Drawn to the small town of Luomu by a cryptic postcard from her ex Wang (Wang Chuanjun), Xiao Bai finds ghostly traces of Wang and drifts among assorted locals, most notably a world-weary, day-drinking innkeeper (Liu Dan) and her happy-go-lucky suitor (Huang Jianxin). Though semi-improvised in the wake of Zhang's previous film MOTHERTONGUE (made with the same principal cast), GLOAMING IN LUOMU is no mere afterthought but a masterly evocation of mood and place, permeated with the bouquet of wine and the texture of cobblestoned streets.

In just 76 minutes, multidisciplinary artist Lana Daher makes a striking impact with DO YOU LOVE ME. Constructed entirely from archival materials including footage from fiction and nonfiction films, newsreels, art installations, home movies, television, photographs, and music; the film weaves together a sweeping emotional and political tapestry. Moving fluidly between images of war, celebration, intimacy, and unrest, the editing is seamless, with each moment melting effortlessly into the next. Reminiscent of Chantal Akerman’s NEWS FROM HOME and Heiny Srour’s LEILA AND THE WOLVES, DO YOU LOVE is deeply poetic, thought-provoking, and profoundly timely.

The Not-So-Short Shorts block returns, this time with fantastic documentary films that celebrate our human connections in the face of arduous challenges.

Afternoon snacks from What the Tea - Hutto after “The Gas Station Attendant” and prior to “NOT SO SHORT SHORTS” for snacks & a juice sampling by Umma Juice

*Badgeholders prioritized

In the U.S., Shantha became a well-paid university graduate and suburban family man, only to be waylaid by less auspicious developments: the death of his first wife, the collapse of the Texan aerospace industry, and a string of unsuccessful business ventures. With THE GAS STATION ATTENDANT, Shantha's daughter Karla—while pondering her own circuitous route to motherhood in New York City—uses home movies and phone conversations with her father to explore how this son of middle-class Bangaloreans wound up decades later on the night shift at a Texas gas station. In the process, she illuminates both her family history and the immensurable promise of cross-generational understanding.

In this compelling block of narrative shorts, these stories uncover the impossible choices women, from adolescence to motherhood, are forced to make between desire and survival.

Our badgeholder’s brunch Kicks off the last day with baos by breakfast house and Yeo’s beverages at the theater before Narrative Shorts. Veg option available.

Sponsored by: Yeo’s

Texas Asian Film Creatives unite! Come on out for a coffee on us (while supplies last) and our hosts June Third Films, Dallas Asian American Art Collective, and Lights, Camera, Asians! for a morning mixer before heading over to our Narrative Shorts at AFS Cinema at 11:30am.

Saturday night brings two features from Pakistan: GHOST SCHOOL directed by Seemab Gul and LALI directed by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat. Come early at 5pm for a Samosa break!

Enjoy a samosa and fermenteria water kefir before our Superstitious Saturday double feature. *Badgeholders & Superstitious Saturday ticket holders prioritized

Co-presented by Indie Meme

Sponsored by: Fermenteria

As a dual citizen, Korean American Jinwoo (Andy Koh) is exempt from the military service normally required of South Korean men. He nonetheless returns to Seoul and voluntarily enlists, hoping to join the Korean forces serving abroad in some unspecified crisis zone. On his last day before reporting for duty, Jinwoo reconnects with old friends—chief among them Minji (So-yi Kang), for whom he carries a long-burning torch—and his emotionally-distant father (Gwang-rok Oh, of Park Chan-wook's "Vengeance" trilogy). But as the hours tick down to his induction, Jinwoo's determination flags, and his motivations look hazier even to himself.

Meet Director Chou Tung-Yen and Editor Huang Chia-wen from Taiwan for a filmmaker and audience meet-and-greet from the creators of IN THE MIST (VR FIlm) & Kiss (short FILM)

A startling debut executive produced by world-renowned Jia Zhangke, director Rafael Manuel’s unsettling survey of a golf course in Manila’s outskirts is both engrossing and insidious. Seventeen-year-old tee girl Isabel's peace is interrupted in what seems like paradise. A true feast for the eyes with gorgeously lush landscapes complementary to its fantastical vibe. FILIPIÑANA is a slow-burning swing at capitalism that won the World Cinema Dramatic Jury Award for Creative Vision at Sundance this year.

For our 18th edition, things are getting a bit spicy . We have an age 18+ only VR activation to check out at the Holiday Inn Midtown just across from AFS Cinema. Badgeholders will receive an e-mail next week to pre-register for time slots to view IN THE MIST (VR film), followed by short film KISS, both by Taiwanese director Chou Tung-yen, who will be attending the festival!

*Rush line list will be available for anyone who shows proof of a ticket to film programs at AAAFF. Can’t make it? KISS will screen virtually from June 24-28. Details to register to come.

