a special jury mention for the Nora Ephron Prize at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.

Prior to SMOKING TIGERS, Shelly created many award-winning short films. She also worked in TV and commercials and directed/edited works for SNL, Levi’s, and Allbirds. Recently, Shelly was awarded the New Voice Award at the 2023 Austin Film Festival and was chosen for the 2023 BAFTA Breakthrough Program.

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Closing:

The Queen of My Dreams Directed by Fawzia Mirza 97 Minutes | Canada & Pakistan English & Urdu August 11 | 7-9PM Regal Union Square, Aud 14 In-person only

Queer Pakistani grad student Azra is worlds apart from her conservative Muslim mother. When her father suddenly dies on a trip home to Pakistan, Azra finds herself on a Bollywood-inspired journey through memories, both real and imagined—from her mother’s youth in Karachi to her own coming-of-age in rural Canada.

Fawzia Mirza (she/they) is a White House Champion of Change in Asian storytelling and an alum of the Tribeca Film Institute. Her new feature script, HEIRLOOM, was named to the 2022 Muslim List—The Black List’s curation of the best-unproduced scripts by Muslim writers.

Her feature directorial debut, THE QUEEN OF MY DREAMS, world premiered at TIFF 2023, had its international premiere at the BFI London Film Festival, and was nominated for the Director’s Guild of Canada’s Jean-Marc Vallée Discovery Award. She co-founded BABY DAAL PRODUCTIONS with her wife, producer Andria Wilson Mirza.

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Special Presentations

Celluloid Synergy

Experimental Films from 1960s-Now Celluloid Synergy features experimental short films, some previously screened at AAIFF in the 1970-80s and some other contemporary experimental shorts. These experimental films play with the physicality of film itself and use film as a medium for conceptual art, with the goal of bringing back the underground, experimental spirit of AAIFF in its early days.

Saturday August 3 Regal Union Square, Aud 15 12-1PM | 42 minutes In-person & online WHITE CALLIGRAPHY RE-READ Directed by Takahiko Iimura 12 Minutes | 2010 | Japan Japanese & English CW: Photosensitivity

TO SERVE THE PEOPLE Directed by Danny Yung 5 Minutes | 1979 | USA & Hong Kong No dialogue CW: Photosensitivity

In WHITE CALLIGRAPHY RE-READ, Takahiko Iimura returns to his early work.

White Calligraphy was originally made in 1967 by scratching characters from ‘Kojiki’, an early Japanese text, into the frames of 16mm black leader.

Separate Chinese characters for the words “to serve the people” are flashed rapidly on the screen and superimposed in various combinations.

NATURAL DISASTERS Directed by Tiffany Jiang 4 Minutes | 2023 | USA & China English CW: Mature themes

EIGA-ZUKE (PICKLED FILM) Directed by Sean Morijiro Sunada O’Gara 2 Minutes | 1994 | USA No dialogue CW: Photosensitivity

This found footage film is an exploration into “natural disasters” within the home or family structure.

EIGA-ZUKE is a pickled, experimental photochemical film made for 35mm visual consumption.

IT FOLLOWS IT PASSES ON Directed by Erica Sheu 5 Minutes | 2023 | Taiwan Mandarin & Japanese

24 FRAMES PER SECOND Directed by Al Wong 15 Minutes | 1978 | USA No dialogue CW: Noise sensitivity

Incense yields a little light and leads the way for the islanders to hide from the bomb. Broken dishes time travel. Imaginations of a post-war island, Kinmen.

Lights reveal and conceal the stories.

The image of film burning is followed by closeups of body parts pressed against the camera lens to create a conceptual and sensual-exotic texture.

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CUNY

Shorts Showcase Since 2004, the CUNY Asian American Film Festival (AAFF) has recognized and awarded over $14,900 in cash prizes to student filmmakers enrolled at the City University of New York, including City College, Brooklyn College, Hunter College, Lehman College, College of Staten Island, and Queens College. The CUNY AAFF helps to promote the artistic visual talents and stimulate communication among CUNY students who are separated by the different campuses, and serve as a central location to display their creative works. Past participants have also had their films screened at the Asian American International Film Festival.

Sunday August 4 Regal Union Square, Aud 15 12-1:30PM | 89 minutes In-person & online Pay-what-you-can SINGING IN THE LIFEBOAT Directed by Grace Wijaya 2024 | USA English A young woman seeks solace in the woods of Pennsylvania amidst the Covid pandemic. Surrounded only by trees, her thoughts become increasingly fraught with desperation and danger.

A nameless screenwriter named Seol loses his wife, Kelly Pontbriand, due to his selfishness. At this very moment, a mysterious girl in a white dress approaches Seol and shows him a door that is standing alone in the middle of the forest.

SCREENED OFF Directed by Nicholas Bueta 2024 | USA English

CHOMCHOM Directed by Sanjona Arzan 2024 | USA Bengali

The exploration of Dr. Nazanin Hedayat Munroe’s thoughts as she completes a unifying piece of textile art.

A short documentary about a delicious dessert that originated in Tangail, a small town in Bangladesh.

BENGAL MEMORY Directed by Fahim Hamid 2024 | USA English & Bengali A Bangladeshi American explores his father’s memories of the liberation war in their native country and the cognitive dissonance in learning of the U.S. government’s controversial role in a forgotten genocide that occurred there in 1971.

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A CIRCLE OF REPENTANCE Directed by Hanjoo Kim 1979 | USA English

72-Hour Shootout Practical Dreamer

The 72-Hour Shootout filmmaking competition (the “Shootout”), run by the Film Lab, is an annual, global filmmaking competition celebrating diversity in front of and behind the camera. The films celebrate the power and creativity of Asian American voices and stories.

All films are based on the common theme of PRACTICAL DREAMER, inviting filmmakers to marry practicality and their dreams in the world in which we all must live.

August 3-11 Available Online North America Only 50 minutes TOP TEN PREMIERE Program directed by Asian American Film Lab 2024 | USA English CW: Strong language Asian American Film Lab The Shootout is run by the Asian American Film Lab, a nonprofit organization devoted to the promotion and support of gender and racial parity in film and television programming with a particular focus on Asian Americans. Through the Film Lab’s 72-Hour Shootout filmmaking competition and in-house entertainment production arm, AAFL-TV, we ensure that stories too often silenced in mainstream media are heard, not just as whispers, but as shouts to the world. The leadership team includes actor Jennifer Betit Yen, actor Tyler Ham Pong, audio engineer Ray Lanuza, and writer Cheryl Davis.

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Narrative Features

A Great Divide Directed by Jean Shim 100 Minutes | USA English & Korean August 10 | 4:45-6:30PM Regal Union Square, Aud 14 In-person & online

Seen through the eyes of a Korean American family that leaves the Bay Area for small-town Wyoming after experiencing devastating loss, A GREAT DIVIDE addresses the emotional and psychological impact of racism and xenophobia on Asian Americans, the loneliness and sacrifice of immigrant sojourners, and the generational burden of expectations that weigh on their children. But it’s also a story about a family repairing itself after tragedy, about a young man breaking out of his shell and finding love, about reconciliation and redemption.

Jean Shim Emmy Award-winning director Jean Shim started her career directing television promos, feature trailers, and commercials.

Shim’s credits include directing image campaigns for the Sci-Fi Channel and launching a network for Samsung Korea.

In 2005, Jean transitioned to independent filmmaking and was accepted to the Tribeca Film Festival All Access as a new director.

She directed STARLIGHT INN, was notable for featuring a woman director, producer, director of photography, editor, costume designer, and assistant director. In 2021, she produced the feature narrative, SHAKY SHIVERS.

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Chaperone Directed by Zoë Eisenberg 100 Minutes | Hawai’i English CW: Sexual content, strong language August 11 | 2:30-4:15PM Regal Union Square, Aud 14 In-person & online

Misha Miyamoto, 29, lives alone in the house her grandmother left her, has held the same job since high school, and likes her life as is: simple. Unfortunately, her satisfaction disappoints everyone around her. Her boss can’t fathom why she won’t take a promotion, her lack of ambition dissuades potential love interests, and her parents push her to sell her estate since she has no interest in starting a family. These pressures leave Misha isolated and sick of justifying her choices. When an earnest 18-year-old mistakes Misha for a fellow student, she finds solace in his lack of expectation and begins a relationship with him. But as their relationship grows, so does Misha’s reckless behavior.

