Directed by Michael Faulkner Shodekeh, a beatboxer and vocal percussionist from Baltimore, has spent his life mastering new sounds and fostering unlikely musical collaborations. After a chance meeting with traditional Tuvan throat singers Alash Ensemble, Shodekeh embarks on a journey to the Republic of Tuva as a guest musician chosen to participate in the International Xoomei (throat singing) festival. A sensory experience of music and landscape, this film takes the viewer on a journey through the vastness of Central Asia and the sounds that emerge as musical cultures combine. Tickets Festival Pass

This shorts program explores the Four Pillars of Hip Hop and the various Asian American communities that have immersed themselves in them. Short film subjects include the Filipino turntablist scene in 1980s San Francisco, the integration of traditional Chinese theater technique into breakdance routines by Mark Wong of Hip Hop Fundamentals, and a graffiti artist navigating the sometimes violent street art world. The fourth pillar of emceeing will be incorporated through a special live performance by acclaimed Korean American rap duo Year of the Ox. Year of the Ox According to the Zodiac, the Ox is attributed with traits of strength and familial loyalty. Nevertheless, they can be stubborn with their ideals and quick to snap at anybody who might violate tradition. Hailing from Virginia, Lyricks and JL exemplify these characteristics. They are artists who regularly speak on the struggles of the Everyman yet are quick to welcome any challengers, treating them like the bonus stage in Street Fighter. It’s a breath of fresh air in an era when rappers spit freestyles off their phones and mumble from the bottom of styrofoam cups. In 2016, the tag team released “Seven Rings,” garnering millions of views while definitively answering the question, “Can Asians rap?” TAG Director: Patrick Green, Steve Tirona | 6 mins | USA A colorful day in the secret life of a graffiti artist looking to make a mark. The Street Pearls Mixtape Director: Aidan Un | 15 mins | USA Street Pearls is a site-specific performance that was presented at Pearl Street Block Party in October 2015, directed and performed by b-boy crew Hip Hop Fundamentals. Filmmaker Aidan Un captures their dynamic use of b-boy culture to explore themes of identity, individuality, and ancestry. Flip the Record Director: Marie Jamora | 15 mins | USA This film takes us into the beat of an aspiring Filipino American DJ crew in 1984 San Francisco. Vanessa, sick of the the constraints and boring piano lessons in her conservative household, starts teaching herself how to scratch on her older brother’s turntables. Watch as she discovers her talents and place in the local music scene of the era. Tickets Festival Pass

A documentary about a free-spirited chef born of a strict culture. “Kakehashi” is the vision that Chef Nobuo Fukuda’s father had for him, to bridge the gap between Japan and the rest of the world. Facing the challenges of a strict environment and emigrating to a new one, Chef Nobuo unexpectedly bridged the gap through his cuisine. In 2007, Chef Nobuo was awarded the James Beard Awards for Best Chef: Southwest. Preceded By Pool to Table Tim Cheng -  3 mins Tiny, circular “fishing floats,” attached to baited lines bob on the water like wayward mini-beach balls. Tickets Festival Pass

Directed by Saila Kariat Neal Kumar, an immigrant entrepreneur working in the high-octane technologically driven culture of Silicon Valley, seeks answers to lingering questions about his daughter’s suicide. As he journeys deeper into his daughter’s mental-health odyssey, the fractured nature of his interior life becomes apparent to himself and those around him. The Valley explores the struggle of one family to survive intact amidst a culture in which relationships and human connection are almost impossible to maintain. It also addresses the secrecy and lack of understanding that surrounds mental health issues like depression and anxiety, which are the root cause of most suicides. Tickets Festival Pass

Directed by Sahra V. Nguyen Deported follows Philadelphia-based advocacy group 1Love Movement and its sister organization 1Love Cambodia over the course of five months as they head to Phnom Penh to meet with representatives of the Cambodian government. The goal: to halt deportations and renegotiate the 2002 repatriation agreement that allows the US to deport refugees back to Cambodia. Told over the course of five chapters, this film follows the cases of several deported refugees, documenting the impact that separation has had on their lives and their families. Shedding light on the plight of Cambodian refugees caught in the school-to-prison-to-deportation pipeline, this insightful documentary underscores the historical imbalance of US-Cambodia relations. Co-presented by 1Love Movement, who will be present for a post-film discussion with director Sahra V. Nguyen. Tickets Festival Pass

Directed by Konrad Aderer The dominant narrative of the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans has been that they behaved like a “model minority,” cooperated without protest, and proved their patriotism by enlisting in the Army. Resistance at Tule Lake, a new feature-length documentary from Third World Newsreel (Camera News Inc.) and directed by Japanese American filmmaker Konrad Aderer, overturns that myth by telling the long-suppressed story of Tule Lake Segregation Center. A compelling documentary that exposes the worst of the US government’s violations of civil liberties during WWII and the organized resistance by Japanese Americans behind bars. Director Konrad Aderer expected in attendance for post-film discussion with Tule Lake camp survivor Ed Kobayashi. Tickets Festival Pass

