PAAFF 2021 comes to an end with a limited-capacity in-person screening of our Closing Night film A Sexplanation ! Like with many American youth in the 90s, Alex was taught that sex before marriage was wrong. Because he knew he was gay, these tactics worked to suppress his sexuality.Now in his 30s and out of the closet, Alex has turned fear and loathing into something positive and humorous. With humor and grit, Alex takes audiences on a playful, heartfelt journey from a shame-filled past to a happier, healthier future. Directed by Alex Liu Produced by Steven Flynn, Alex Liu and Leonardo Neri Written by Alex Liu and Leonardo Neri A Sexplanation will have an in-person screening at Asian Arts Initiative and will also be available for a 24 hour rental starting on 11/14 at 7PM. There will be a LIVE Q&A with the filmmakers of A Sexplanation and the filmmakers of the pre-screener short film “Tho” after the in-person screening, followed by a small reception at Asian Arts Initiative. Buy your tickets here! Check out the rest of the PAAFF 2021 lineup here!

Center Narrative: Waikiki In this cinematic allegory of love and loss, a hula dancer fights for survival and her sanity in the shadows of Waikiki. This feature-length narrative offers an unflinching glimpse into paradise where there remains hope through human connection and reconnection to ʻaina (nature). Directed by Christopher Kahunahana Produced by Connie M. Florez and Nicole Naone Written by Christopher Kahunahana Waikiki will be available to rent for a limited period: November 10 – 14.  A live filmmaker Q&A will be live-streamed on Saturday, November 13 at 8 PM EST. Rent Waikiki here! Check out the rest of the PAAFF 2021 lineup here!

PAAFF’s Asian Music Showcase is back and in-person at Asian American Arts Initiative! This year’s showcase features an entirely local artist lineup and a variety of music genres: Filipino singer-songwriter and producer Joshua Bation; Marina Murayama, blending synthesized electronic textures and lush orchestral soundscapes; Filipino-American artist and producer Lucas Geniza, aka Lukey; and electronic music artist REGOTHERESHEGO. This limited-capacity in-person performance will be held at Asian Arts Initiative on Friday, November 12 at 8 PM EST. Buy your tickets here!   Performers: Joshua Bation is a Filipino singer-songwriter and producer raised in Philadelphia. Blending both pop & RnB, Joshua’s heart is singing – laying his smooth vocals on songs such as ‘Fall In’, ‘Otherside’ & ‘All Night’. Artist Page Marina Murayama‘s musical writing explores themes of mixedness, decolonization, and accountability. Although Marina has roots in the classical tradition, their current music weaves together synthesized electronic textures and lush orchestral soundscapes. Outside of composing and performing, Marina teaches high school music with the School District of Philadelphia. Artist Page Lukey is the stage name of Filipino American artist and producer Lucas Geniza. The Philadelphia-based musician is recognized as a true multifaceted talent, gifting listeners with rich production, poetic lyricism, and timeless melodies. Since his debut in 2016, the artist has continued to add to a decorated resume that includes over 2.3 million global streams and placements on Spotify’s coveted playlists Soultronic, Fresh Finds, Fresh Finds: Indie, and Fresh Finds: Pop. Artist Page REGOTHERESHEGO a groundbreaking artist with dynamic sound, is making waves in Philadelphia and to audiences across the world. REGO continues to elevate each visual and sonic standard she sets with every new release. She stamps the integrity and depth of her artistry with the latest “Beg for It” music video. Her second solo EP titled “Interlude,” adds to the depth of her catalogue and continues to inspire audiences through her raw and passionately electric music. Artist Page   Check out the rest of the PAAFF 2021 lineup here!

Come join us in-person for an interactive screening of Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. As a part of PAPA’s mini-residency, Chantal Vorobei Thieves’ ongoing project, Memory, Vein: The Collected Tapes—where personal memories are shared in connection to specific scenes from various films—invites members of the audience to narrate their own personal memories over the action! Chantal Vorobei Thieves is a multimedia artist who creates to both understand what is to be and stay alive. This limited-capacity in-person performance will be held at Asian Arts Initiative on Friday, November 12 at 4 PM EST. Register here! Check out the rest of the PAAFF 2021 lineup here!

PAAFF 2021: PAPA Mini-Resident Joseph Ahmed uses physical theater, storytelling, and circus techniques to explore the childhood narratives and social structures that led him to self-identify as white for most of his young life. Animorphs, Ender’s Game, and Harry Potter form the cornerstones of his identity until a loss in the family forces him to reconsider everything. What place is left in his Bengali heritage after a lifetime of white protagonists? Joseph presents the first half of Half Magic live and in-person during this event, followed by an artist’s talk. Joseph Ahmed (he/they) is a Philadelphia-based theater artist and a co-founder of the interactive performance company Obvious Agency. This limited-capacity in-person performance will be held at Asian Arts Initiative on Thursday, November 11 at 6 PM EST. Register here! Check out the rest of the PAAFF 2021 lineup here!