Zoë Eisenberg A community-focused writer, director, and producer, Zoë Eisenberg creates stories and spaces in and about her home on the big island of Hawai’i. She is the co-founder of the Made in Hawaii Film Festival. Zoë produced the 2022 Tribeca Studios short film INHERITANCE in partnership with Netflix and Gold House. Her 2019 debut feature STOKE was shown theatrically across the state of Hawai’i. As a screenwriter, Zoë has placed in the Page Awards and the Austin Film Festival Script Competition. Her feature film CHAPERONE was the Winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Breakout Feature at Slamdance ‘24.

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Daughters of Monster Magnet Directed by Kosaku Horiwaki 46 Minutes | USA English East Coast Premiere CW: Nudity, photosensitivity, self-harm, suicide August 8 | 6-7:30PM Regal Union Square, Aud 15 In-person & online

*Short film preceding DAUGHTERS OF MONSTER MAGNET Keep Your Left Hand Down Directed by Nami Iguchi 39 Minutes | Japan | Japanese North American Premiere In the year 202X, an unknown virus is being spread by left-handed people, and the Children’s Police Force is out to round them up. The protagonist Rin, who is searching for her missing sister, thinks she can change the world with a “man of her destiny” she met by chance. Through various coincidental encounters, Rin is led into another world....

Lili is a psychonaut, a traveler who traverses alternate dimensions, changing her consciousness. At 13, Lili Mukaijima lives in solitude, crafting a dollhouse and daydreaming about alien abductions. A year ago, she lost her mother to self-immolation, and her dog ran away shortly after. Burning dolls’ clothing becomes a ritual for Lili to confront her trauma, while a dog-like monster in her daydreams frightens and comforts her.

On her 14th birthday, consumed by despair, Lili considers self-immolation. Instead, her imagination soars to new heights. She encounters “Teacher” in a UFO, gains an understanding of her mother’s death, and transforms her trauma into a new beginning.

Kosaku Horiwaki From Japan and now based in the US, Kosaku Horiwaki is a multifaceted filmmaker dedicated to promoting cultural diversity within the industry. He holds a BFA in Film and Television from NYU. He worked as a Unit Production Manager for Japanese television and as an editor for Blu-ray bonus featurettes of Yakuza films.

Recently, he earned a Film Directing MFA from Brooklyn College’s Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema. His thesis film, DAUGHTERS OF MONSTER MAGNET, showcases his distinctive visual storytelling, influenced by the vast array of world cinema he has cherished over the years.

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Fanti Directed by Andy Nguyễn 109 Minutes | Vietnam Vietnamese East Coast Premiere CW: Violence August 2 | 8:30-10:30PM Regal Union Square, Aud 15 In-person & online

Step into the haunting world of FANTI, where an aspiring actress’s online allure becomes a playground for a mysterious tormentor. As her virtual facade unravels, she confronts the chilling reality of a stalker’s obsession.

This thriller delves deep into the treacherous realms of social media, exposing the vulnerabilities of a generation fixated on curated personas and societal validation.

Andy Nguyễn, a Vietnamese-American filmmaker based in Sarasota, FL and Saigon, Vietnam, grew up in Tampa, FL. He earned his MFA in Film from Columbia University before diving into Vietnam’s burgeoning film scene. Andy gained recognition as an editor for hits like MISS GRANNY (2015) and THE IMMORTAL (2018). In 2023, his debut feature FANTI (2023), distributed by Lotte Entertainment, earned him the “Best Directorial Debut” award at the XXIII Liên hoan phim Việt Nam.

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Future Date Directed by Stanley Wong 82 Minutes | USA English East Coast Premiere CW: Nudity August 4 | 2-3:30PM Regal Union Square, Aud 14 In-person & online

In the distant future where the outside climate is unlivable and everyone is forced to spend their lives alone in tiny rooms, two people win the rare opportunity to go on a very unusual date—in person.

Starring Stanley Wong (THE BIG SHORT), Shuang Hu (star/producer/co-writer of the Amazon original, FIVE BLIND DATES), and Johnny Pemberton (Amazon’s hit series, FALLOUT), FUTURE DATE is an offbeat sci-fi rom-com about the importance of human connection even when the world outside is less than ideal.

Stanley Wong is a Chinese American writer, director, and actor from New Orleans. His short film, DELIMERENCE, was featured at the 2021 Asian American International Film Festival. The short, HAND FART, won the Audience Award at the Nashville Film Festival and earned the coveted honor of being a Vimeo Staff Pick. He produced and co-wrote the feature film, STEVE CHONG FINDS OUT THAT SUICIDE IS A BAD IDEA, which won the AAIFF Audience Award. He was selected for the Armed with a Camera Fellowship. He is also an actor best known for his memorable turn as “The Quant” in the Oscar-winning film, THE BIG SHORT.

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Madina Directed by Aizhan Kassymbek 73 Minutes | Kazakhstan, Pakistan, USA Kazakh New York City Premiere CW: Violence, sexual content, nudity August 9 | 6-7:15PM Regal Union Square, Aud 15 In-person & online

The film tells the story of a single mother, Madina, who struggles through her life with a lack of confidence in the present and a lack of hope in the future. Her day-to-day routine is a battle for survival.

In trying to earn a living for her small family—an old grandmother, a withdrawn little brother, and a two-year-old daughter—Madina is ready to go against her moral principles. Her feelings are frozen by a cold winter inside her that seems to never end, until one day her brother makes a shocking revelation. The knowledge of the abuse to which he was subjected as a child changes everything for Madina and breaks the ice that covers her soul.

Aizhan Kassymbek graduated from the Asian Film Academy program in 2019. Her debut short film, SU, won the Grand Prix at Hanoi’s Festival. AUA, another notable work, screened at global festivals. Her debut feature, FIRE, premiered at the Busan International Film Festival in 2021, gained recognition at 30+ festivals, and earned 16 awards.

Aizhan empowers women in film, as evident in her all-woman crew debut. She aims to bolster Kazakhstani female filmmakers. Her second film, Madina, is a co-production with Pakistan and USA, and had its world premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival in October 2023.

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Meeting You, Meeting Me Directed by Lina Suh 85 Minutes | USA & South Korea English & Korean East Coast Premiere August 4 | 4:15-5:45PM Regal Union Square, Aud 15 In-person & online

When unexpected, much-needed friendship arrives at your doorstep.... Two women from very different walks of life—a Korean American divorce attorney who is very rooted in her immigrant family’s upbringing, and a Californian college dropout searching for herself after being canceled online—both desperately need a friend in this moment, when they cross paths by chance and form an unlikely friendship.

Lina Suh grew up in Seoul, Korea, the American Midwest, and New York. Lina produced several fiction shorts in NY and LA and directed a short humanitarian documentary, FLOW ON THROUGH, in Cambodia. She directed the short films SO F*CKING HAPPY FOR YOU and GOOD FACE, which was later developed as a TV series with Sony Pictures TV and HBO Max. She was the story editor on DR. BRAIN, Apple TV+’s first Korean language series.

MEETING YOU, MEETING ME is Lina’s first feature film as a writer and director. She received a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in Dramatic Writing and an MFA from USC in film production.

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Paper Marriage Directed by Jeff Man 91 Minutes | USA English, Mandarin, Cantonese East Coast Premiere CW: Strong language August 3 | 1:45-3:30PM Regal Union Square, Aud 15 In-person & online

Fanny (Effy Han), a Chinese immigrant facing deportation, pins her last hopes on staying in the U.S. by paying Jeff (Jeff Man), an unemployed lost soul, to marry her. During this year-long charade, they tiptoe around each other’s differences. As quiet moments turn into clashes, they are forced to navigate through their awkwardness and learn to work together.

Jeff Man grew up in an immigrant family that bonded by watching movies together.

He majored in journalism in college but fell in love with filmmaking. In 2010, he moved to LA, began to work for writer-director Jay Duplass and make low-budget shorts. In 2012, he was accepted into the Armed with a Camera Fellowship for emerging artists

by Visual Communications. His narrative and documentary shorts have screened at festivals across the country. His film SANTA CLAUS premiered at the LA Film Festival and won the Jury Prize from the San Diego Asian Film Festival. PAPER MARRIAGE is his debut feature.

