Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival

Latest Past Events

Closing Night Film Mele Murals

Asian Arts Initiative 1219 Vine St, Philadelphia

Join Philadelphia Asian American Film & Filmmakers for our Closing Night Film and Reception celebrating the grand finale of our 2016 festival! Synopsis: Mele Murals is a compelling feature documentary about a young generation of Native Hawaiians who are reclaiming their indigenous culture through the transformative power of graffiti art. At the center of the story are two renowned street artists - Estria Miyashiro (aka Estria) and John Hina (aka Prime) - a group of Native Hawaiian youth, and the rural community of Waimea. Set against the resurgence of Hawaiian language and culture of the past twenty years, Estria and Prime tell how their street art has taken them on personal journeys to discover their history, identity and responsibilities as Hawaiian people. Director Tad Nakamura and Hawaiian graffiti legend John "Prime" Hina are expected in attendance for a post film Q&A and live mural painting. Admission also includes entry to the Closing Night Reception catered by local Hawaiian food truck Poi Dog Philly and featuring the unveiling of limited edition Hawaiian ice cream flavor from Little Baby's Ice Cream. Facebook Event Page 

$8 – $10

Be About It

Asian Arts Initiative 1219 Vine St, Philadelphia

Synopsis: Two fathers and their families battle against a potentially life-threatening disease impacting the Asian American community. Both contracted hepatitis B (hep B) at birthHep B, caused by the hepatitis B virus, can result in serious liver problems before symptoms become noticeable and is frequently referred to as a "silent killer." Up to two million people are infected in the US, and as many as two out of three Asian Americans living with it aren't aware they have it. Often stigmatized and misunderstood, hep B is the most common cause of liver cancer among Asian Americans. Through the lives of Alan and AJ, witness how two families cope with the impact of this potentially life-threatening virus. Screening with Caregiving: A Circle of Love a short doc by AARP about caregiving in the Chinese American community from the perspective of the three family caregivers, including MSNBC News Anchor Richard Lui. Facebook Event Page 

$6 – $8

The Last Smile East Coast Premiere

Asian Arts Initiative 1219 Vine St, Philadelphia

Synopsis: Inspired by true events, this film chronicles the struggles of a bereaved father searching for answers to explain the untimely demise of his adult son. Enlisting the services of a private detective to investigate the case, they discover that the son"s death was caused by reaction to an over the counter health supplement. In spite of his grief, he vows to bring the multi-billion dollar health supplement company responsible to justice. Examining the broken system of unregulated health supplement industry in US, The Last Smile also deals with subject of greed and corruption prevalent in our society. Facebook Event Page 

$6 – $8