In this compelling block of short documentaries, vulnerable filmmakers pursue personal and political history to reveal what it means to leave a legacy.

We’re back at our fave joint to party after the Centerpiece Film! Come on out for light bites from Peace Bakery & Deli, paletas, and refreshments by Umma Juice & Holdout Brewing.

*Included for badgeholders, film passes, & centerpiece film attendees, $10/person for other attendees

Sounds by VÕ.A 2000

PARKING: at DPS Credit Union or back of The Crescent Plaza (behind 99 Ranch)

Filmmaker Colette Ghunim collages her parents’ histories of their homes in Mexico and Palestine. Ghunim’s camera intricately meditates the generational trauma and grief that bounds her family. TRACES OF HOME functions as a reminder that while "home" as a physical site may be eroded by geopolitical shifts or the passage of time, its essence persists and reconstructs within the daily rituals, emotional landscapes, and oral histories of the diaspora. A knockout debut feature that's as much an external quest as an internal one.

Come watch our filmmakers and special guests walk the red carpet! Attending filmmakers and guests will be announced as they walk the red carpet and take interviews from press.

Public attendees are welcome to take their turn after. Dress to impress with our theme of “Horse Girl” or come in your Texas chic outfits. Limited Better Sour gummies + Shaz & Kiks Turmeric Shampoos products for attendees.

Teenaged introvert Kunsel (Tenzin Kunsel) lives in a Toronto apartment complex with her aunt and uncle, keeping insistently aloof from them and the rest of the local Tibetan community—which she prefers to surreptitiously view through a camcorder, scored in one of her many compulsive thefts. But Passang (Sonam Choekyi), a new arrival accompanied by her much older husband (Lobsang Tenzin), exercises a special fascination for Kunsel. The two young women bond and Kunsel is drawn ever deeper into the morass of Passang's life, including her troubled marriage and a risky scheme that might at last force Kunsel off the sidelines.

Calling all Central Texas A-DOC documentary filmmakers! Come join us for our first ever Asian American Documentary Network mixer at Austin Asian American Film Festival. Croffles & drinks from Cafe du Bliss!

For our 18th edition, things are getting a bit spicy . We have an age 18+ only VR activation to check out at the Holiday Inn Midtown just across from AFS Cinema. Badgeholders will receive an e-mail next week to pre-register for time slots to view IN THE MIST (VR film), followed by short film KISS, both by Taiwanese director Chou Tung-yen, who will be attending the festival!

*Rush line list will be available for anyone who shows proof of a ticket to film programs at AAAFF. Can’t make it? KISS will screen virtually from June 24-28. Details to register to come.

After TIKTOK NEVER DIES, join us at SOMI SOMI Linc for softserve. *Badgeholders get a softserve cup on us!

SXSW Grand Jury Prize winner for his 2018 feature PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE, Hao Wu continutes his examination of the digial apparatus with the most talked about app: TikTok. After TikTok faced a nationwide ban over security concerns, three TikTokers took action in the fight to court. The larger fight over political power, free speech, and people’s livelihood are all captured in a hysterical energy that matches the twists and turns in and out of the court. An essential documentary bound to spark many conversations with policymakers and children about who controls the narratives behind social media.

Five narrative and documentary films spotlight the work of Texas filmmakers and artists. WINTER CEREMONY brings together a divorced couple as they celebrate their daughter's college graduation. A young woman buys a baby conception dream, a TAEMONG of peaches, from her photographer. In HOW WE GRIEVE, siblings Meghan and Justin Ross process the death of their aunt with the one of the few tools they have: comedy. An Iranian-American girl dreams of contacting her dad who is lost behind the digital blockade of Iran's FIREWALL. Festival alum Xinyan Yu bring us the poetry of Austin-based poet CINDY TRAN: FROM HERE TO HERE, finding literary imagery in all things, small and large and everything in-between, from Yelp reviews to family trauma.

Badgeholders, don’t forget to join us at our opening night afterparty @ SOUPLEAF HOT POT!

We’re the only film festival in town that gives you an ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT experience with your badge and this is the night. Following HONEYJOON, come on over for a hot pot buffet.

Winner of the 2024 AT&T Untold Stories competition in collaboration with Tribeca, HONEYJOON from filmmaker Lilian T. Mehrel is a hilarious, relatable, and bittersweet portrait of love and loss. Mother and daughter duo June (Ayden Mayeri) and Lela (Amira Casar) embark on a vacation together following the loss of a family member, only to discover that their expectations for the trip differ greatly from reality. With the help of a charming (and handsome) tour guide, both women begin to see each other and themselves in a new light as they navigate grief, tension, and the complicated process of moving forward.

Swing by Holiday Inn Midtown for Early badge pickup from 4-7pm to get ahead of the game! First 20 to pickup will receive a limited-edition AAAFF bolo tie.