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Wakhri Directed by Iram Parveen Bilal 99 Minutes | Pakistan & USA Urdu New York City Premiere CW: Nudity & violence August 8 | 8:15-9:45PM Regal Union Square, Aud 14 In-person & online

WAKHRI is about a widowed school teacher in Pakistan who becomes a viral sensation overnight when she accidentally unleashes her unabashed opinions on social media.

This newfound fame as an unlikely influencer comes with its own challenges as she has to navigate archaic mindsets and secret identities while raising her ten-year-old son in a world where a woman’s right to have a voice and own their own space, physical or online, is a constant challenge. The film draws inspiration from the bravery of individuals like Qandeel Baloch, Pakistan’s first social media celebrity who was strangled to death by her brother for bringing disrepute to the family’s honor.

Iram Parveen Bilal is an award-winning empathic creator excited to tell thought-provoking socially impactful stories. She is a voice to reckon with in the Muslim community and on the World Cinema stage. Her past films have led to measurable shifts in the causes they championed. Iram has been spotlighted as 1 of 8 directors to watch by the Alliance of Women Directors, a board member of the Film Fatales. She is also a Film Independent, Watson fellow, and multiple-time Women in Film awardee. She has been profiled by The New York Times and featured on NPR, BBC, Bloomberg, and Filmmaker Magazine, among others.

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We’re All Gonna Die Directed by Freddie Wong & Matthew Arnold 110 Minutes | USA English CW: Suicide August 9 | 8-10PM Regal Union Square, Aud 14 In-person only

In the near future, a towering alien “spike” materializes in Earth’s atmosphere, wreaking havoc. Years later, it’s still around. A struggling beekeeper (Ashly Burch, MYTHIC QUEST) is forced to team up with an emotionally raw EMT (Jordan Rodrigues, NATIONAL TREASURE: EDGE OF HISTORY) on a roadtrip to retrieve her bees (and his car) after their stuff is suddenly teleported across the country by the alien spike.

Freddie Wong & Matthew Arnold are an award-winning film and television directing duo with over a decade of experience behind the camera directing action, comedy, explosions, and the occasional horse. They are known for their high-octane action comedy YouTube shorts, the cult-classic web series VIDEO GAME HIGH SCHOOL, and ROCKETJUMP: THE SHOW and DIMENSION 404 on Hulu. They also can be heard on the hit Dungeons and Dragons podcast, “Dungeons and Daddies: Not a BDSM Podcast.”

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Documentary Features

Ashima Directed by Kenji Tsukamoto 86 Minutes | USA Japanese & English August 2 | 6:15-7:45PM Regal Union Square, Aud 15 In-person only

ASHIMA follows elite rock climber Ashima Shiraishi as she travels to South Africa, attempting to be the youngest climber to master one of the world’s most challenging climbs. Accompanying Ashima is her father and coach Poppo, a former avante-garde dancer who brings an eccentric, tough-love approach to Ashima’s training. The story examines the sacrifices required to achieve at the highest level and the complex relationship between immigrant parents and their children. ASHIMA is an intimate coming-ofage story about climbing, family, and the pursuit of the American Dream.

Kenji Tsukamoto Born in Fukushima, Japan, Kenji Tsukamoto moved to America as a child where his family relocated frequently across the country.

Having been immersed in various cultures both in the United States and Japan during his formative years, Kenji offers a distinct point of view in his storytelling. As a third culture kid, Kenji found a kindred spirit in the world-renowned climber Ashima Shiraishi, who became the subject of his first feature film.

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Dear Mother Directed by Jon Glassberg 40 Minutes | USA & South Korea English & Korean East Coast Premiere CW: Strong language, self-harm, suicide August 11 | 12:30-1:45PM Regal Union Square, Aud 15 In-person & online

*Short films preceding DEAR MOTHER My 4,500 Hexagons Directed by Joe Soonthornsawad & Nityasya Belapurkar 10 Minutes | USA | English World Premiere My 4,500 Hexagons is a multimedia installation consisting of a 73” x 109” quilt and a documentary short. Together, the pieces celebrate experiences of transracial adoption, Asian American immigration, family, and healing through artistic practice.

Dear Dad Directed by Noah Kim 13 Minutes | South Korea English East Coast Premiere A self-portrait documentary film about writer/director Noah Kim’s first time visiting Seoul, South Korea, his late father’s homeland.

Climber and transracial Asian-American, Cody Kaemmerlen, searches for connection with his birth parents after a near-death fall that leaves him shaken and grasping for answers.

Jon Glassberg is a film director and climber based in Boulder, Colorado. His award-winning documentary, commercial, and brand narrative works focus on people in the outdoor industry, specifically climbing, adventure, and expeditions around the world.

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Decoupling 脱钩 Directed by Yinan Wang 63 Minutes | USA & China English & Mandarin East Coast Premiere August 3 | 6:45-8PM Regal Union Square, Aud 15 In-person & online

Decoupling was once a term primarily used in cosmology, but it has now taken on a geopolitical significance, referring to the deteriorating relationship between China and the U.S. Born in China and living in the American Midwest, filmmaker Yinan Wang attempts to unpack his own experience of how a transnational immigrant family deals with the distress caused by identity, nationalism, and geopolitics.

Yinan Wang was born and raised in Beijing.

After working on several ethnographic works in China, he moved to the States and lived in the Midwest for years. He’s an independent filmmaker working at the intersection of Chinese and American cultures. Due to his identity, his works always deal with uncertainty and fluidity.

His work has aired on PBS and played at various venues in the US, Austria, Slovenia, Spain, and China. He won the Cream City Cinema Emerging Voices Award from HBO in 2018 and was a fellow at the 74th University Film and Video Association and the 67th Flaherty Film Seminar.

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Dissidents Directed by Yi Chen 76 Minutes | USA English & Mandarin New York City Premiere August 10 | 2:45-4PM Regal Union Square, Aud 14 In-person only

In the United States, three Chinese dissidents (sculptor Weiing Chen, asylum seeker Chunyan Wang, and Juntao Wang, a primary organizer of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and one of the world’s most renowned Chinese dissidents) fight for democracy against a superpower through art, petition, and grassroots organizing.

Combining intimate observational footage, rich archival materials, and an investigative approach, DISSIDENTS uncovers transnational repression by an authoritarian state targeting dissidents who keep the democratic flame alive during the darkest hours.

Yi Chen Director/Producer Yi Chen is a documentary filmmaker based in Washington, D.C. Her work has screened at AFI DOCS, IDFA Docs for Sale, and Berlinale European Film Market. Her feature debut FIRST VOTE (2020, PBS Distribution) qualified for the 93rd Academy Awards (Best Picture and Documentary Feature). Her short doc CHINATOWN (2013, WHUT) won the IndieCapitol Awards for Best Documentary Short. Yi has been awarded grants from the Ford Foundation JustFilms, Open Society Foundations, and ITVS. She was a 2019 Soros Equality Fellow with an MFA in Film and Media Arts from American University.

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Eat Bitter Directed by Ningyi Sun & Pascale Appora-Gnekindy 95 Minutes | Central African Republic, China, USA, Canada, Kenya, The Netherlands Sango, Mandarin, French August 10 | 12:30-2:15PM Regal Union Square, Aud 15 In-person & online

In one of the poorest nations on earth, the Central African Republic, native sand diver Thomas Boa and construction manager Jianmin Luan, a Chinese national, accept that struggle and risk are the price of tomorrow’s rest and reward: both are prepared to “Eat Bitter.” The eye-opening documentary raises the age-old question of what we are prepared to sacrifice for a better tomorrow, without a promise that it will ever arrive.

Ningyi Sun Ningyi Sun, a filmmaker, writer, and actor, has received grants from Sundance, Hot Docs Blue Ice, Ford Foundation, IDFA Bertha Fund, and Chicken & Egg Pictures.

