PAAFF 2024 STAFF PAAFF 2025 STAFF
Our devoted team of staff and volunteers work countless hours to make each festival program a success. Thank you to all our dedicated staff without whom this festival would not be possible!
Our devoted team of staff and volunteers work countless hours to make each festival program a success. Thank you to all our dedicated staff without whom this festival would not be possible!
Meet our team at paaff.org/our-team!
Meet our team at paaff.org/our-team!
Nani Shin Executive Director
Joseph Carranza Creative Director
Arzhang Zafar Festival & Programming Director
David Tanh Partnerships Director
Shreya Soni Festival Manager
Kierra Mateo Festival Experience Manager
Erik Anderson Festival Art Director
Ricky Prosper Lead Photographer
Karen Louie Lead Content Producer
Aiko Hamamoto Programmer, Screener
Phoebe Schaub Programmer, Screener
Meloddy Gao Guest Programmer
Dr. Van Tran Nguyen Guest Programmer
Anna Migliaccio Screener
Brittney Scurry Screener
Caren Hosansky Screener
James Kawano Screener
Jemy Varghese Screener
Julia Yun Screener
Ke Liu Screener
Keerthi
Channarasappa Screener
Klyde Breitton Screener
Liana Irvine Screener
James Kawano Screener
Lillian Li Screener
Madison Yu Screener
Nova Meng Screener
Patty Kuo Screener
Phoebe Schaub Screener
Rongman Xu Screener
Sharon Pearson Screener
Sumit Pareek Screener
Tai Manheim Screener
Zong Sheng Tran Screener
Festival Trailer by Maestro Filmworks
Meet our new board at paaff.org/ourboard
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SPONSORS & PARTNERS
VENUE PARTNERS
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IN-KIND SPONSORS
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FOUNDATION Support
LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Welcome to the 18th Annual Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival!
Since last year, PAAFF has embarked on an exciting new chapter. The Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival has officially become the Philadelphia Asian American Film Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, allowing us to expand beyond the annual festival and become a year-round platform. Thanks to our team, partners, and community, we have laid the foundation for growth, growth that opens our audience up to the world itself…to new cultures, perspectives, as well as shared emotions, and common humanity.
Our name and logo may have changed, but our mission remains the same. We continue to curate programs that reflect the richness, complexity, and resilience of AANHPI diasporic identities. We do this through independent film screenings, industry panels, community conversations, multidisciplinary performances, and cultural experiences. We launched new programs in 2025 and increased community engagement with partner organizations, including Storyteller Spotlight, Spring Showcase, and a summer series in partnership with organizations like the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, Vox Populi, the Southeast Asian Market, Philadelphia Asian & Queer, and the Kennett Library. Through community partnerships, we brought PAAFF programs to new audiences across the Philadelphia region.
This year has also brought unprecedented threats to art, culture, free expression, and immigrant rights. We saw the defunding of
PBS and NPR, the cancellation of grants to arts and culture organizations by the NEH and the NEA, and the elimination of DEI programs by corporations and institutions. There are book bans, media censorship, and efforts to erase marginalized voices and histories, along with inhumane immigration enforcement practices and raids. These are the same communities whose stories we strive to honor and uplift.
I believe this is why organizations like PAAFF exist. As we approach the 250th anniversary of this nation, we want to ensure that BIPOC voices and history are recognized as an essential part of the American story.
Like this year’s festival theme, I am “dreaming of other worlds,” a world where we get to continue to celebrate and showcase diverse stories and creatives. To grow as a national leader in the AANHPI arts space, collaborate with local schools to develop resources for emerging creatives and commission original works by local filmmakers. I invite you to DREAM with us and help us bring these visions to life.
Thank you for being part of our growth journey. I hope you are moved, inspired, and entertained by our programs in the 18th Annual Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival!
With gratitude and hope,
Nani Shin Executive Director
LETTER FROM THE FESTIVAL DIRECTOR
Welcome, friends, to this 18th edition of the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival. It is my sixth year spearheading curation for PAAFF, and I am proud to say I feel this is one of our strongest programs yet. 2025 has been a rollercoaster for our organization, and we would not have made it through without the generous and intentional support of our programmers, screeners, volunteers, funders, and the most wonderful community partners on whose shoulders we humbly stand. In short, we have so much cool stuff to show you and it’s hard to believe you’re actually going to see it.
Each year, our team comes up with a theme to guide the curation process and develop a vision for our festival program— typically, this theme also contains a kernel of the zeitgeist, reflecting a collective unconscious feeling or general vibe. Needless to say, this year has been harder than most to reckon with. It has been defined, seemingly or in actual fact, by compounding tragedies—state violence, preventable disasters both natural and unnatural, human suffering broadcast worldwide 24/7. As our government continued its backing of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, it unleashed hell on immigrants domestically. We now know, if there was ever any doubt, that we—whether belonging to diaspora communities, other communities of color or marginalized groups—remain second class citizens, our belonging in this country entirely contingent on the whims of those in power. We now know that representation is not enough, that we will not be saved by our relative Americanness.
In light of all this, it would be tempting to lean toward escapism. After all, we all go to the movies to forget about the world outside, to distract ourselves from the dullness and disappointment of reality. Don’t we? On the other hand, there is a sense that we need to do something important. After all, hasn’t storytelling historically been a means of resistance and liberation? Still, that feels somehow reductive. No, in this age of repression and fear and increasing hopelessness, the last thing we would want is to limit what our festival can be, what it can do. And so, this year’s curatorial and creative theme, my personal guiding light, has been “dreaming of other worlds.”
In 2025 and beyond, we are not denying reality, nor are we accepting our fates. We are seeing through the eyes of others, crossing the boundaries of time and space so we might learn something about ourselves and our ancestors and our children. We are imagining how things have been worse, and how they must be better. We are taking in stories as history, as speculation, and yes, even occasionally as escape.
If you are joining us this year, I hope that you come with an open mind. I hope you are prepared to talk and listen. Of course, I hope you enjoy the films and the parties and the panels and everything in between. More than anything, I hope you are prepared to imagine more.
Arzhang Zafar Festival & Programming Director
2025 VENUES
Moore College of Art & Design
1916 Race Street Philadelphia, PA 19103
What to expect:
Film programs will be held in the Graham Auditorium.
The venue is accessible via the main entrance on Race Street.
The Barnes Foundation 2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy Philadelphia, PA 19130
What to expect:
Film programs will be held in the Comcast NBCUniversal Auditorium.
The Barnes offers on-site parking—with charging stations—and bike racks for your convenience.
The entire facility is accessible to standard-size wheelchairs. Because of the small size of the collection galleries, some larger mobility devices may not be accommodated in all rooms.
Location215
990 Spring Garden Street 1st Floor Philadelphia, PA 19123
What to expect:
An ADA access lift is available at the Spring Garden entrance.
Twelve Gates Arts 106 N 2nd Street Philadelphia, PA 19106
What to expect:
Screenings will take place in the gallery.
