Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival

PAAFF Preview Party 2021

The Rail Park North & Noble Streets, Philadelphia, PA

Curious to know what's in our festival program this year? Join us at The Rail Park! PAAFF’s Annual Preview Party will be held outdoors at The Rail Park on 10/7 at 7PM. Come catch a glimpse of what we have in store for our 14th Annual Film Festival, connect with the community, enjoy the fresh …

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PAAFF 2021 – Opening Night Film: Americanish

Asian Arts Initiative 1219 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA, United States

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 …

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$10 – $15

PAAFF 2021 – Centerpiece Documentary Q&A: Wuhan Wuhan

Online/Virtual

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 …

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PAAFF 2021 – Have You Heard the Moves – Live Performance

Asian Arts Initiative 1219 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA, United States

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 …

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PAAFF 2021 – Half of Half Magic – Live Performance

Asian Arts Initiative 1219 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA, United States

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 …

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PAAFF 2021 – Crouching Tiger, Hidden Memories – Live Performance

Asian Arts Initiative 1219 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA, United States

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 …

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PAAFF 2021 – Asian American Beats To Jam To – Live Concert

Asian Arts Initiative 1219 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA, United States

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 …

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$20

PAAFF 2021 – Centerpiece Narrative Q&A: Waikiki

Online/Virtual

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 …

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PAAFF 2021 – Closing Night Film: A Sexplanation

Asian Arts Initiative 1219 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA, United States

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 …

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$10 – $15