I am the product of Iran’s struggle between secularism and Islamic ideology. My parents’ love story takes us from the Shah era to the Islamic Revolution and the hardships during the Iran-Iraq War, up to the present day – all in our home in Tehran. In my childhood, I was constantly forced to choose between my parents; each day, I endured imposition from one side and acceptance from the other.

In a mountainous region of the northern Philippines, an illiterate indigenous man gets fed up with being exploited by his employers and decides to go to school. With the goal of making a better life for himself, Agustin starts learning his ABCs.

After ditching her friends in a bar, Yola journeys downtown looking for an escape from life. What she finds is a ragtag group of artists that take her in and make her question everything.

CURTAIN UP! follows elementary school kids in New York's Chinatown as they prepare for the musical production of "Frozen Kids" and begin to discover their identities. Behind the scenes, they face Asian stereotypes, families’ expectations and uncertainties post-graduation. Interestingly, it is through rehearsing for this American favorite that these kids come to grapple with their Chinese roots. Will they have to let something go?

A British Pakistani rapper is on the cusp of his first world tour, but is struck down by an illness that threatens to derail his big break.

When filmmaker Tadashi Kobayashi begins to hold open auditions for a new studio-sponsored film, a wave of experienced and aspiring actors scramble to apply, yearning for a chance to work with the genius director. Behind the scenes, however, Kobayashi struggles to finish the script on schedule and the production quickly spirals out of control.

Teen artist Angie Chen (Emma Galbraith) turns to secret hook-ups with the heartthrob of her private school after her parents' sudden divorce.

THE SHEPHERDESS AND THE SEVEN SONGS is part allegory, part ethnographic study, and part feminist fairy tale, using the narrative device of local folk songs - seven, to be exact - to describe the protagonist - Laila's inner and outer worlds.

An observational documentary unfolding at the height of the pandemic in Wuhan city, where the coronavirus began, WUHAN WUHAN goes beyond the statistics and salacious headlines to put a human experience into the early days of the mysterious virus, focusing on five heart-wrenching and endearing stories.

Bittersweet stories of Hong Kongers contending with nostalgia and an uncertain future give way to a comical documentary assault on sentiment.

At the top public high school in San Francisco -- with a majority Asian American student body -- the seniors are stressed out. Students are keenly aware of the intense competition for the few open spots in their dream colleges. With humor and heart, TRY HARDER! takes us to the reality of the American college application process and the intersection of class, race, and educational opportunity as they navigate a quintessential rite of passage and make it their own.

Pakistan's ancient blasphemy law prescribes a mandatory death sentence for disrespecting the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) and life imprisonment for desecrating the Holy Quran. Over 1300 people, many of them non-Muslim have been charged with blasphemy and at least 50 people have been lynched or burnt to death by frenzied mobs reminiscent of modern-day Salem Witch Trials. With unprecedented access, THE ACCUSED: DAMNED OR DEVOTED? features stories of people accused of blasphemy, as well as supporters of the law.

Jane, a teenaged fan of movie star Paulo Avelino, stows away in the back of his truck. Caught out at his suburban estate, she is drawn into an unnerving game of cat and mouse and exposed to the darker side of her big-screen crush.

Maggie Cheung gives perhaps her greatest performance as Ruan Lingyu, the icon of 1930s Shanghai cinema whose life all too closely paralleled her tragic screen heroines. Stanley Kwan’s 1991 masterpiece is more vivid and sumptuous than ever before in this new 4K restoration.

CANE FIRE​ examines the past and present of the Hawaiian island of Kauaʻi, interweaving four generations of family history, numerous Hollywood productions, and troves of found footage to create a kaleidoscopic portrait of the economic and cultural forces that have cast indigenous and working-class residents as “extras” in their own story.

Thanks to our generous supporters, AAAFF is able to offer our Documentary Shorts Program for free from June 4-20. Please consider making a donation to continue supporting affordable films that enhance and expand understanding of the AAPI community and made by Asian and Asian American filmmakers.

Thanks to our generous supporters, AAAFF is able to offer our Narrative Shorts Program for free from June 4-20. Please consider making a donation to continue supporting affordable films that enhance and expand understanding of the AAPI community and made by Asian and Asian American filmmakers.

Thanks to our generous supporters, AAAFF is able to offer our Narrative Shorts Program for free from June 4-20. Please consider making a donation to continue supporting affordable films that enhance and expand understanding of the AAPI community and made by Asian and Asian American filmmakers.