PhillyCAM
699 Ranstead Street #1 Philadelphia, PA 19106
Vox Populi
319 N 11th Street #3 Philadelphia, PA 19107
What to expect:
Vox Populi is located on the third floor. It is accessible only via stairs.
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy Philadelphia, PA 19130
What to expect:
The building has two entrances: one on Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, one on 19th Street. Film programs will be held in the auditorium.
Symphony Philly 1516 N 5th St Unit 104 Philadelphia, PA 19122
What to expect:
The entrance to Symphony is located on 5th Street.
2025 VENUES
Suzanne Roberts Theatre
480 S Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19146
What to expect:
The Suzanne Roberts Theatre features accessibility for disabled guests, including automatic doors, wheelchair-level ticket windows, first floor level access to bathrooms, and elevator access between floors.
Asian Arts Initiative
1219 Vine Street (Chinatown) Philadelphia, PA 19107
What to expect:
Film programs will be held in the third floor event hall, accessible via stairs and elevator.
The building’s front entrance has an ADA accessible ramp.
Philadelphia Museum of Art Perelman Building Fairmount & Pennsylvania Avenues, Philadelphia, PA 19130
What to expect:
The Perelman Building is located across the street from the main museum building, at the intersection of Fairmount Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue.
PUBLIC SAFETY PROTOCOLS
PAAFF is dedicated to safeguarding our immunocompromised, elderly, and all festival patrons. As a result, we recommend wearing masks at indoor venues when not eating or drinking. Masking is mandatory inside theaters and screening rooms and must remain on throughout the film. PAAFF will have masks available at the screenings.
If you are experiencing any symptoms, we ask that you remain home to prevent the spread of illness to others. If you have pre-purchased tickets/passes, we will reimburse you for the ticket(s) or exchange them for our online showcases. Please note that the in-person films are not included in the online film showcases.
CONTENT POLICY
As we at PAAFF endeavor to showcase the best Asian international and diasporic films, our programming staff is sensitive to the fact that some of our official selections may have content that an audience member may find offensive or distressing. As such, we provide our patrons with film descriptions that appear on our website and in our Festival Program as a guide to a film’s specific content and themes.
While we have included some content warnings with the descriptions in this program book, please understand that we are not capable of identifying all content that could be considered especially upsetting or triggering. For this reason, if you have concerns, we ask that you please supplement our film descriptions with your own research before purchasing tickets or attending a screening. We recommend watching the linked trailers, reading any online reviews, and visiting a film’s website where possible. Please feel free to contact us at PAAFF with any questions.
We thank you for your support and understanding.
Creative Discussions
Throughout its history, PAAFF has provided a platform not only for Asian artists and filmmakers, but also writers, critics, academics, and activists who bring valuable insight to topics relevant to our audience and touched upon in the films we curate. As part of our ongoing series of panels and conversations, we have invited new guests to speak on their approaches to craft, the intersections of documentary filmmaking and activism, and the ongoing effort to protect historical, diaspora, and working class communities. Each panelist will bring their own diverse perspective, deepening our understanding of the film industry, the power of art and media, and more.
Every year, PAAFF presents a Pacific Showcase with the specific goal of celebrating indigenous artists with roots in the Pacific. We aim to do our part to uplift indigenous art and artists, and advocate for education of indigenous histories and the struggle for sovereignty and selfdetermination, in the Greater Philadelphia Area and beyond.
This showcase is sponsored by our good friends at the Pacific Island Film Festival.
Pacific Showcase
OPENING NIGHT
THIRD ACT
91 minutes | Documentary | USA | English | 2025 11/06 7:00 P.M. - 10:00 P.M. at Moore College of Art & Design
Directed by Tadashi Nakamura
Generations of artists call Robert A. Nakamura “The Godfather of Asian American film,” but his son, Tad, calls him Dad. As the filmmaking son of a filmmaking legend, Tad uses the lessons his dad taught him to decipher the legacy of an aging man who was a child survivor of the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans, a successful photographer who gave it up to tell his own story, an activist at the dawn of a social movement—and a father whose struggles have won his son freedoms that eluded Japanese Americans of his generation. As Parkinson’s Disease clouds his memory, Tad sets out to retrieve his story—and in the process discovers his own.
PRESCREENER
DESYNC
12 minutes | Drama | USA | English, Tagalog | 2023
Directed by Minerva Marie Navasca
A young Filipina filmmaker attempts to overwrite a painful memory of her mother with a perfect narrative.
Q&A with director Tadashi Nakamura to follow the screening.
This program is presented with support from the Japanese American Citizens’ League, and in collaboration with the Asian American Documentary Network.
FEATURE PRESENTATION
POOJA, SIR
108 minutes | Thriller | Nepal/USA/Norway | Hindi, Nepali | 2024 11/07 6:30 P.M. - 9:00 P.M. at the Barnes Foundation
Directed by Deepak Rauniyar
When two boys are kidnapped in a border town in Nepal, Detective Inspector Pooja is sent from Kathmandu to solve the case, forcing her to leave her wife and her ailing father behind. But when she arrives to investigate, the brewing political unrest and violent protests throw her off course, and she is forced to seek help from Mamata, a local Madhesi policewoman. By putting aside systemic racial and homophobic discrimination and pushing through everyday misogyny, the women solve the case—but at what personal cost? Inspired by real events which took place in Southern Nepal during the 2015 race protests.
Q&A with director Deepak Rauniyar, producer Asha Magrati, and cinematographer Sheldon Chau to follow the screening.
This screening is presented in collaboration with Desi Rainbow and South Asian Americans for Change.
The program is presented in collaboration with and support from the Barnes Foundation as part of their First Friday program, which includes performances by Peter Lin and the AAPI Jazz Collective.
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
MINOR (RE)VISIONS
84 minutes| Curated by Dr. Van Tran Nguyen 11/08 11:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M. at Location 215
“Children of Immigrants” is a complicated badge of honor. While boastful and proud, this badge projects onto its members a shared sense of responsibility and hurried knowledge. In this collection of stories, the gumption of children is on full display, where courage meets the moment and accepts our imperfect characters as they are. These short films assure us that kids do the darndest things; they cuss, lie, disrupt, and reflect upon the painful truth about growing up: it’s not what it’s cracked up to be. These minor revisions allow us to celebrate the little things in life, however incomplete, however small they may be.
This program is presented with support from cinéSPEAK, the History Channel, and Nu Duong Realty; and in collaboration with VietLead, the Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia, and Laos in the House.
We’re Okay
Directed by Lucia Tran | USA | English, Vietnamese | 2025
A slice of life comedy about 3 precocious kids left to their own devices in a typical immigrant American home.
Ran Som
Directed by Richard Dang | Canada | English | 2025
Two small-time burglars kidnap the son of a wealthy businessman, demanding twenty thousand dollars. But when they discover that the boy is a victim of harsh discipline at home, they face a moral dilemma that blurs the line between criminals and protectors.
Colors of the Sky’s End
Directed by Catherine T. Nguyen | USA/ Vietnam | English, Vietnamese | 2025
A Vietnamese-American photographer seeking inspiration in Vietnam discovers an abandoned baby, sparking a controversial creative journey that threatens her relationship and tests her moral and creative boundaries as she prepares for her next exhibition.