Fluent in four languages and having lived on three continents, Ningyi’s work explores displacement, mobility, and feminism. Her debut documentary feature, EAT BITTER, which she co-directed, premiered at CPH: DOX in 2023, featured in 50+ film festivals worldwide, and has been aired by BBC. Currently, Ningyi is working on her first fiction film based on a true story about a Chinese immigrant massage worker in Flushing, Queens.

Pascale Appora-Gnekindy Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pascale Appora-Gnekindy is a citizen of the Central African Republic (CAR). She owns Kea-Kwis Production, a video production company in Bangui, CAR. From 2017 to 2019, Pascale directed two short films MY EYES TO HEAR and TWO SISTERS, which were screened internationally. Pascale came to film production from the IT world, where she studied computer science and worked for seven years. Her break came when she was selected to participate in 2016 in documentary filmmaking workshops organized by the French Alliance of Bangui and the Ateliers Varan.

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Guián Directed by Nicole Chi Amén 76 Minutes | Costa Rica & China Spanish, Mandarin, Engping, Cantonese East Coast Premiere August 9 | 8-9:15PM Regal Union Square, Aud 15 In-person & online

As a consequence of Guián passing away, Nicole starts meeting with people who have known her grandma. Traveling to different parts of Costa Rica provides a glimpse of the Chinese-Costa Rican community, and she finds a poetic resemblance between these characters and her deceased grandma.

Nicole finds the need to go to Southern China to find the house Guián abandoned when she emigrated to Costa Rica. Having never learned Chinese, she confronts the reality of a country and culture she thought she knew.

This film is the first and last imagined conversation between a granddaughter and a grandmother who never shared a common language.

Nicole Chi Amén is a Costa Rican-born Chinese director, currently based in Austin, Texas. She’s been recognized with awards like the Directors Guild of America’s Student Film Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement and AFS’s Texas New Voices.

She was part of Talents Guadalajara and is a Fulbright Fellow. Her work has been selected for festivals like Telluride, SXSW, Visions du Réel, New Orleans FF, and SSFF & ASIA.

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Heaven Rain Flows Sweetly Directed by Shasha Li 68 Minutes | USA & China English, Mandarin, Nakhi, Yunnanese August 8 | 8:15-9:30PM Regal Union Square, Aud 15 In-person & online (US only)

Shasha, a nomad who has moved frequently, arrives in Cascadian, Oregon. Somehow, the smell of rain here reminds her of the Himalayan foothills she originally comes from.

She grows an abundant garden, yet the sky suddenly rains ashes in autumn. Wildfires have erupted all around the state, and the smog keeps seeping into her house, forcing her to evacuate. Driving through the Mad Max-esque haze, her thoughts drift back to Lijiang, her ancestral hometown in China, where her maternal Nakhi tribe celebrates Fire as a divine natural force every summer.

A journey of tracing dream-like currents of memories unfolds.

Shasha Li didn’t grow up with cinema, but she wouldn’t trade anything for her childhood days spent in the mountains of her hometown of Yunnan, China. While in college in New York City, spotting young filmmakers around Washington Square Park piqued Shasha’s interest in filmmaking.

Her first documentary feature, HEAVEN RAIN FLOWS SWEETLY, blends personal narrative, multi-cultural commentary, and meditative aesthetic in an ode to nature and home. It premiered at DOC NYC in 2023.

Shasha studied film at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

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Home Court Directed by Erica Tanamachi 95 Minutes | USA & Cambodia English & Khmer East Coast Premiere CW: Strong language, violence August 3 | 4:15-6PM Regal Union Square, Aud 15 In-person & online

Ashley Chea is a Cambodian American basketball phenom. HOME COURT, filmed over three years, is a coming-of-age story that relays the highs and lows of her immigrant family, surmounting racial and class differences, as well as personal trials that include a devastating knee injury. Despite the intensity of basketball recruiting, Ashley’s humor shines through and her natural talent inspires the support of those around her.

Erica Tanamachi’s most recent film, WINN, premiered at the 2022 Atlanta Film Festival and attained a distribution deal with PBS. Erica was the creative producer for the feature documentary MOTHERLOAD (2019) which garnered the “Best International Documentary ‘’ from the Hollywood North Film Awards. She also won “Best Documentary” from The Sonoma Film Festival, Silverlake Film Festival, and The Documentary Foundation for her short documentary, LIVING POETS. Erica is an MFA Cinema graduate of SFSU (2007) and has been producing and directing independent documentaries for over 18 years.

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Inay (Mama) Directed by Thea Loo 56 Minutes | Canada & Philippines English & Kapampangan World Premiere CW: Self-harm, suicide August 4 | 2:15-3:30PM Regal Union Square, Aud 15 In-person & online

*Short film preceding INAY (MAMA) Dear Watsonville Directed by Sandra Lucille 17 Minutes | USA & Philippines English DEAR WATSONVILLE is a mixed-media documentary offering an intimate glimpse into the lives of the manong generation, the 1st generation of Filipino migrants to arrive en masse in the U.S., as seen through the eyes of their children.

With the desire to help answer unresolved questions and heal lingering wounds, INAY investigates flawed immigration pathways between the Philippines and Canada that kept so many Filipino children from their mothers.

INAY, which means “mama” in Tagalog, is an intimate and personal look at the experiences and trauma endured by many Filipino Canadians. Filmmaker Thea Loo and her husband Jeremiah Reyes, who is also the film’s cinematographer, explore the intersections of mental health and migrant labor and the effects that continue to be felt years later. Through intimate conversations, INAY aims to bridge the silences and disconnect between the first and second generations of the Filipino community.

Thea Loo is a producer and director from Vancouver, BC. Her work has played at Sundance, Palm Springs ShortFest, and CAAMFest, and has been distributed on the digital TIFF Bell Lightbox. She is an alum of the Reelworld Producers Program and TIFF Series Accelerator. Her debut 1-hour TV documentary, INAY (MAMA), will premiere in 2024.

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Yūrei (Ghosts) Directed by Sumie García Hirata 83 Minutes | Mexico Spanish & Japanese US Premiere CW: Photosensitivity August 11 | 2:30-4PM Regal Union Square, Aud 15 In-person & online

The veiled history of Japanese Mexicans and the enduring impact of historical silence on their descendants is portrayed through landscape and choreographic exploration, questioning the formation and theatricality of individual and collective identity. When all that is left of history are vague memories, how do invisible wounds heal?

Through a five-chapter structure, the documentary transits different areas of Mexico, a progression of dance, and the documentary format itself. The chapters progress through the rigidity of Japanese Noh theater, Butoh, and personal dance—as well as moving from the traditional documentary form to an intimate and sensory exploration of memory.

Sumie García Hirata is a visual artist and filmmaker, whose work has been exhibited in 15 countries. She’s a member of the prestigious Mexican National System of Art Creators (SNCA) and the director of FAMILIAR TALE, which premiered at the international competition, Visions du Réel 2017. Her short film RELATO FAMILIAR was awarded “Best Documentary Short Film” at the Morelia International Film Festival, among others, as well as nominated for a Mexican Academy Award, and was part of Tribeca Film Institute’s IF/THEN Shorts program. Her feature, YŪREI (GHOSTS), premiered in 2023.

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Shorts Blocks

Coloring Out of the Lines When we’re young, we may see our parents as strong protectors—immovable objects.

There are also those haunting memories of vulnerability, when we realize they are human like us. These shorts offer coming-of-age stories centered on children as they perceive parents and the adults around them, and reckon with their placement in adult society.

Friday August 2 Regal Union Square, Aud 14 6-7:45PM | 94 minutes DALY CITY Directed by Nick Hartanto 16 Minutes | USA | English & Indonesian World Premiere An Indonesian boy and his mother attend a church potluck and lie about their dish.

VS Directed by Jole Sanchez 12 Minutes | USA & Philippines English & Tagalog East Coast Premiere CW: Racism, strong language

THE LITTLE SHOPPING TROLLEY Directed by Laurence Ly 18 Minutes | Canada French & Vietnamese U.S. Premiere CW: Strong language

Set in 1992, a Filipino kid working at his father’s liquor store seeks community through the arcade game “Street Fighter II,” but finds himself clashing with a local bully.

Living on a shoestring in Montreal, a Vietnamese mother must act in bad faith to assert her right to buy 12 discount laundry detergents that she’s been refused at a grocery store.

