2025 BAAFF Program Book

2025 BOSTON ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL | OCT. 16-26 | BAAFF.ORG

BAAFF.ORG

2025

16-26

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2025

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Supported by the Culture & Community Power Fund administered by ACDC, CCLT, and Pao Arts Center.

Artwork by Chandarith "Chad" Moeun & Corey Valois. Design by Connie Chan.

“Thanks to the leadership and the hard work of a great team of volunteers, we have a film festival that inspires the best in all of us.”

- Stewart Barns

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Supported by the Culture & Community Power Fund administered by ACDC, CCLT, and Pao Arts Center.

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2025 BOSTON ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL | OCT. 16-26 | BAAFF.ORG OPENING NIGHT NARRATIVE

FORGE

Directed by Jing Ai Ng | 112 Mins

Thurs. 10/16 7:00PM | Coolidge Corner Theatre OCT 16

forge

In Miami, siblings Raymond and Coco Zhang run a profitable art forgery ring. When the Zhangs cross paths with millionaire Holden Beaumont, they're coerced into creating counterfeit masterpieces as a front for his old American family's art collection, only to become entangled in a web of deception. Followed by Q&A.

CENTERPIECE DOCUMENTARY / PRECEDED BY SHORTS: BUILDING OUR HISTORIES

LOVE, CHINATOWN WORLD PREMIERE

CO-SPONSORED BY:

Directed by Lukas Dong

Fri. 10/17 6:00PM | Emerson Paramount Center OCT 17

Love, CHinatown

Chinatown resident Cynthia Yee embarks on an open-hearted walking tour of Boston’s Historic Chinatown in all its vibrancy—extending a discerning welcome to neighborhood newcomers while boldly confronting the community’s past trauma with the help of an unexpected local compatriot: bright-eyed undergrad, Gwen.

Followed by Q&A. Shorts include: Teb Chaw (Land) Directed by Joua Lee Grande • Beauty of Sorrow Directed by Josh Park • Dear Watsonville Directed by Sandra Lucille • Little Bird Directed by Oanh-Nhi Nguyen

Love, Chinatown (Encore Screening) Followed by Q&A Sat. 10/18 4:30PM | Emerson Paramount Center DOCUMENTARY

THE ROSE: COME BACK TO ME Directed by Eugene Yi | 85 Mins

Fri. 10/17 9:00PM | Emerson Paramount Center OCT 17

the rose: come back to me

The Rose: Come Back to Me is an intimate documentary chronicling the remarkable journey of The Rose— from their humble beginnings as a South Korean indie band to their emergence as a global sensation. Followed by Q&A.

DOCUMENTARY

BETWEEN GOODBYES Directed by Jota Mun | 96 Mins

Sat. 10/18 1:00PM | Emerson Paramount Center OCT 18

between goodbyes

When a queer Korean adoptee visits her original mother in Seoul, long-held regrets and cultural misunderstandings come to the surface alongside tenderness, humor, and tenacity. Followed by Q&A.

Boston Asian American Film Festival (BAAFF) empowers Asian Americans through film by showcasing Asian American experiences and serving as a resource to filmmakers and the Greater Boston Community.

CENTERPIECE NARRATIVE

ROSEMEAD

DIRECTED BY ERIC LIN | 97 MINS

SAT. 10/18 8:00PM | EMERSON PARAMOUNT CENTER OCT 18

rosemead

In a race against time, an ailing woman is stricken by the discovery of her teenage son’s violent obsessions and must go to great lengths to protect him, and possibly others, in this portrait of a Chinese American family. Followed by Q&A. SHORTS PROGRAM

ACROSS THE DIVIDE

Sun. 10/19 12:00PM | Emerson Paramount Center

OCT 19

across the divide

Check Please Directed by Shane Chung • Technicians Co-Directed by Kelly Luu & Kevin Luu • Bakunawa Directed by Jessica Stutman • Long’s Long Lost & Mini Mart Directed by Julian Doan • God & Buddha Are Friends Directed by Anthony Ma • Saint Andrews Directed by Erin Ramirez Followed by Q&A.

DOCUMENTARY

YEAR OF THE CAT Directed by Tony Nguyen | 98 Mins

Sun. 10/19 3:00PM | Emerson Paramount Center OCT 19

year of the cat

Year of the Cat follows filmmaker Tony Nguyen on an extraordinary quest to solve the mystery of his father, lost in the chaos of the Fall of Saigon 50 years ago. Followed by Q&A.

CLOSING NIGHT NARRATIVE

MUSTACHE

Directed by Imran J. Khan | 84 Mins

Sun. 10/19 6:30PM | Emerson Paramount Center OCT 19

mustache

In the mid-1990s in Silicon Valley, Ilyas is a 14-year-old Pakistani-American who is forced to leave his private Islamic school to attend a public school.

Adding to his struggles is a mustache that he has been growing since he was ten, to his chagrin. Followed by Q&A and Closing Reception.

SPECIAL PRESENTATION NARRATIVE

CAN I GET A WITNESS? Directed by Ann Marie Fleming | 110 Mins

Fri. 10/24 7:00PM | Museum of Science OCT 24

can i get a witness?