Rooftop Lempicka
Directed by Hang Luong Nguyen | Vietnam | Vietnamese | 2024
While her mother is expecting their second child, young Thi befriends club waitress Ngoc who has just moved into their family′s house as a tenant. As their friendship grows, she finds out that Ngoc is an undisclosed sex worker.
Long’s Long Lost & Mini Mart
Directed by Julian Doan | USA | English, Vietnamese | 2025
In the back of a Little Saigon convenience store, a customer seeking closure reanimates his dead father for one last conversation. When his expectations are upended, the no-nonsense clerk must deal with the fallout.
Awit Natin
Directed by Pacqui Pascual | USA | English, Tagalog | 2024
When their father dies during their mother’s hospitalization, a Filipino family goes to extreme and absurd lengths to hide the truth.
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
CONVERSATION
IN CONVERSATION WITH KIEU CHINH
Moderated by Dr. Van Tran Nguyen 11/08 1:00 P.M. - 2:30 P.M. at Location 215
This special program features an intimate conversation with legendary actress Kieu Chinh, whose career spans from early stardom in Vietnam to becoming one of the first Vietnamese actresses to break into Hollywood and international cinema. She will reflect on her groundbreaking journey, sharing personal stories of resilience, artistry, and the challenges of representing her culture on screen. During this presentation, Kieu Chinh will also be honored with PAAFF’s Storyteller Legacy Award, recognizing her extraordinary contributions to global cinema and her lasting influence as a trailblazer for future generations.
This program is presented with support from cinéSPEAK, the History Channel, and Nu Duong Realty.
CELEBRATING CULTURE, COMMUNITY, & CUISINE
AANHPI BLOCK PARTY
11/08 3:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. at Gather Food Hall
This is more than a block party; it’s a celebration of AANHPI culture, cuisine, and community at the new Gather Food Hall in Schuylkill Yard! Sahbyy Food, a beloved favorite from the Southeast Asian Market at FDR Park, has a new home at the Gather Food Hall, along with other food vendors, including a South Asian cuisine, Bowl’d Masala. They will serve up flavors that reflect our vibrant communities. Live performances by local AANHPI groups bring music, art, and culture to life. Come support AANHPI creators, celebrate heritage, and connect with a thriving community in Philly.
Admission is FREE and open to the public.
UNION
104 minutes | Documentary | USA |
English | 2024
Directed by Stephen Maing and Brett Story
On April 1, 2022 a group of ordinary workers made history when they did what everyone thought was impossible: they successfully won their election to become the very first unionized Amazon workplace in America. This feat would be extraordinary for any union, let alone the Amazon Labor Union (ALU), who did it with no prior organizing experience, no institutional backing, and a total budget of $120,000 raised on GoFundMe. Heralded as the most important win for labor since the 1930s, this highly cinematic documentary captures the ALU’s historic grassroots campaign to unionize thousands of their co-workers from day one of organizing.
PRESCREENER
ADAS FALASTEEN
8 minutes | Documentary | Palestine | Arabic | 2024
Directed by Samar Taher Lulu and Hamdi Khalil Elhusseini
The story of a Palestinian chef and his role in using his hobby as a shield against the famine caused by the war on Gaza, preserving the spirit of resilience and hope within his community. This program is presented with support from cinéSPEAK, and in collaboration with the ACLU, the Woori Center, and Asian Americans United. FEATURE PRESENTATION
FEATURE PRESENTATION
SURRENDER
98 minutes | Drama | USA | English, Mandarin | 2025
Directed by Jess Dang
This poignant and gritty debut feature follows Naomi, a young Asian American woman whose life is disrupted by her secret gambling addiction. As she navigates her struggles, Naomi confronts feelings of denial and shame, which affect her relationships with family, colleagues, and herself. Ultimately, she reaches a breaking point and must decide between a path of destruction or one of self-love.
PRESCREENER
CHERRY-COLORED FUNK
16 minutes | Dark Comedy/Drama | USA | English | 2025
Directed by Chelsie Pennello
A serial grifter faces the music when seemingly everyone he’s ever wronged shows up on the opening day of his dubious Italian ice business.
This program is presented with support from cinéSPEAK, and in collaboration with Gapura, Philly Asian & Queer, and the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
OCEANS WITHIN US
78 minutes | Curated by Joseph Carranza 11/09 10:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. at Location 215
These stories reveal what lives within—our memories, our roots, and the bonds that shape us. They explore love that must remain hidden, the pride and identity tied to home, and the resilience found in tradition. They confront family, longing, and the quiet strength carried through generations. Across cultures and oceans, they remind us that what we hold within guides how we move through the world.
This program is presented in collaboration with Pacific Island Film Festival and BlackStar Projects.
Directed by Ira Hetaraka | New Zealand | English, Maori | 2025
A young Māori girl in the care of a conservative English couple savours her mother’s weekly visitations, as a custody battle driven by racial bias will ultimately decide their fate.
Womb Grace
Directed by Jana Park | USA | English, Hawaiian | 2025
Honolulu, 1959: Over a family dinner, two women hide their forbidden love— one resisting the pressure to marry, the other her nation’s admission to the United States.
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
PHILADELPHIA
OCEANS WITHIN US
The Āina Within
Directed by Marcus Goh | Hawai’i | Hawaiian Creole English | 2023
A meditative piece of three kamaāina (locals) from Oahu gathering in Honolulu to reflect on what makes them proud of their home.
MĀHŪ: A Trans-Pacific Love Letter
Directed by Lisette Marie Flannery | USA | English, Hawaiian | 2025
Native Hawaiian transgender artists prepare an innovative hula performance in Honolulu, exploring the cultural legacy, identity, and resilience behind the revered and complex term māhū.
Stranger, Brother
Directed by Annelise Hickey | Australia | English | 2024
When Adam, a self-absorbed and lonely millennial, wakes one morning to find his estranged half brother on his doorstep, he must face the family he’s been running away from.
PHILADELPHIA
RIVERS OF MEMORY
79 minutes | Curated by Meloddy Gao 11/09 12:30 P.M. - 2:30 P.M. at Location 215
Vibrating with the fevered pulse of fractured histories, these four tender, poetic, and ruminative documentaries ponder the many lifetimes that exist within us. Flowing, breathing, and unraveling all at once, they carry small gestures of bravery alongside reverberating memories from storied pasts.
This program is presented in collaboration with Pacific Island Film Festival and BlackStar Projects.
Sarah Thankam Matthews: After All This
Directed by Andrew Nadkarni | USA | English | 2024
Following the success of her literary debut, All This Could Be Different, author Sarah Thankam Mathews embarks on her second novel, drawing from her adolescence between India and Oman. As Sarah excavates lost place and time, she must contend with the weight of truthful representation and the contradictions within her childhood memories.
We Were the Scenery
Directed by Christopher Radcliffe | USA/Vietnam | Vietnamese | 2025
The story of Hoa Thi Le and Hue Nguyen Che, who, in 1975, after fleeing the Vietnam War by boat and docking in the Philippines, were utilized as background extras in the filming of Apocalypse Now.