SQUEEGEE BOY Directed by Chung-Wei Huang 15 Minutes | USA | English & Mandarin CW: Strong language On a quest for belonging and acceptance, a trans teenager yearns to become part of a tight-knit group of squeegee boys in Baltimore City.

VIDEO FUNERAL Directed by Linh Tran 21 Minutes | USA, Canada, Vietnam Vietnamese & English Lam, a Vietnamese international student, welcomes her younger sister, Phuong, to her Chicago apartment. Phuong brings a DVD of their father’s funeral, which Lam could not attend.

JESA Directed by Jee Hoon Seo 13 Minutes | USA & South Korea Korean & English World Premiere A young boy takes part in a traditional ancestral rite and discovers the sacrifices his mother has made to protect his sense of innocence.

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Our Favorite Recipes Add two avocados. A helping of mochi. The best Chinese food in the city. Whisk in family, add wit and heart to taste. That’s how you make our eclectic mix of documentaries and narratives about food and the people we share it with.

Friday August 2 Regal Union Square, Aud 14 8:30-10:15PM | 96 minutes BENKYODO: THE LAST MANJU SHOP IN J-TOWN Directed by Akira Boch & Tadashi Nakamura 16 Minutes | USA | English New York City Premiere

AVOCADO ON PANCAKES Directed by Chinanang Tamrongtanakijakarn 11 Minutes | Thailand | Thai International Premiere CW: Strong language

Ricky and Bobby Okamura wrestle with closing their beloved family-owned manju shop after serving the San Francisco Japantown community for 115 years.

Jack and Rose secretly have an affair at their workplace. One day, the two go on a date at an izakaya restaurant and start an argument about the world.

YUJIN’S COOKBOOK Directed by Minju Hong 19 Minutes | South Korea | Korean International Premiere

KOWLOON! Directed by Mona Xia & Erin Ramirez 16 Minutes | USA | Cantonese & English New York City Premiere

A South Korean immigrant reconnects with her cultural heritage, as she cooks for a friend’s terminally ill grandmother.

Bobby Wong and his family reflect on the generational legacy of running the largest Chinese American restaurant in the United States.

GUACAMANIA! Directed by Andrew J. Lee 11 Minutes | USA | English East Coast Premiere

ROOTS + WINGS EP 3: PARISA PARNIAN Directed by Lisa Yadao, Michelle Sampior, Irene Yadao 8 Minutes | USA | English East Coast Premiere

At a meet-the-parents-dinner, a man goes to outrageous lengths to save his prized guacamole from browning while his girlfriend processes the shocking revelation that her “dead” family dog is still alive.

Iranian-American multi-disciplinary visual artist and culinary creative behind Savage Taste, Parisa Parnian hosted pop-up dinners in Los Angeles that not only illuminated Persian cuisine but also brought together the LGBTQ community.

29 HOUR FAMINE Directed by Etzu Shaw 16 Minutes | USA | English & Mandarin World Premiere When a devout teenager discovers evidence of someone eating at her church youth group’s annual fasting event, she goes to absurd lengths to catch the culprit.

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Tales That Go Bump In The Night Step right up to our horror carnival, featuring a thrilling block of the most spine-chilling adventures imaginable! From demonic confrontations to freakish flesh swaps, this collection will leave you far beyond the edge of your seat.

Sunday August 4 Regal Union Square, Aud 14 4:15-6PM | 98 minutes LULLABY Directed by Chi Thai 14 Minutes | UK | Vietnamese East Coast Premiere A refugee is haunted by a devastating incident from her past.

THE STEAK Directed by Kiarash Dadgar 8 Minutes | Iran & Canada | No dialogue New York City Premiere CW: Violence

PRONE Directed by Andrea Lee Christensen 16 Minutes | USA | English East Coast Premiere CW: Sexual content, strong language

A birthday ceremony preparation goes upside down as something horrible takes place.

An actress makes a desperate bargain that turns her Tinsel Town dreams into a Faustian nightmare.

TOTEM NIGHT Directed by Negin Kamran & Hana Azimi nia 19 Minutes | Iran | Farsi International Premiere CW: Violence When a young maid is employed at an old lady’s house, she goes through a mysterious experience, transforming into a captivated animal.

SPOOR Directed by Statten Roeg & Sunita Soliar 15 Minutes | UK | English New York City Premiere CW: Violence

PLAN B Directed by Nima Rahimpour 24 Minutes | Iran | Persian U.S. Premiere CW: Sexual content

A freakish, throbbing growth torments Ash. She is stuck caring for her vitriolic, dementia-ridden mother. With every indignity, Ash’s lump grows until it erupts, spewing a mysterious substance. Will Ash figure out what it is and how to stop it?

After the father discovers his daughter’s secret affair with a man, he decides to kill them both with the help of his young son and defend the family’s reputation. But at the last moment, his plan falls apart.

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Ones To Watch Filmmakers Under 21 Celebrate our future filmmakers as they explore identity and community through diverse forms such as horror, fantasy, documentary, and drama.

Saturday August 3 Regal Union Square, Aud 14 12-1PM | 51 minutes Pay-What-You-Can ‘NORMAL GIRL’ Directed by Kimmy Nguyen-Thoi 9 Minutes | Vietnam & Australia Vietnamese U.S. Premiere CW: Mature themes When Vietnamese-born Khanh Nguyen begins her new life in Australia, she faces challenging tribulations derived from her attempt to become the ‘perfect, Normal Girl’.

CLASS CRUSH Directed by Katherine Lynn-Rose 8 Minutes | USA | English New York City Premiere CW: Violence An introverted high school student forms a connection with her class crush, but their romantic homecoming dance takes a chilling turn when her actions are revealed.

WAIPO’S COMING OVER! Directed by Yee Shin Mun 13 Minutes | Singapore & Malaysia Cantonese, Mandarin, English International Premiere A granddaughter seeks a deeper connection with her visiting Grandma from Ipoh.

BUTTERFLY: THE KING OF YUE Directed by Jingxuan Qi 6 Minutes | USA | Mandarin, Wu, English World Premiere CW: Self-harm, suicide Noisy crowd, uncomfortable environment. A girl trying to escape.

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RED GUARD Directed by L-J ShenFilerman 3 Minutes | China | No dialogue Amidst the Chinese Cultural Revolution, a young man’s participation in a Red Guard march is interrupted when he unexpectedly finds an object from his past.

MUTED Directed by Chris Zou 6 Minutes | USA | Mandarin & English World Premiere CW: Substance abuse A high school girl decides to take a pill in order to stay awake, studying late at night for a chemistry exam.

THE STORY OF A STRANDED FROG Directed by Steven Yao 6 Minutes | Czech Republic English & Korean East Coast Premiere Michelle, a 20-year-old lonely Korean student spends her last day in a distant city taking care of her only true friend: a pet frog.

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Roadmap To The Soul On a desolate highway, you finally see a signpost up ahead: “Next rest stop: serving up duplicity, deceit, and dopplegängers. You might just discover your true self. Or that there is no true self at all.”

Saturday August 3 Regal Union Square, Aud 14 1:45-3:30PM | 93 minutes

SEOUL SWITCH Directed by Liann Kaye 13 Minutes | USA & South Korea English & Korean When an insecure Korean American boy meets an international K-pop star who looks just like him, they decide to switch identities.

LAYOVER Directed by Taylor Sanghyun Lee 12 Minutes | USA & South Korea English & Korean CW: Photosensitivity

JUST KIDS Directed by Jackie Bao 6 Minutes | USA | English East Coast Premiere CW: Photosensitivity

Long estranged from the religious community his mother embraces, Solomon must wear a lie one last time on the day of his brief return.

Ben, an ambitious Asian-American man shaped by his father’s immigrant experience, is visited by a familiar face on his way to the top.

CONFUSED BLOOD Directed by James Cutler 17 Minutes | USA & South Korea English & Korean East Coast Premiere CW: Photosensitivity A mixed-race Korean man wanders Seoul trying to make sense of his place in the world in this film that considers cultural identities and navigates an in-between space of documentary and narrative.