Philadelphia Asian Performing Artists (PAPA) is putting on dancing shoes for our latest showcase! These past 20 months have been wild and heavy – I mean, how is it already almost 2022?? It’s time for a collective breath and a collective stretch with some of our favorite dance and movement artists. Have You Heard the Moves will present a collage of styles and tones wrapped around the central question “How do we get moving again?”. This limited-capacity in-person performance will be held at Asian Arts Initiative on Wednesday, November 10 at 6 PM EST. Register here! Have You Heard the Moves will feature the following PAPA members as well as some ~*mystery~* dancers: ROHAAN UNVALA is a mover, deviser, theatre artist, and painter born and raised in Mumbai, India. He is most drawn to impulse and improvisation, using them as his entries into creation of both characters and canvases. He has a deep love for all kinds of abstract, absurd, and non-realistic artwork. Recently, he collaborated and helped create an immersive evening of devised theatre at the Wyck Historic House and Garden in Germantown, Philadelphia. Rohaan currently lives in Philadelphia, where he is nearing the completion of the MFA Devised Performance Program at The Pig Iron Theatre Company / The University of the Arts. SEVON WRIGHT is a freelance dancer and choreography originally from Bakersfield, CA who moved to Philadelphia six years ago. Primarily a dance teacher to young students, she has found her love and passion to inspire the youth through movement and art. Sevon is always on the hunt to create opportunities and performances to fuse multiple disciplines of art. She is always a student and searching to learn more about her dance practice, her culture and her community. Sevon is also the artistic director for the up and coming contemporary jazz fusion dance company Burgundy Blue Dance based out of Philadelphia,PA. KC CHUN is a movement educator, somatic practitioner, dance-maker, and arts administrator. She is the artistic director of the project-based company freshblood, whose choreography has been presented locally and in New York and Boulder. Examples include the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts in collaboration with Pasión y Arte Flamenco Company, NeXus/University of Colorado at Boulder, Aspen Dance Connection, Cool New York Dance Festival, DUMBO Dance Festival, and the Brooklyn Arts Exchange. She has taught on the faculties of Temple University, Pig Iron School/UArts, Drexel University, and Bryn Mawr College; and has been commissioned nine times to create new work for students at Drexel University, West Chester University, and Trinity College. Her professional performing credits include the choreography of Susan Rethorst, Guillermo Ortega Tanus, Jessica Warchal-King, kim olson/sweet edge, Maedée Duprès, Sara Hook, and Cynthia Oliver. She is thrilled to be collaborating on new work with Whit MacLaughlin/New Paradise Laboratories Theatre Co., and premiere new work in 2021. MUYU YUAN RUBA, Chinese dance artist and choreographer, received her B.F.A. in Dance from Shanghai Normal University in 2013 and M.F.A. in Dance from Temple University in 2017. She is the sole founder of Shero Dance Company and L&M Dance studio which began in 2016. In addition, she is an adjunct professor at Georgian Court University in the Dance department. Her work incorporates other media such as puppetry, installations, dance film, improvisation and fashion. ABOUT PAPA Philadelphia Asian Performing Artists (PAPA) is a grassroots, membership-based collective that exists to build community among, and address the lack of economic and artistic opportunities for, people of Pan-Asian descent involved in the performing arts in the Philadelphia region. We do this through member-led programming such as community-building events, professional development programs, performance opportunities, and grassroots organizing. These programs are designed and implemented through the framework of “For Us, By Us, Beyond Us,” and fueled by our values.   Check out the rest of the PAAFF 2021 lineup here!

Centerpiece Documentary: Wuhan Wuhan Unfolding at the height of the pandemic, Wuhan Wuhan offers unprecedented access into the peak of the pandemic lockdown and focuses on the human side of the mysterious virus. Comprising five compelling stories, Wuhan Wuhan follows a soft-hearted ER doctor and an unflappable ICU nurse; a volunteer psychologist at a temporary hospital; a tenacious mother and son navigating the byzantine PRC healthcare system; and a volunteer driver for medical workers and his pregnant wife. Directed by Yung Chang Producted by Donna Gigliotti, Peter Luo, and Diane Quon Wuhan Wuhan will be available to rent for a limited period: November 5 – 9.  A live filmmaker Q&A will be live-streamed on Saturday, November 13 at 8 PM EST. Rent Wuhan Wuhan here! Check out the rest of the PAAFF 2021 lineup here!

PAAFF 2021 kicks off with a limited-capacity in-person screening of our Opening Night film Americanish ! In Jackson Heights, Queens, sisters Maryam and Sam and their newly-immigrated cousin Ameera navigate the sometimes conflicting demands of romance, culture, work, and family. Serving both as a lighthearted but critical reimagination of the classic romantic comedy, Americanish tackles and celebrates the complexities of womanhood. Directed by Iman Zawahry Produced by Roy Wol, Paul Seetachitt, Iman Zawahry, and Aizzah Fatima Written by Aizzah Fatima and Iman Zawahry Americanish will have an in-person screening at Asian Arts Initiative and will also be available for a 24 hour rental starting on 11/4 at 7PM. There will be a LIVE Q&A with the cast and crew after the screening, followed by a small reception at Asian Arts Initiative. Buy your tickets here! Check out the rest of the PAAFF 2021 lineup here!