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
RIVERS OF MEMORY
Cat’s Tale
Directed by | USA/Cambodia | Central Khmer, English | 2025
A 2nd generation Khmer-American femme documents her mother’s journey back to Cambodia for the first time in over 40 years. Through the form of both a letter and essay, the film translates the in-between and intergenerational memories of time, land, and body.
A Move
Directed by Elahe Esmaili | Iran | Farsi | 2024
Elahe returns to her hometown in Mashhad, Iran, to help her parents move to a new place after 40 years. Influenced by the Woman-Life-Freedom movement, she’s also hoping for a bigger move beyond just a new apartment
WORLD PREMIERE
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
A FORK IN THE PATH
74 minutes | Curated by Joseph Carranza and Phoebe Schaub 11/09 3:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. at Location 215
For each of us, our lives comprise what we want for ourselves, what others want for us, and the events that happen to us along the way-sometimes traumatic, sometimes magic. All of these films feature protagonists who are ready to make a change; they begin with one goal and then their journeys take twists and turns as they encounter a series of unexpected obstacles. These films remind us in unpredictable ways that where you start is never where you end up and sometimes closure isn’t what you expected, or even available at all. But still, we put one foot in front of the other and do our best to stay on the path.
CONTENT WARNING: This program includes disturbing scenes including depictions of sexual violence.
im in love with edgar allan poe
Directed by Andrea A. Walter | USA | English, Tagalog | 2024
Two baby goths prepare to summon the ghost of Edgar Allan Poe, but a series of unexpected obstacles jeopardize the entire spooky spectacle, and maybe even their friendship.
The Rebirth
Directed by Connie Shi | USA | English | 2024
An overworked waitress takes a black market abortion pill that gives her an unexpected side effect.
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
A FORK IN THE PATH
Bobo in Bliss
Directed by Vivian Ip | Singapore/USA | English, Cantonese | 2025
Confronted with a visit by her traditional parents and younger sister to her boarding school, a Singaporean teenager attempts to reconcile the differences between their values and her affirming self-discoveries.
Dry January
Directed by C.J. Arellano | USA | English | 2025
When Maya commits to a month of sobriety and takes up sculpting as a hobby, her crab sculptures terrorize her former drinking buddy, her brother Toby.
JANE
Directed by Minji Chang | USA | English | 2024
Fresh off a breakup, Jane Lee throws herself into a wild girls’ weekend—until an unexpected run-in with an old friend takes the night somewhere she never planned to go.
MAPS OF PAIN
92 minutes| Curated by Arzhang Zafar and Michael Kamel 11/09 5:30 P.M. - 7:30 P.M. at Location 215
Whether through more straightforward narratives or poetic pieces, investigative documentaries or personal essays, these stories explore the parallel struggles and impacts of colonial violence, from Palestine to East Asia, and among the diaspora in the empire’s core.
CONTENT WARNING: This program includes scenes of real violence. This program is presented in collaboration with the DC Palestinian Film & Arts Festival.
Shattered Memory
Directed by Hayat Labban | Palestine | Arabic | 2024
With his camera, Mahfouz Abu Turk was one of the few to document first-hand the events in the city of Jerusalem and the West Bank from the first Intifada in 1987 until the end of the nineties, putting his body on the frontline.
Beauty of Sorrow
Directed by Josh Park | USA | English, Korean, Japanese | 2024
A peasant woman, while caring for her ailing mother, recounts the harrowing tale of three men who played pivotal roles in Korea’s national grief.
The Most Beautiful Among Mothers
Directed by Mahmoud Abu Jazi | Palestine | Arabic | 2023
In the silence of her window, a mother embodies the sorrow of a nation, waiting for a son who may never return.
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
Roots That Reach Toward the Sky
Directed by Jess X. Snow | USA | English, Mandarin | 2024
When her mother’s Chinese Traditional Medicine shop gets vandalized, Kai, a young botanist is thrust in the midst of her mother’s grief, her muralist partner’s quest for mutual aid, and must confront the barriers to her own healing.
Densho
Directed by Andrew Garcia | USA | English | 2025
Electronic artist Shigeto explores his family’s history and the lasting effects of WWII internment, weaving together personal reflections, archival footage, and music. Through conversations with his mother and grandmother, he uncovers how their shared past and cultural heritage have shaped his identity, resilience, and artistry.
Not a Good Morning
Directed by Dareen Tatour | Palestine | Arabic | 2022
Haneen Omar is a Palestinian woman from the city of Tulkarm. Her normal life turns overnight after she posted on her Facebook page a sentence that led to her imprisonment for a period of one year and three months in the prisons of the Israeli occupation.
Lola
Directed by Carlo Ang | USA | English | 2024
As Flora nears the end of her life, her grandson Carlo investigates her untold stories about surviving WWII in the Philippines in an effort to reconstruct her memories. Through this exploration, Carlo learns more about his family’s history but also discovers why these stories were kept hidden for so long.
PHILADELPHIA
LOST & FOUND FAMILIES
94 minutes | Curated by Arzhang Zafar and Joseph Carranza 11/09 8:00 P.M. - 10:00 P.M. at Location 215
As the tide of social progress ebbs and flows, many of us might find ourselves caught between families of blood and choice, between acceptance and assimilation. In these stories of queer homecoming and belonging, individuals choose to compromise, to live free, and to forgive. One thing is certain: when we are true to ourselves, life becomes more complicated, but love remains transcendent.
This program is presented in collaboration with Queer Asian Social Club and Philly Asian & Queer.
Directed by Sally Tran | USA | English | 2024
A late-blooming trans woman grapples with a life-altering, assigned-male-atbirth Trans specific dilemma, and with the help of her besties, navigates the complexities of this debacle as she defines her womanhood on her own terms.
Grandma Nai Who Played Favorites
Directed by Chheangkea | Cambodia/ USA | Central Khmer | 2025
During her chaotic family’s Qingming visit, dead Grandma Nai sneaks away from her peaceful afterlife after overhearing that her queer grandson is about to get engaged to a woman.
Clementine
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
LOST & FOUND FAMILIES
Correct Me If I’m Wrong
Directed by Hao Zhou | China | Mandarin | 2025
In a struggle of love, legacy, and belief, a southwest Chinese family tries to purge an unwanted entity from their queer heir.
I Am
Directed by Tony Dia | USA | English | 2024
Ethan lives separate lives as a socially awkward college student by day and a fearlessly glamorous drag queen by night. That is, until his life is turned upside-down by Kekoa, his school crush. As his two worlds collide, Ethan is forced to confront his fear of change in order to win the boy of his dreams.
One Day This Kid
Directed by Alexander Farah | Canada | English, Farsi | 2024
In a world that’s never made room, a young brown man contends with desire, shame, and the quiet weight of his father’s expectations – seeking a self he’s never been shown how to become.