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THREE Directed by Amie Song 15 Minutes | USA | Mandarin & English East Coast Premiere At a home gathering, a Chinese woman who has recently moved to the United States to live with her daughter tries to keep her daughter’s secrets from her new friends.

A SUMMER’S END POEM Directed by Lam Can-zhao 15 Minutes | China, Switzerland, Malaysia Min Nan Shortly before the end of summer break, a country boy spends his savings on his dream of a city hairstyle–with surprising results. A story about bidding farewell to childhood and the poetic end of a summer.

THE MAN AND THE MONKEY Directed by Korok Murmu 18 Minutes | India & USA English & Bengali World Premiere Caught between capturing India’s authenticity and commercial demands, a Bengali-American photographer from NYC embarks on an assignment in Kolkata that ignites a battle for artistic integrity.

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Joke Book An animated ode to vibrators, two goth girls resurrecting Edgar Allan Poe, and an ambitious violin prodigy walk into a bar. The bartender asks, “What are ya, a bunch of shorts?”

Saturday August 3 Regal Union Square, Aud 14 4:15-6PM | 95 minutes ONE NOTE Directed by Jamie Ting 13 Minutes | USA | English & Mandarin A dark comedy about a neurotic but driven 17-year-old Chinese-American violinist on a mission to get admitted to Harvard at any cost.

SHE AND HER GOOD VIBRATIONS Directed by Olivia Griselda & Sarah Cheok 11 Minutes | Singapore | No dialogue North American Premiere CW: Sexual content

THE VARIABLE Directed by Ezra Li 9 Minutes | USA | English & Spanish World Premiere CW: Violence, sexual content

A stressed-out, middle-aged woman discovers the wonders of a vibrator, but she soon becomes addicted to solo pleasure sessions and loses touch with reality.

An “ethnically ambiguous” actor struggles to adjust to stereotypes projected onto him during the audition process.

IM IN LOVE WITH EDGAR ALLAN POE Directed by Andrea A. Walter 13 Minutes | South Korea, USA, UK, China, Taiwan, Philippines English & Tagalog New York City Premiere CW: Strong language Two goth besties search for chicken innards for a ritual to resurrect Edgar Allan Poe.

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PROBLEMATIC Directed by Sushma Khadepaun 16 Minutes | USA | English New York City Premiere CW: Sexual content, strong language An unknown writer becomes an overnight media sensation when her public tirade against a finance douche goes viral.

AH BOY YAH!!!

Directed by Gerald Ng Shibang 2 Minutes | Canada & Malaysia English, Cantonese, Mandarin New York City Premiere Ah Boy returns home to a tsunami of questions from relatives, wondering if he’ll be the man they want him to be.

I, CHINESE Directed by Keith Leung 14 Minutes | USA & Hong Kong English & Cantonese East Coast Premiere CW: Strong language, racism An influencer famous for his racist Chinese impressions faces consequences when his family gets involved.

REALLY GOOD DRIVER Directed by Alex Song-Xia 8 Minutes | USA & Canada | English U.S. Premiere An Asian American mom teaches her grown-up child how to drive, forcing both of them to confront parts of the car and themselves they never have before.

STITCHED Directed by Lorena Lourenco 15 Minutes | USA & India | English CW: Blood, gore A South Asian woman living in the diaspora, tired of dating people who can’t keep up with her mutable cultural identity, decides to “frankenstein” an ideal partner.

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How to Live as an Asian Woman in NYC Let our local filmmakers serve as your guide to the dizzying and difficult ways of living and thriving as an Asian woman in New York City.

Thursday August 8 Regal Union Square, Aud 14 6-7:45PM | 89 minutes LOVE LETTER TO ASIAN WOMEN Directed by Min Soo Park 9 Minutes | USA | English World Premiere Felicia Oh, a Taiwanese drag queen, challenges stereotypes and reshapes perceptions of Asian femininity.

YESTERDAY, I DREAMT ABOUT...

Directed by Chyan Lo 17 Minutes | Taiwan & USA English & Mandarin World Premiere Yang is leaving New York, she must say goodbye to the people she loves and the future she once dreamt of.

MINSEO Directed by Emily May Jampel 7 Minutes | USA | English & Hindi World Premiere A young Korean-American model juggles working in a restrictive fashion industry and hoping to be acknowledged for who they truly are.

PUSHER Directed by John Kim 12 Minutes | USA | Korean & English World Premiere An unemployed college grad living in New York City witnesses her step-sister get pushed onto the subway tracks during the height of COVID-19.

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SUNFLOWER GIRL Directed by Holly M. Kaplan 13 Minutes | USA | English & Cantonese New York City Premiere When a 13-year-old Chinese-American girl has the opportunity to go skateboarding with her crush, it comes at the cost of abandoning her little sister.

SOMETHING LIKE HAPPINESS Directed by Apar Pokharel 13 Minutes | USA | English & Hindi North American Premiere When two friends reunite in New York City after more than a decade, suppressed memories and desires resurface, forcing them to confront the bittersweet question of what could have been.

UME OR (THE WILL TO FLY BLIND) Directed by Sam Kumiko Sheridan 15 Minutes | USA & Japan English & Japanese World Premiere CW: Abortion UME [産め] or (THE WILL TO FLY BLIND) follows Ume, a 17-year-old Japanese American girl growing up in New York City. In the midst of an unexpected pregnancy, the story follows Ume in the days leading up to her abortion.

HOW TO LIVE AS AN ASIAN WOMAN IN NYC Directed by Jacqueline Jaemin Yeon 3 Minutes | USA | Korean & English Filmmaker Jacqueline Jaemin Yeon shares her tips on how to live as an Asian woman in New York City in light of the pandemic. The film takes an unexpected approach to highlight hate crimes against Asian women.

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Choose Your Fighter Press START to go on an epic quest filled with high-stakes action, inter-dimensional travel, and wonders (and dangers) of the very mind itself.

Friday August 9 Regal Union Square, Aud 14 6-7:30PM | 78 minutes AMERICAN DREAM Directed by Gorby Mufan Shih 13 Minutes | USA English, Mandarin, Cantonese World Premiere CW: Violence When Kevin, a coder on a work visa, is replaced by the younger intern he trained, Kevin joins his boss’s underground fight club to win a green card and keep his family in the USA. THE ROOMS Directed by Heeryun You 24 Minutes | South Korea | Korean New York City Premiere Cast in a green light, a long corridor seems never-ending in sight. Jun-sang faces multiple rooms in this long corridor, meeting various and bizarre people from door to door.

SUBURBAN STORY Directed by Chris Yen 30 Minutes | USA | English & Vietnamese East Coast Premiere CW: Violence, strong language Two star-crossed lovers caught in the chaos of crime, violence, and toxic relationships in their suburban neighborhood.

LOLA Directed by Grace Hanna 11 Minutes | USA & Philippines | English East Coast Premiere A thirteen-year-old science prodigy journeys into her grandma’s deteriorating mind to save one precious memory they have together.

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Rise Up! Intense struggles in the face of adversity, oppression, and death itself. These shorts get knocked down, but then get up again.

Saturday August 10 Regal Union Square, Aud 14 12:30-2PM | 82 minutes AMERICAN OXYGEN Directed by Adam Hazelton & Emily Hazelton 20 Minutes | USA | English East Coast Premiere CW: Strong language A young woman living on permanent supplemental oxygen rushes to catch the last bus to L.A. and be healed by a miracle-working televangelist.

SHEEP Directed by Mehrdad Kabiri 15 Minutes | Iran | Farsi CW: Violence

CHILDREN OF LIGHT Directed by Minkyu Kang 21 Minutes | South Korea & USA | Korean CW: Violence

Amir is a student who is humiliated by the school administrator because of the situation he is in. This incident leads to his transformation.

In the 1960s, a Korean boy (16), kidnapped and assaulted at a juvenile center on a remote island, must escape with his rival to survive.

SPLIT ENDS Directed by Alireza Kazemipour 14 Minutes | Iran | Farsi A bald woman and a man with long hair try to get out of paying fines when traffic cameras catch them for not wearing a hijab.

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A Field Guide to the Natural World Gather mushrooms. Arrange flowers. Explore mountains. Paint trees. Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of nature with this illuminating series of documentary and narrative.

