Film is a great vehicle to bring people together and overcome "otherness" between communities. Watching films in a social setting is an enjoyable opportunity for audiences to encounter different cultures and learn new perspectives. Local film festivals that showcase historically marginalized stories play an important role in facilitating access to these cultural experiences.

Such arts organizations have been historically underfunded, continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and face a highly competitive and saturated market of film festivals.

In response, a multicultural group of Austin-Area film festivals has formed a collaborative community to unite their audiences and resources in solidarity to preserve their role in a city experiencing rapid growth and change.

AAAFF Executive Director, Hanna Huang, will be part of this panel with leaders from Texas Film Commission, Cine Las Americas, Indie Meme, aGLIFF, and Austin Jewish Film Festival.