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
CONTEMPORARY EXPERIMENTAL VIDEO ART EXHIBITION
62 minutes | Curated by Arzhang Zafar, Atif Sheikh, Dev Benegal, Mehrin Masud-Elias, and Sonali Gulati11/09 12:00 P.M. - 2:30 P.M. and 11/11 6:00 P.M. - 8:30 P.M. at Twelve Gates
The 7th iteration of the Contemporary Video Art Exhibition celebrates contemporary video art—that is, contemporary art using recorded moving images—created by artists from South and South-West Asia, North Africa (SSWANA), as well as artists of indentured Indian descent and their diasporas. This 7th edition of the juried show will be copresented by Twelve Gates Arts (12G) and the Philadelphia Asian American Film Foundation.
This program is presented in collaboration with Queer Asian Social Club and Philly Asian & Queer.
Burial Without Body
Directed by Parham Ghalamdar | Iran | English | 2025
In 1950s drought-stricken Iran, villagers carry an empty coffin: a funeral for god. Burial Without Body reimagines this ritual of absence as a cinematic séance on memory, faith, and ecological exhaustion.
The Performance of Falling Relief
Directed by Nabeel Naveed | Pakistan/ USA | Urdu | 2025
A pursuit to find and reach the fleeting relief.
CONTEMPORARY EXPERIMENTAL VIDEO ART EXHIBITION
Amatilla
Directed by Adham Garman | Yemen/ USA | Arabic, English | 2025
Three years after his grandmother’s death, a Yemenite grandson turns to journaling as a quiet dialogue with absence, a meditation on grief, migration, and love.
In the Middle
Directed by Saba Khatami | Iran/United Kingdom | 2025
A short dance film captured in the streets of Tehran and London, exploring the emotional experience of living between two world
Eid Ka Kurta
Directed by Farha Khatun | India | 2025
An untouched, white kurta becomes witness to the maze of hatred engulfing human conscience.
Shadows in Transit
Directed by Mawra Tahreem | USA | English | 2025
Informed by the director’s primary source research in human smuggling from Pakistan to Europe through land and sea routes, this film portrays the fragmented experiences of crossing illegal passages and the precarious realities of displacement.
Conference of the Moths
Directed by Sahmita Sunya | USA | English | 2024
A 2-D paper cut-out stop-motion silhouette-animation film that is both a gentle parody and an homage to the 12th-century Persian epic poem Conference of the Birds
Life on the Wall
Directed by Mohammadhossein Shariati | Iran | 2025
An experimental documentary delving into the dialogue between tradition and modernity, captured on the walls of Tehran’s urban murals, reflecting on how diversity shapes the beauty of our world—through languages, garments, ethnicities, and the richness of living beings.
Water Body
Directed by Marria Khan | Pakistan | English | 2024
An experimental animation that delves into and explores the surreal narratives found in ancient creation and deluge myths, reflecting humankind’s complex and evolving relationship with the natural world.
Directed by Faris Dajani | Jordan | 2025
The world has been at the mercy of beasts for decades. At the core of its chest lies an impossible organ — the apolitical heart — beating not with life, but with the ghostly promise of a postponed future. It shrieks, once, every four years; a cry for stasis, for the preservation of comfort laced with rot. It begs you to ignore the bodies.
My shadow is a word writing itself across time
Directed by Gazelle Samizay | USA | English | 2017
Whether it is the incarceration of Japanese Americans or the US war in Afghanistan, this 4-channel video retraces the shadows of injustices through a poetic navigation of place and history.
The Blood Which Has Disappeared Without Leaving a Trace
Directed by Trisha Bhattacharya | India | English | 2025
Drawing its title from a line in Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poem “In Search of Vanished Blood,” this film confronts the cruel oxymoron at the heart of Kashmir’s militarization: India is both the perpetrator of violence and the arbiter of justice.
The
Realm of Infatuation
Directed by Hoor Imad Sherpao | USA/ Pakistan | 2022
An animated visual representation of the mind, body and soul during the state of infatuation.
PHILLY FILMMAKERS SHOWCASE
91 minutes | Curated by Arzhang Zafar and David Tanh 11/12 6:30 P.M. - 8:30 P.M. at PhillyCAM
Join PAAFF and PhillyCAM for a celebration of emerging Asian filmmakers based in the Philadelphia area, working in such diverse mediums as animation, short narratives, and essay-form documentaries.
This program includes a Q&A panel with the featured filmmakers. This program is presented with support from VisitPhilly and the Greater Philadelphia Film Office, and in collaboration with Scribe Video Center.
Within Our Reflections
Directed by V. Harshini Buddhiraju | USA | English, Telugu | 2025
After her older sister returns home from college for the first time, a younger sister struggles with feelings of abandonment as they get ready together for a Diwali party.
Footprints in the Sand
Directed by Ejun Mary Hong | USA/ Korea, Republic of | Korean | 2025
A pursuit to find and reach the fleeting relief. A mixed-media animated documentary that invites four lymphoma cancer patients from South Korea to share their stories.
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
U.S. PREMIERE
PHILLY FILMMAKERS SHOWCASE
PREMIERE
The Freest Days
Directed by Yuqin Wu | China | Mandarin | 2025
Left alone after her husband’s death, a Shanghai grandmother redefines her life, finding freedom and self-sufficiency.
Separation
Directed by Chen-Yi Wu | USA/Taiwan | English, Mandarin | 2024
An essay documentary that delves into the personal growth and self-reflective journey of three overseas Taiwanese artists. The story unfolds during a period of transition in one’s student migrant status, the exploration of one’s sexual identity, and the questioning of self-reflexivity as an artist.
WORLD
WORLD PREMIERE
LIVING A DREAM
79 minutes| Curated by Arzhang Zafar and Phoebe Schaub 11/13 8:30 P.M. - 10:30 P.M. at Vox Populi
Grief, boredom, the mind-numbing chaos of contemporary existence--when we are pushed to the brink, we all can feel the temptation to escape reality. These six dark and disturbing tales showcase variations on this theme: that a grounded life is but one possibility. In the end, though, we must ask ourselves whether it’s better to escape the nightmare or live forever inside a dream…
Timer
Directed by Shirin Shakhs and Satar Sanjari | Iran | Farsi | 2025
Two hotel employees have started a game with each other, and this game is getting more and more scary for them.
Collection Title: Turtle
Directed by Ehsan Majouni | Iran | Farsi | 2025
A woman is determined to bring her beloved back to life, a man who vanished into the waters in search of a place to call his own. She feels compelled to recall things that have long been dead, hoping her loved one might revive.
OK/NOTOK
Directed by Pardeep Sahota | United Kingdom | English | 2025
Loretta, a working-class British Asian woman, attempts to navigate a turbulent world, a new stranger in her life and unskippable advertisements.
PHILADELPHIA
LIVING A DREAM
When Winter Comes
Directed by Yuan Yuan | USA | Mandarin | 2024
A mother from China searches for her missing daughter in New York. Called to identify a dead body, she insists that the victim is not her daughter. Against the winter cold, she begins to post missing person flyers on the streets, day after day.