Directed by Ciara Lacy Exiled to a private prison deep in the Arizona desert, native Hawaiian inmates discover culture and community behind bars. In 2007, the state of Hawaii outsourced the care of roughly two thousand of its male prisoners to a private, for-profit prison on the continental US. Now deep in the desert of Arizona, exiled thousands of miles across the ocean from their island home, a group of indigenous Hawaiian inmates have discovered their calling on the inside: teaching each other their native language and dances while behind bars. The film follows several of the men as they complete their sentences and reintegrate back home in Hawaii. Out of State explores complex questions of cultural and religious identity; the disproportionate incarceration rates of native Hawaiians and other ethnic minorities in the prison system; the cycle of criminal behavior and its impact on the family; and prisoner entitlement. Tickets Festival Pass

Live Performance Blasian Narratives is a multi-media “Docu-Theatre” project that explores the intersectional identities of mixed-race Black & Asian individuals through an integrated live performance and film screening. The project began as a collaboration between Morehouse and Spelman College students documenting peoples of mixed Afro-Asian heritage, colloquially known as “Blasians.” Illustrating the complex relationships between two historically polarized communities of color, this grassroots project aims to develop identity awareness and build solidarity. Film subjects will be present to perform live excerpts in conversation with the film. Tickets Festival Pass  

Directed by Angie Wang Based on the life of filmmaker Angie Wang, this film dramatizes the true story of a Chinese American chemistry student who became the largest supplier of ecstasy on the West Coast in the early 1980s. After losing her scholarship to a prestigious college in San Francisco, Angie continues manufacturing and selling the party drug to make ends meet. Angie hides her dangerous secrets from everyone in her life, but when the consequences of her double life come to a head, she finds herself tumbling out of control. Starring Annie Q (HBO’s The Leftovers) and Francesca Eastwood (of ABC’s Heroes Reborn), writer/director Angie Wang is expected in attendance for a post-film Q&A. Preceded By Monday Dinh Thai - 19 mins Kwan is a small-time hustler who provides contraband to whomever needs it. Tickets Festival Pass

This FREE shorts program explores the concept of sexual commerce and body commodification. Subjects include prostitution and emotional transactions related to sex. Filmmakers expected in attendance. MATURE CONTENT, VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED. Cake Director: Anne Hu | 9 mins | USA A bisexual woman tries to explore her sexuality with her husband Thomas by surprise ordering a seemingly human female sex robot. But the sex robot is not the cure-all she had hoped for. I am JUPITER Director: Matthew Victor Pastor | 15 mins | Australia, Philippines Jupiter is a visual narrative about the silence of my people in post-colonial Philippines. It’s a tense thriller without any spoken dialogue showing the harsh realities currently present in the motherland. Hierarchy of Needs Director: Ryan Michael Connolly | 5 mins | USA A gay Filipino American named Jonathan is in a financial dilemma; but his troubles run much deeper than his pocketbook. Dear Mother Director: Matthew Kaundart | 4 mins | USA A Korean adoptee named Kayla Tange lives in LA, where she works as an exotic dancer and performance artist. After plans to meet her birthmother fell through, Kayla created this visual letter in the hopes it will bring her some sort of peace. Please Hold Director: Jerell Rosales | 15 mins | USA When a condom breaks during a random hook-up with a stranger, Danny gets an HIV test and an unexpected new friend. Tickets Festival Pass

Directed by Megumi Sasaki After a documentary film denouncing Japan’s longstanding whale and dolphin hunting practices called The Cove wins an Academy Award in 2010, the sleepy fishing town of Taiji suddenly awakens to find itself in the global spotlight. Almost overnight, Taiji transforms into the go-to battleground for international anti-whaling activists. The camera delves into the lives of local whalers, global activists, and an American journalist in the “whale and dolphin killing town” and suggests that not everything is as black and white as it might seem. Filmmaker Megumi Sasaki is expected to be in attendance for a post-film Q&A. Tickets Festival Pass

Directed by Zixuan Deng Immigrants in France. Through their specific experiences, the film gives an intimate look at the rise of a new generation of French Chinese who identify with two cultures, speak two languages, and demand acceptance within contemporary French society. Filmed in French and Chinese with English subtitles, this film reveals the resilience of the Chinese community in Paris, but also underscores the universal complications and shared immigration histories across the Chinese diaspora. Filmmaker Zixuan Deng expected in attendance for post-film Q&A. Tickets Festival Pass

Directed by Francois Yang After his brother suddenly dies, dies, Alex, a thirty-something man of French Chinese descent, returns to Paris in search of an explanation. Torn between two cultures and caught in a love triangle with women who represent both sides of his heritage, Alex must come to terms with his family’s past as he tries to uncover the truth behind his brother’s death. Produced by the same team who brought us PAAFF15 film alumni Mooncake, this feature film is a landmark achievement for the Francophone Asian diasporic community, and highly relatable to the Asian American experience. Tickets Festival Pass