Sunday August 11 Regal Union Square, Aud 14 12:15-1:45PM | 86 minutes BUNNY TO THE MOON Directed by Akira Maynard & Sammy Liu 8 Minutes | Japan | Japanese New York City Premiere When an extraterrestrial bunny falls from the sky, Aurora, a lonely gardener, is quick to befriend him. Upon realizing the bunny is from the moon, she decides to help him get back home.

THE SUN Directed by Angie Su 4 Minutes | China, Japan, USA | Japanese World Premiere This is a poignant journey of an African American woman who discovers herself and finds solace in the traditional Japanese art of Ikebana.

OBATA’S YOSEMITE Directed by Adam Prieto 15 Minutes | USA | English East Coast Premiere Exploring the profound journey of Japanese-American painter Chiura Obata, this documentary delves into his artistic legacy as a painter and the poignant experiences of his unjust incarceration during the Second World War.

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TAYAL FOREST CLUB Directed by 陳潔瑤 Laha Mebow 19 Minutes | Taiwan | Atayal & Mandarin East Coast Premiere CW: Substance abuse Is getting lost the best way to find yourself? In this coming-of-age tale from Taiwan’s first Indigenous female director, two Tayal youths learn to navigate life’s challenges by paying close attention to lessons that only the land can offer.

MATSUTAKE Directed by Theodore Caleb Haas 10 Minutes | USA | English New York City Premiere 98-year-old Homer Yasui takes four generations of his family to his secret mushroom-hunting grounds in Oregon in search of the prized and delicious matsutake mushroom, passing on a longtime Japanese American tradition.

RECYCLOS Directed by Jordan Gros 18 Minutes | USA | English East Coast Premiere In a post-apocalyptic world, Poppy (the last human on earth) transforms discarded robots into humans at “Recyclos.” She forges an unexpected friendship with a revived robot named Banjo and together they explore the meaning of life.

SINK Directed by Raina Yang 12 Minutes | USA & China English & Mandarin World Premiere On a college backpacking trip, a Chinese girl grapples with questions of identity after she finds herself at a crossroads between her Chinese classmate and her fear of being perceived as an outsider.

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Live Events

AAISC Screenplay Reading AAIFF47 is pleased to present the annual live reading of the winning script of the Asian American International Screenplay Competition. This year’s winner is MISSUS, written by Marissa Carpio and produced by Angelo Santos.

Please join us for the World Premiere of this screenplay reading. Afterwards, enjoy a casual happy hour at Snafu Bar. Wednesday August 7 CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies Rooms 1425 / 1426 6:30-8:30PM Pay-What-You-Can MISSUS Written by Marissa Carpio Produced by Angelo Santos 92 Minutes | USA English & Tagalog CW: Sexual content, strong language 40-year-old Mallie Davies is the perfect housewife–attractive, loyal to her husband, votes Republican. When she discovers what her Filipino nemesis is up to, Mallie takes on a new life mission: to become Indiana’s first Filipino-American All-American Missus, the premier beauty pageant for married women ages 35 to 45. In the lead-up to the big day, however, Mallie comes face to face with more than she bargained for….

Race, relationships, and representation politics come into play in the vast flatness of the American Midwest, where everything is seen clearly at a distance.

Marissa Carpio is an actor, writer, and filmmaker from outside of Chicago, currently based in NYC. Catch her onscreen in HOCUS POCUS 2, THE SLEEPOVER, and KRAFTY KID. Producing credits include the English-language World Premiere of Yukio Mishima’s play, THE LIGHTHOUSE, named as part of ‘The Best Stage Productions of 2019’ by ArtsFuse Magazine.

Marissa has also written, produced, and acted in several short film projects that have screened at festivals nationwide.

Marissa also enjoys volunteering with Apex, an organization that empowers Asian American youth through storytelling and the arts.

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Reel Laughs A Film Improv Game Show Come one, come all for a hilarious night of AAPI-star-studded game show comedy.

Watch seasoned improv comedians from ASIAN AF duel against each other in a Game-Changer-esque battle of quick quips all about film history, daring to go where every pretentious film buff has gone before.

Saturday August 3 Sugar Mouse Doors Open @8:30PM Show Begins @9PM FEATURING Donald Chang is a New Yorker who spent time in the South before returning to New York. He has appeared in For Life (ABC), High Maintenance (HBO), Younger (TV Land), and the feature film HAPPY CLEANERS. His stage credits include Doctor Chang in John Pollono’s Rules of Seconds at Barebones Theatre in Pittsburgh, PA, the lead in Hudson Guild Theater’s The Pearl Diver, a supporting role in Walk Up Arts’ A Play About Drew Carey, and Young Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. Chang hosts the monthly variety show Asian AF NY, performs characters on Characters Welcome, and improvises with his all-Asian team, Joy F*ck Club.

Kurt Cruz is a musician, comedian, and technical director. He is the Technical Director at Second City NYC. When he’s not behind the tech booth, you can find him performing improv and music at various venues throughout NYC. Check out his solo indie music project, Kuko, on all streaming platforms.

Risa Sang-urai Harms is a comedian based in NYC. She can currently be seen on UCB’s Harold Night with The Prophecy and also performs with Asian AF and Old Yorkers.

HOSTED BY Ed Pokropski is a two-time Emmy-nominated Senior Writer/Producer for Cable Entertainment Brand Creative at NBCUniversal.

He has been touring his critically acclaimed one-man show, Case 84: Adopted in the U.S.A., across the country. Originally from Philly, Ed is proud to be a Korean American adoptee.

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Music Night Out Music Video Showcase Join us on August 10 for AAIFF47’s Music Night Out—an opportunity to highlight the amazing collaboration of AAPI musicians and filmmakers. It’ll be a night to celebrate this year’s music videos and listen to the musical artists as they perform their songs live!

Saturday August 10 DROM Doors Open @7PM Show Begins @8PM FIREWORK FAM Directed by Alexander Nguyen 3 Minutes | USA | English East Coast Premiere

JANUARY 28TH, 2020 Directed by Kimberly Te 3 Minutes | USA | English New York City Premiere

“Firework Fam” follows Adam Acosta on a seemingly perfect day with the perfect date. However, nothing could have prepared Adam for what life had in store for him.

A reflection on a past relationship while evoking ancient East Asian traditions of publicly embodying and depicting the demon inside, in order to exorcise and dispel fears regarding queer identity.

FROGS Directed by Maya Marzuki Peters 3 Minutes | USA | English RAEGAN is reimagined as a fairytale character trapped inside of a swamp cottage. She must find a way to reckon with the barrage of frogs trying to break down her door.

STOP ASIAN HATE LOVE ONE ANOTHER Directed by Perry Yung 8 Minutes | USA | English New York City Premiere A musical journey into a remedy for hate.

ALMOST HOME Directed by Jen Kim 6 Minutes | USA | English A chance encounter in the night changes a young man’s life forever.

I WISH U COULD LOVE ME TOO Directed by Alexander Chen 5 Minutes | USA | English U.S. Premiere A teen’s journey through the highs and heartaches of a situationship takes a tumultuous turn when her crush’s attention shifts, leaving her to navigate the bittersweet realities of unrequited love in the complex world of adolescence.