Oxplant
Directed by Chavo | Japan | Japanese | 2024
Haunted by loss and schizophrenia, a former bureaucrat seeks refuge on his family farm. What he sees is not the world as it is, but the unstable border between life and death.
Kumar Kumar
Directed by Kiran Koshy | USA | English | 2024
Kumar Kumar is all alone on his birthday. His social media feed is dead. Maybe he should be too? But then, the computer dings.
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
FEATURE PRESENTATION
THE BOTANIST
96 minutes | Coming-of-age Drama | China | Kazakh, Mandarin | 2025 | 11/14 7:00 P.M. - 9:30 P.M. at the Academy of Natural Sciences
Directed by Jing Yi
A young Kazakh boy living in a remote village in Xinjiang finds solace in the company of plants. He soon meets Meiyu, a spirited Han girl whose unpredictable nature reminds him of a rare, otherworldly plant. As their friendship blossoms, it deepens into a delicate, dreamlike allegory that blurs the lines between reality and the enchanting world of botany.
This program is presented in collaboration with the Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University.
CLUB OTHERWORLD: PAAFF CLOSING WEEKEND PARTY
Featuring South East Asian DJs and performers 11/14 9:00 P.M. - 12:00 A.M. at Vox Populi
Step into another world.
Close out the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival with a night that blurs the line between dream and dance floor. Otherworld brings together AANHPI DJs, drag artists, and filmmakers for an immersive celebration inspired by this year’s theme, “Dreaming Other Worlds.”
THE YOU INSIDE: FAMILY & ANIMATION SHOWCASE
90 minutes | Curated by Aiko Hamamoto and David Tanh 11/15 10:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. at Symphony Philly
We are all born empty vessels. And then with every little bit of experience and knowledge gained, we start to transform into who we will eventually become. Along the way, we meet fear, doubt, loneliness and other enormous feelings and thoughts that make us feel lost and afraid. But we have our siblings, our teachers, our neighbors, and even our own brave voices helping us find ourselves again. The following films lead us on that path of personal self discovery.
This program is presented in collaboration with Multiverse Philly and Philly Animation Fest.
First Winter
Directed by Schantelle Alonzo | USA | English | 2025
Ángel is a newly arrived immigrant who is experiencing his first winter in Chicago. The film follows his realization of what it may mean to be away from home for a very long time.
A Neighbour Duet
Directed by Veda Lee | Hong Kong/USA | Cantonese | 2025
While piano prodigy Hayden Chan tries finding motivation to play the piano, a mysterious yet charming melody of a flute, seeming to be from a neighbour, catches his attention.
PHILADELPHIA
THE YOU INSIDE: FAMILY & ANIMATION SHOWCASE
Billo Rani
Directed by Angbeen Saleem | USA | English | 2024
When Hafsa, a sparkly and impulsive 12-year-old girl, is made aware of her unibrow at Islamic Sunday School in a lesson on “cleanliness”, her eyebrows come alive and begin to speak to her.
Paper Swords
Directed by Anjali Pulim | USA | English | 2024
On a classic summer afternoon, two sisters ponder life, death, and everything in between.
Creatures of Chaos
Asavari Kumar | USA/India | 2025
When emotional turmoil takes physical form, four strangers learn their new companions refuse to stay hidden
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
PHILADELPHIA
THE YOU INSIDE: FAMILY & ANIMATION SHOWCASE
Stay With Me
Directed by Hyungjin Lee | Korea, Republic of | 2025
In the depths of longing and grief, a girl becomes a mother to herself.
Dreaming of a Whale
Directed by Shuzuku | Japan | Japanese | 2025
A young girl lives alone in a devastated world, writing down “poems” that come over the radio every day at a certain time. One day, however, the radio started playing at a different time than usual…
PHILADELPHIA
THE YOU INSIDE: FAMILY & ANIMATION SHOWCASE
Wind Goes On
Directed by Eric Lee | Hong Kong | Cantonese | 2024
When her old estate is set to be demolished, Fung plans to leave with her neighbours and friends. Unable to let go of the feeling of parting, she makes a special friend.
Luka and the Flower of the Sun 2
Tomoyasu Murata | Japan | Japanese | 2025
Luka sets out on a journey to bring back his childhood friend Rosa and meets Shu in a mossy forest. Together, they search for the great tree where the legendary white bird lives.
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
FEATURE PRESENTATION
MOUSE
104 minutes | Drama, Crime | USA | English, Japanese | 2025 11/15 1:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M. at Suzanne Roberts Theater
Directed by Kenny Riches
Between stealing bicycles and breaking into cars, Denny’s only social outlet is spending time with his mother who loves reading correspondence from their Japanese family overseas. Denny’s loneliness pushes him to sign up for a penpal service from a classified-ad. He begins writing letters to a woman named Tess, whom he develops feelings for, but lies to her about his nonexistent wealth and success. Unbeknownst to Denny, the penpal service is a scheme Tess and her real-life boyfriend, Maury, operate to take advantage of the lonely. Tess and Maury find themselves in financial trouble of their own and decide to take Denny for all he’s worth. Upon arrival they find that things aren’t what they seemed in Denny’s letters.
Q&A with director Kenny Riches to follow the screening. This screening is presented in collaboration with Mixed Asian Media.
FEATURE PRESENTATION
UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE
89 minutes | Comedy | Canada | Farsi, French | 2024 11/15 4:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. at Suzanne Roberts Theater
Directed by Matthew Rankin
In a mysterious and surreal interzone somewhere between Tehran and Winnipeg, the lives of multiple characters interweave with each other in surprising and mysterious ways. Gradeschoolers Negin and Nazgol find a sum of money frozen in the winter ice and try to claim it. Meanwhile, Massoud leads a group of increasingly-befuddled tourists through the monuments and historic sites of Winnipeg. Matthew quits his meaningless job in a Québecois government office and sets out upon an enigmatic journey to visit his mother. Space, time and personal identities crossfade, interweave and echo into a surreal comedy of misdirection.
This screening is presented in collaboration with Shabahang and the Welcoming Center.
RISING VOICE PRESENTATION: SHUTTER BIRD
32 minutes | Drama | USA | English | 2024 11/15 8:00 P.M. - 10:00 P.M. at Asian Arts Initiative
Directed by Réi
Mia Marquez, a young photographer struggling with a learning disorder, and Ray Chang, a juvenile delinquent, strive to escape their farm town and get into their dream colleges. But the psychological, cultural, and at times, mystical obstacles embedded in their seemingly ordinary town threaten to keep them there forever.
We are thrilled to honor Réi with the Rising Voice Award. A filmmaker whose journey began in Philadelphia, Réi has been shaped by the city’s vibrant arts community and its spirit of storytelling. From co-writing and directing the short film Shutter Bird to developing the feature Merv and the Miracles with Michel Gondry, Réi brings fresh perspectives to Asian American and Pacific Islander narratives. Their artistry blends emotional clarity, originality, and technical ambition, creating a cinematic voice that is unmistakably new; one that honors heritage while pushing the boundaries of the medium.
This program is presented with support from the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Coalition.