It’s the future and we’ve solved all the world’s problems, with just one catch: humans have to end life at 50 and teenage artists have to document it. It’s Kiah’s first day on the job. Followed by Q&A.

All Shorts Programs available on-demand from October 17-26 | BAAFF.ORG ACROSS THE DIVIDE Across the Divide explores stories of unlikely connections, whether cultural, economic, or even supernatural. These films demonstrate the power of creating new bonds against all odds.

Check Please Directed by Shane Chung • Technicians Co-Directed by Kelly Luu & Kevin Luu • Bakunawa Directed by Jessica Stutman • Long’s Long Lost & Mini Mart Directed by Julian Doan • God & Buddha Are Friends Directed by Anthony Ma • Saint Andrews Directed by Erin Ramirez

OCT

17-26

Across the divide

BUILDING OUR HISTORIES Building Our Histories spotlights stories of creating and maintaining API spaces from Boston’s Chinatown to communities around the globe.

OCT

17-26

Building our histories

Teb Chaw (Land) Directed by Joua Lee Grande • Beauty of Sorrow Directed by Josh Park • Dear Watsonville Directed by Sandra Lucille • Little Bird Directed by Oanh-Nhi Nguyen

MY OWN WORST ENEMY My Own Worst Enemy interrogates the insecurities that we all hold within ourselves and how we can work to overcome (or end up succumbing) to them.

单注

Poreless Directed by Harris Doran • One Note ( ) Directed by Jamie Ting • Clementine Directed by Sally Tran • Introducing Mimi Directed by Emai Lai • Stand In Directed by Hiromi Yamawaki • Puberty for Humans Directed by Wester Demandante

OCT

17-26

My own worst enemy

NIGHT VISIONS Night Visions is a showcase of the weird and the wacky, films that don’t easily fit into any one box. These shorts subvert the expectations and surprise audiences at every twist and turn.

OCT

17-26

night visions

Don’t F*ck with Ba Directed by Sally Tran • Better Life Directed by Jessica Liu • Kumar Kumar Directed by Kiran Koshy • Five Star Directed by Kai Hamada Hasson • Daddy is a Hunter Directed by Marcus Fahey • Cherry-Colored Funk Directed by Chelsie Pennello

QUEER & HERE A staple of every BAAFF season, Queer and Here highlights stories of self-expression and the complexities of identity and intersectionality, beyond orientation.

Baby Gay Directed by Arielle Francis Bagood • Baba I’m Fine Directed by Karina Dandashi • Bloomed in the Water Directed by Joanne Mony Park • I’m the Most Racist Person I Know Directed by Leela Varghese • After What Happened at the Library Co-Directed by Syra McCarthy and Kyle Casey Chu • Zari Directed by Shruti Parkh

OCT

17-26

queer & here

RESPECT YOUR ELDERS Respect Your Elders honors our older community members, showing us that our elders still have much to share with the world.

OCT

17-26

Respect your elders

Gloria Directed by Kim Blanck • The Tale of Mari Directed by Anya Vaughn • The Last Resort Directed by Sarita Khurana • Lola Directed by Carlo Ang • To Dance Again Directed by M.G. Evangelista • Why My Dad Loves Directed by Nkaujoua Xiong

FALL 2026

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Tear through the dotted line of your choice for each film you watch

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2025 BOSTON ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL | OCT. 16-26 | BAAFF.ORG

Venues

Coolidge Corner Theatre

Emerson Paramount Center

Museum of Science

290 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446

559 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111

1 Science Pk, Boston, MA 02114

OPENING NIGHT

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16

OCT 16

COOLIDGE CORNER THEATER CENTERPIECE DOCUMENTARY

7PM Opening Night Forge

OCT 17

Forge

Love, Chinatown

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17 EMERSON PARAMOUNT CENTER

6PM Centerpiece Documentary Love, Chinatown (World Premiere)

SCAN FOR DIGITAL PROGRAM

(Preceded by Shorts: Building Our Histories) The Rose: Come Back to Me

OCT 18

OCT 18

Between Goodbyes

Love, Chinatown (Encore)

OCT 18

9PM The Rose: Come Back to Me

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18

CENTERPIECE NARRATIVE

CENTERPIECE DOCUMENTARY

OCT 17

EMERSON PARAMOUNT CENTER

Rosemead

1PM Between Goodbyes 4:30PM Love, Chinatown (Encore) 8PMCenterpiece Narrative Rosemead

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19 EMERSON PARAMOUNT CENTER

Shorts: Across The Divide

OCT 19

Year of the Cat

FRIday, OCTOBER 24

CLOSING NIGHT

OCT 19

OCT 19

12PM Shorts: Across the Divide 3PM Year of the Cat 6:30PM Closing Night Mustache

MUSEUM OF SCIENCE Mustache

OCT 24

Can I Get A Witness?

7PMSpecial Presentation Can I Get A Witness?

Friday, October 17 - sunday, october 26 Virtual Shorts Programs All Shorts Program available on-demand from October 17 thru October 26, 2025.

Across the Divide Building Our Histories

My Own Worst Enemy Night Visions

Queer & Here Respect Your Elders

All information on events and guests are subject to change without notice. Special guest appearances and more information will be updated on the website. BAAFF assumes no responsibility for any errors that may appear on any materials.