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Print Sources A Circle of Repentance Hanjoo Kim hanjookim95@gmail.com A Summer’s End Poem (夏日句点) Shanxian Media lamcanzhao@gmail.com BUTTERFLY: The King of Yue (邑戉王) Jingxuan Qi qijingxuan2023@163.com

Confused Blood (혼혈) James Cutler (Cool Ones Please Productions) cutlerjames36@gmail.com | +1 (385) 231-3614 DAUGHTERS OF MONSTER MAGNET (怪物磁極少女) East River Films Inc eastriverfilms@gmail.com Dear Mother Jon Glassberg (Louder Than 11) 6205 Lookout Rd. STE E, Boulder, CO 80301 jonglassberg@gmail.com | +1 (704) 975-4046 Dear Watsonville Sandra Lucille sondylu.press@gmail.com

Eat Bitter Ningyi Sun eatbitter1@gmail.com | +1 (347) 761-2939 fanti Andy Nguyen an2346@columbia.edu | +1 (786) 263-9870 Future Date futuredatefilm@gmail.com Guián Nicole Chi nicole.chi.amen@gmail.com

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im in love with edgar allan poe Andrea A. Walter andreawalter88@gmail.com Inay (Mama) Thea Loo (No More Productions) thea.loo.film@gmail.com | +1 (604) 862-6702 It follows It passes on (撿起放下墜落提起) Erica Sheu ericasheu2@gmail.con JESA Jee Hoon Seo (JHS Productions) Jhs664@nyu.edu | +1 (646) 647-0058 Layover Taylor Lee tsl7917@nyu.edu | +1 (530) 902-2637 Lola Grace Hanna (Halcyon Park Productions) grace.a.hanna@gmail.com

Obata’s Yosemite Adam Prieto adam@adamprieto.com | +1 (831) 902-9817 Plan B (‫)یب نلپ‬ Nima Rahimpour planeb.movie@gmail.com | +98 912-221-9670 Roots + Wings Ep 3: Parisa Parnian Lisa Yadao (paper tongue) hellopapertongue@gmail.com Seoul Switch seoulswitch@gmail.com She and Her Good Vibrations Olivia Griselda oliv.griselda@gmail.com

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Sheep (Goosfand) Mehrdad Kabiri mehrdadkabiri7@gmail.com | +98 919-920-4943 Sink Raina Yang ly2558@columbia.edu | +1 (510) 717-6672 Squeegee Boy Chung-Wei Huang hchungwei@gmail.com

Sunflower Girl (葵花女) Pierce Varous (Nice Dissolve) support@makedcp.com The 2024 72 Hour Shootout: PRACTICAL DREAMER Asian American Film Lab, attn: 72 Hour Shootout 25 W 43 Street #1000 New York, NY 10036 info@film-lab.org | +1 (646) 535-5212 The Little Shopping Trolley (Le petit panier à roulettes) Les Films Voi vlaurencely@gmail.com The Steak Kiarash Dadgar (Lucid Horizon Films) kiarashdm@icloud.com Three Lights On lightson@lightsonfilm.org Totem night (‫)متوت ِ بش‬ Ali Mohammad Izadi kamran.negin@yahoo.com | +98 913-332-5825

Yujin’s Cookbook (유진의 요리책) Minju Hong minjuhong328@gmail.com Yūrei (ghosts) Santiago De la Paz Nicolau (Nómadas) santiago@nomadas.cc

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Staff BOARD OF DIRECTORS John Woo Cecilia R. Mejia Daniel Chen Judy Lei Philip Lam Wynn Salisch

Chairman Board Member Board Member Board Member Emeritus Board Member Board Member

ADMIN John Woo Kayla Wong David Rances Chen-Yi Wu Eunice Chen Christopher Gultiano Elizabeth Bigelow

ACV Executive Director ACV Programs / Festival Co-Director ACV Festival Co-Director Festival Coordinator ACV Consultant Administrative Manager Administrative / National Tour Coordinator

DEVELOPMENT Young Chen Betty Chen Lily Chu Fangda “Helen” Cao Bella Hoang Nidhi Kalva Peter Tan Joyce Chan

Development Manager Associate Development Manager Associate Development Manager Development Associate Development Associate Development Associate Development Associate Sponsorship / Events Coordinator

MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS Siena Koh Lily Chu Susanne Wong Jungsuh Kim Amanda La Yuming Zhang Sowang Kundeling Destiney Cantzlaar Lina Hoang Yu Hai Shen Anson Li Scarlett Wang OPERATIONS Tiffany Bai

Marketing Manager Associate Communications Manager Newsletter Lead Newsletter Coordinator Press Lead PR Coordinator Social Media Lead Social Media Coordinator Social Media Coordinator Social Media Coordinator Social Media Coordinator Social Media Coordinator

Operations Manager

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Nicole Yap Michael Mejia Tyler Chen Cindy Ji Jihyun Paik Vincent Tsang Shengtong Yuan Lauren Lee Ambhika Maharaj Dayoung Lee Jason Cheung Yuhe “Wendy” Chen Linan Chen Brian Lau Kate Chen Dasom Sohn Charissa Isidro

Operations Associate Production Manager Production Assistant Production Assistant Production Assistant Production Assistant Production Assistant Box Office Coordinator Box Office Coordinator Box Office Coordinator Print Traffic Coordinator / Video Editor Copy Editing Assistant Hospitality Coordinator Guest Services Assistant Events Coordinator Events Coordinator Special Events Coordinator

CREATIVE Murielle Hsieh Priscilla Young Harmonie Tsai Fion Fong Miko Marfori Steven Lew Siwen “Candy” Sui Elena Dagan William Mun Jasey Brabazon Rom Choi Melanie Hyde Kyle Lui Shay Santos Jessica Taghap Jessie Curneal Yena Oh Raymond Tisch

Creative Manager Lead Designer Graphics Consultant Program Book Editor / Graphic Designer Graphic Designer Graphic Designer / Photographer Motion Graphic Designer Photo / Video Lead Photo Editor Photographer Photographer Photographer Photographer Photographer Photographer Photographer Video Editor Trailer Editor

WEB Jenny Xing Dennis Hu Alexxa Dussault Victor Cheng Timothy Chiu Carvey Hor Gary Hor Yu Lee

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Web Lead Lead Software Engineer Website Data Entry Web Developer Web Developer Web Developer Web Developer Web Developer

Genn-Hong Lin Alisa Promthep UX / UI DESIGN Arnold Bustamente Mieko Tominaga Matthew Thien Lauren Chun PROGRAMMING Kris Montello Julie Zhao Suzanne Knop Henry Thong Kimberly Han Jackson Lee Janis Hong Raymond Chow Seyoung Kim Anson Li Michael Mejia Wanxin Tang Peggy Tseng Charlotte Wittmann Raina Yang Samantha Toy Ozeas Hai-Li Kong CINEVUE Demi Guo James Ochoa Kathy Ou Christson Luigi Asuncion Chen-Yi Wu Daniel Oliver Lee Nate Shu Angela Wong Carbone Tracy Chung Lucas Manuel-Scheibe Brianna Mei Charlotte Wittmann Ansa Khan Isabella Tecson Leezum Regensburg Shay Santos Jonathan Liu Helen He

Web Developer Web Developer

UX Design Consultant UX Designer UX Designer Product Designer

Programming Manager Programming Coordinator Programmer (Documentary Features) Programmer (Documentary Features) Programmer (Narrative Features) Programmer (Narrative Features) Programmer Programmer Programmer Programmer Programmer Programmer Programmer Programmer Programmer Screenplay Programmer Special Exhibition Programmer

Editor-in-Chief Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer

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Thanks HONORARY CIRCLE Ang Lee Christine Choy David Henry Hwang Janet Yang Jean Tsien Jessica Hagedorn Joan Chen Justin Chon Lori Tan Chinn Mira Nair Peilin Chou Tamlyn Tomita Warrington Hudlin SPECIAL THANKS AAPI Film Festival Coalition Aaron Ho Alex Chester-Iwata Amanda Nguyen Amita Manghnani Antony Wong Bahar Tas Bao Tran Bonnie Barios Caelan Fortes Christine Chan Daihachi Yagi Deanna McCray-James Derek Nakamoto Diya Radhakrishna Ed Pokropski Eleanor Yung Elizabeth Wong Eric Bai Eunice Chen Frank Cettina Frank Gonzalez Helen Oji Irvi Sulit J. Noel Murray Jasmin Malave

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Jeffrey Runyard Jess Lam Joe Dawson Johan Alzate Joseph Carranza Jui-Ling Huang Julie Azuma Kaina Dominguez Katie May Porter Kayla May Suarez Kunzing Wangdi Laarni Dacarnay Lillian Thakuria Mariska Ly Ho Masum Momaya Mehmet Dede Michael Gu Michelle Popovitch Milton Liu Nathaniel Claridad Nick Sakai Pamir Yilmaz Patrick Chen Perry Ya Philip James Rachel Cooper Rachel James Rebecca Krinsky Sakura Yagi Scott Goldfarb Sean Wooldridge Shawn Lin Sid Ross Stacey Young Stefanie Landorf Stephen Cheng Suejee Lee Sung Lee Susan Xing Wennie Chin Whitney McIntosh-Joseph William Tam

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