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
THE DREAM TAKES MANY FORMS
84 minutes | Curated by Arzhang Zafar 11/16 10:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. at Symphony Philly
Desire, ambition, fear, premonition. Dreaming is a journey that may lead to unexpected and miraculous destinations. It is propelled by the engine of unconscious thought, an unknowable shadow that guides us where we want or need to go. These remarkable shorts, through detours and backroads and lost highways, all take us there in their own way.
Adrift
Directed by Alijah Jacob Buada | USA | English | 2024
An inexperienced astral projector seeks his grandmother’s wisdom after meeting an uncanny woman in a place transcending reality.
Family Man
Directed by Kalani Gacon | Nepal | Tamang | 2025
While piano prodigy Hayden Chan tries finding motivation to play the piano, a mysterious yet charming melody of a flute, seeming to be from a neighbour, catches his attention.
THE DREAM TAKES MANY FORMS
Land of the Dead Deer
Directed by Anahita Qarcheh and Soroush Javadzadeh | Iran | Farsi | 2025
A boy who hasn’t yet gone to school has a sphere that he uses to see his own dreamy world. One day, he sees a deer through it and follows it into an abandoned school.
Umwelt
Directed by Lim Seyoung | Korea, Republic of | Korean | 2025
Terrarium artist Yuna is deeply immersed in preparing for her upcoming exhibition. While visiting botanist Sol’s laboratory, she is strongly drawn to a chimeric plant Sol has created.
Rosa’s Flowers
Directed by Amanda Ann-Min Wong | Canada/Indonesia | English, Indonesian | 2023
An untouched, white kurta becomes witness to the maze of hatred engulfing human conscience.
STORYTELLER SPOTLIGHT: RACHEL KONDO
Moderated by Joseph Carranza 11/16 2:00 P.M. - 3:30 P.M. at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Storyteller Spotlight series features intimate conversations with AANHPI storytellers who are shaping culture and redefining representation on screen. This edition highlights writer and creative producer Rachel Kondo, co-creator of Shōgun, the FX series that has made history. Shōgun led all shows with 25 Emmy nominations and won 18 Emmys in its first season; including Outstanding Drama Series, and acting wins for Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai who became the first Japanese actors to win in their respective lead categories. As executive producer, Kondo helped steer a show that broke records, elevated subtitled storytelling, and made a powerful case for culturally nuanced, ambitious projects. She will be honored with PAAFF’s Storyteller Trailblazer Award, recognizing her groundbreaking achievements and her role in forging new paths for the next generation of storytellers.
This program is presented with support from Lifetime, and in collaboration with Mixed Asian Media.
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
FEATURE PRESENTATION
ABOUT FACE
59 minutes | Documentary | USA | English | 2025 11/16 4:30 P.M. - 6:30 P.M. at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Directed by Jennifer Lin
Two Asian American dancers challenge the elite world of ballet to jettison from the stage offensive racial tropes and Asian stereotypes, including dancing in “yellowface.” Ballerina Georgina Pazcoguin and choreographer Phil Chan steer a global grassroots movement and battle entrenched tradition and political pushback as they shine a critical spotlight on beloved classics like The Nutcracker and La Bayadère. This vivid account of creative evolution reveals the tension and pushback as an art form, created for the entertainment of kings and queens hundreds of years ago, attempts to be more relevant to diverse audiences today.
Q&A with director Jennifer Lin to follow the screening. This program is presented with support from VisitPhilly, and in collaboration with the Asian American Women’s Coalition.
CLOSING NIGHT
THE ROSE: COME BACK TO ME
85 minutes | Documentary | USA | English, Korean | 2025 11/16 7:00 P.M. - 9:30 P.M. at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Directed by Eugene Yi
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. Through heartfelt moments and honest reflection, the documentary captures how each member fell in love with music, as well as the challenges of navigating the K-pop system.
PRESCREENER
MAYBE IT’S JUST THE RAIN
15 minutes | Documentary | USA/Philippines | English, Tagalog | 2025
Directed by Reina Bonta
In their historic debut, an underdog, diasporic group of young women despite all odds become the first Filipino team to score a goal and win a World Cup match. Reina, team center back, brings us along on this turbulent journey, culminating in an intimate trip to her grandmother’s hometown in the Philippines.
Q&A with director Eugene Li and producer Diane Quon to follow the screening.
This program is presented with support from Mango Tree Counseling and Consulting, and in collaboration with Woori Center and the KROK Podcast.
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
NARRATIVE JURY
Jeff Man
grew up in an immigrant family that bonded over watching movies. Shortly after moving to Los Angeles in 2010, Jeff Man began working for writer-director Jay Duplass. While working for Jay, Jeff honed his craft by making low-budget shorts. In 2012 he was accepted into the Armed with a Camera Fellowship for emerging artists by Visual Communications, an Asian American non-profit media organization. His shorts have played at festivals across the country. In 2024, Duplass Brothers Productions produced Jeff’s debut feature film, Paper Marriage.
Nida Chowdhry
is a Pakistani-American feature film and television Writer/ Director, Actor and Executive Producer from Orange County, California. She is the creator of the influential Indie TV Series Unfair & Ugly and has written 35+ episodes of studio television. She is the writer, director, and star of her award-winning debut feature film, ANXIOUS., now playing at film festivals.
DOCUMENTARY JURY
Christina DeHaven-Call
a proud Philadelphia native, brings over 25 years of experience in filmmaking. Her projects have screened at Sundance, Tribeca, and SXSW, and aired on HBO, PBS, and on the Philippines’ ABS-CBN and GMA networks. Passionate about storytelling and representation, she has shared her expertise as a panelist, moderator, and juror at festivals including Sundance, the Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF), and the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival. Christina is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she is a dedicated faculty member and Associate Chair of Production for Undergraduate Film & Television.
Kent Donguines
is a Filipino-Canadian narrative and documentary filmmaker based in Vancouver. He is the CEO of Aimer Films Inc. and has produced the award-winning CBC short documentary, This Ink Runs Deep, which premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. He also wrote, directed, and produced the Telus Storyhive short film, Kalinga (Care), a documentary about the sacrifices Filipina nannies make to work in Canada. Kent has worked for production companies in Canada and the Philippines, including Cedar Island Films Inc., Black Cap Pictures (Ten17p), Viva Entertainment, and Star Cinema. His latest short film, Paco, received the Grand Prize in this year’s Stage32 Annual Film Contest and has secured a broadcast license with CRAVE. He’s currently developing the feature film, Error 404 and just finished his feature documentaries, Canadian Adobo and Treasure of the Rice Terraces. Kent is also an alumnus of the Canadian Film Centre Norman Jewison Film Program - Producers Lab.
SHORTS JURY
Ciara Leina`ala Lacy
is an Emmy nominated filmmaker whose Native Hawaiian identity drives the intimacy and authenticity in her work. Her films have shown at Sundance and Berlinale as well as on platforms including Netflix, PBS, ABC, Al Jazeera, and the Criterion Collection. Notably, she is the inaugural Sundance Institute Merata Mita Fellow and her work has been supported by Sundance, Tribeca, the Princess Grace Foundation, the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, Pacific Islanders in Communications, and Firelight Media.
Eseel Borlasa
loves mixtapes, films & community. She is an arts programmer/producer and film publicist. She currently serves as one of the Directors and one of the Sr. Programmers for the LA Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF), presented by Visual Communications (VC), the first non-profit organization in the US dedicated to the honest and accurate portrayals of the Asian Pacific American peoples, communities, and heritage through the media arts. Last year she produced VC’s Asian Pacific Virtual Showcase, and the Suite VC programming presented as part of VC’s official partnership with the Sundance Film Festival. She also helped produce the Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum’s virtual learning series, Pasifika Transmissions.
Jordan Klein
got his start as assistant to the legendary film producer Fred Roos (The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, Lost in Translation), marking the beginning of his career within the film industry in Los Angeles. He served on numerous productions in mediums ranging from feature film, television, commercials, short films, and music videos. Eventually returning to the San Francisco Bay Area, Jordan boarded both independent productions with the likes of American Zoetrope (Love is Love is Love) and major studio productions with Warner Brothers (The Matrix Resurrections) and Marvel Studios (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings). Jordan’s deep passion, love, and commitment towards cinema brought his heart to a home at SFFILM as a proud member of their Programming team.
Storyteller Honorees
In its 18th year, the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival proudly honors artists and changemakers whose work has transformed the landscape of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander storytelling. These honorees embody the spirit of vision, legacy, and courage — using film and art to expand how we see ourselves, our communities, and our shared humanity.
STORYTELLER LEGEND AWARD: KIEU CHINH
The Storyteller Legend Award honors artists whose enduring body of work has shaped the language of Asian American and Pacific Islander cinema. These individuals have built bridges across cultures and generations, using their artistry to illuminate identity, resilience, and belonging. Their careers stand as living testaments to what it means to create with courage — to transform memory into legacy and representation into power.
Kieu Chinh is a pioneering Vietnamese American actress whose illustrious career spans more than six decades across Asia and Hollywood. From her early work in pre-war Saigon cinema to her unforgettable performances in The Joy Luck Club, Journey from the Fall, and MASH*, she has brought depth and dignity to the portrayal of Vietnamese and diasporic experiences. Beyond her acclaimed screen work, she co-founded the Vietnamese American Foundation and has dedicated her life to humanitarian advocacy for refugees worldwide. Kieu Chinh’s artistry and grace have paved the way for future generations of storytellers — a true legend of Asian American film.
STORYTELLER TRAILBLAZER AWARD: RACHEL KONDO
The Storyteller Trailblazer Award celebrates visionaries whose creative contributions redefine the landscape of storytelling. This honor recognizes those who expand the narrative possibilities of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander cinema — forging new paths with imagination, authenticity, and bold perspective. Trailblazers challenge convention, restore complexity to underrepresented histories, and make visible what once lived in the margins. Their work paves the way for future generations to see themselves not as outsiders, but as the very heart of the story.
Rachel Kondo was born and raised on Maui. Her writing has appeared in Electric Literature, Ploughshares Solos, and Indiana Review. In 2019, her story “Girl of Few Seasons” was included in The O. Henry Prize Stories and selected as a juror favorite by Elizabeth Strout. She co-created and Executive Produced the FX television adaptation of James Clavell’s novel Shōgun. In 2024, the series celebrated 18 Emmy wins, including Best Drama Series, breaking the record for most Emmy awards won by a single season of a television show. A graduate of the Michener Center for Writers, Rachel now lives on Maui with her family.
RISING VOICE AWARD: RÉI
The Rising Voice Award honors an emerging filmmaker whose work embodies the future of Asian American and Pacific Islander storytelling. This recognition is reserved for artists whose vision, originality, and emotional clarity reveal an unmistakable new voice in cinema — one that both honors their heritage and pushes beyond its boundaries. These storytellers remind us that the future of our collective narrative is already here.
Réi is a Forbes 30 Under 30 award-winning filmmaker. Réi’s most recent work includes co-writing and directing the short film “Shutter Bird.” Réi is also developing the feature film “Merv and the Miracles” with producer Michel Gondry. Previously, Réi served as the showrunner for Amazon’s “Ritual” and Fox’s “The Fighter & The Kid 3D.” When not on set, Réi serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern California.
VIJAY MOHAN SOCIAL CHANGE AWARD: TADASHI NAKAMURA
This award is named in memory of Vijay Krishna Mohan, a filmmaker, musician, activist, author, and beloved member of our PAAFF staff who tragically passed away after a cycling accident. Vijay believed deeply that it is possible to build a better community through the arts, and his creative work touched countless lives in Philadelphia and beyond. In 2015, we established this award to honor the film or filmmaker who best embodies Vijay’s passion for transformative change through media.
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 Nobuko Miyamoto: A Song in Movement (2024), Mele Murals (2016), Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings (2013), A Song for Ourselves (2009), and Pilgrimage (2006).
THANK YOU’S
Ambient Event Group
Andrew SundstromSmith
Moore College of Art & Design
Creative Director
The Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University
Molly Gross, Ryan Greenberg
Asian Arts Initiative
new ED, Dave Kyu, Joyce Chung, Matt Nelson
The Barnes Foundation
Ciara Sullivan, James Claiborne
BlackStar Film Festival
Nehad Khader
CineSPEAK
Sarah Mueller
IW Group
Bill Imada, Fiona Tran, Kathy Vy Chung
Location 215
Jen Blauvelt, Tanti Lina
Maestro Filmworks
Lexi Morrison, Rylee Meyer
The Philadelphia Museum of Art Shivon Love
Meloddy Scribe Video Center
Kiera Abdur-Rahman, William Michael
Twelve Gates Arts
Aisha Z. Khan, Atif Sheikh, Umika Pathak, Zainab Zulfiqar
Vox Populi
Blanche Brown
Gather Food Hall & Bar in Schuylkill Yards
Aaron Finney, Katie Carter, Ross Wilner, Meredith Huml, Meegan Denenberg, Jeme Agency, Pidor Yang, Sahbyy Food
Philadelphia Youth Media Collaborative
Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival
Marangeli Mejia-Rabell, Kirsten Senske
PhillyCAM
Gretjen Clausing, Laura Deutch, Gabe Castro, Ariel Taylor
Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Philadelphia Downtown/Center City
Austin Dyess, Malik Bonney
Performers
Cambodian American Girls Empowering
Lanica Angpak
Sudha Sai
In-Kind Supporters
Dave’s Backyard Farms, Fire Bull Ramen, Ginza, Henry Chow, Sang Kee
Peking Duck House, Kish Aperitif, Lolo Yum, Rikumo, Sanzo, Sunny
Phanthavong, Vientiane
Bistro, Tea Drop, Yay’s Snacks
OMFGCO Agency:
Philadelphia Asian American Film Foundation Rebrand and Design Grant
Fritz Mesenbrink, Kyler
Spickler, Ashley Hildreth, Sam O’Leary, Kathy Chung