ABOUT THE FILM: Tailored To Fit (Qipao) is about a young immigrant filmmaker who discovers a generation gap as she explores her love-hate relationship with China's iconic Qipao dress. Director Xin Li Runtime 21 mins Screening @ 1pm Check the link below for a schedule of the day's activities. ABOUT THE CELEBRATION: Get ready to call in the Year of the Dog at the Penn Museum’s 37th Annual Chinese New Year Celebration! This family-friendly day features traditional Chinese music and dance, contemporary Asian film, tangram workshops, tai chi and kung fu martial arts demonstrations, storytelling, calligraphy, family crafts, a Year of the Dog Photo Contest, and much more—closing with the grand finale drums and the roar of the lion dance and parade. Activities are held in the Museum’s Rotunda, which houses one of the finest collections of monumental Chinese art in the country, and throughout the international galleries of the Museum. The Chinese New Year Celebration, one of Philadelphia’s oldest, is free with General Admission.

Star students and squabbling siblings Albert and Jennifer Chen used to represent the pinnacle of adolescent achievement. But when it comes to adulthood, theyre epic failures. Alberts just been passed up for promotion and Jennifer's been dumped by her loser boyfriend. So they do what any reasonable brother and sister would do and go on an Asian Freedom Tour! Travelling from California to China,TIGER STYLE! by Mike Lew is a raucous comedy that examines the successes and failures of tiger parenting from the point of view of a playwright who's actually been through it. Philadelphia Asian Performing Artists (PAPA) has been making waves in the citys theatre community for the past 3 years by tirelessly galvanizing, growing and promoting Phillys Asian American talent through performance series, national forums (Beyond Orientalism, September 2016), and workshop opportunities.  As our first full production, TIGER STYLE! marks a momentous occasion as we assert ourselves as a Philadelphias hub for Asian American Theatre. Featuring: Richard Chan Arlen Hancock Anita Holland Daniel Kim Stephanie N. Walters Directed by Jeff Liu Wednesday     January 24, 2018      7:00 PM               **First Preview** Thursday         January 25, 2018      8:00 PM               **Second Preview** Friday              January 26, 2018      8:00 PM               **Opening Night** Saturday         January 27, 2018       8:00 PM Sunday            January 28, 2018      7:00 PM Wednesday    January 31, 2018       7:00 PM Thursday        February 1, 2018        8:00 PM Friday             February 2, 2018        8:00 PM Saturday         February 3, 2018       8:00 PM Sunday           February 4, 2018        7:00 PM               **Closing Night**

PAAFF will be showing animated shorts at International House's Lunar New Year 2018: The Year of the Dog event. Bring the family! Get Tickets! FILM SCREENINGS TIMES: • 7:30PM - Zodiac Run • 8:20PM - Lion Dance ABOUT THE EVENT: The Lunar New Year is also known as the Spring Festival and is a time to wish one another luck and prosperity for the upcoming year. International House Philadelphia will welcome the Year of the Dog with our annual celebration that has typically seen sell-out crowds and is among our most popular and sought after events. The evening includes an exhilarating Lion Dance and show of traditional music and dance performances and martial arts demonstrations, followed by a reception featuring tastings of traditional Chinese cuisine and cultural activities. Held in the Ibrahim Theater and Galleria FEATURING: • Philadelphia Suns • Chinese Arts Center in Philadelphia • Great Wall Chinese School Little Mulan Dance Troupe • Qin Qian & Kathryn Woodard • Siu Lum Academy • Short films from Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival • Activities by Asian Arts Initiative and The Franklin Institute SUPPORTED BY: • Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia • Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival • Asian Arts Initiative

PAAFF is partnering with the Barnes to present Artist Bash: Heartache—Art inspires, but a broken heart creates! Join us for the third Artist Bash as we welcome performers who transform heartache and pain into beauty. The evening brings Van Gogh to life and welcomes the creative stylings of Kingsley Ibeneche; the vocal skills of Bethlehem, Laurin Talese, and Daniel de Jesus; shadow puppetry by Hua Hua Zhang; and a dance party with DJ Sonny James. You bring the ache—we’ll provide the heart. Tickets

Set in Karachi, Pakistan, Gardaab (Whirlpool) is an intimate portrait of a city, rife with ethnic & class divisions, and turf wars. In this pulsating cityscape blooms a tender romance between a boy and girl from warring factions. Gardaab is a story of this romance and the violence that surrounds it. Gardaab also lays bare the cyclical nature of an environment, where a constant flow of young recruits, feed this violence. Gardaab Trailer from Harune Massey on Vimeo. Harune Massey’s restrained direction takes real life stories and anecdotes, and turns them into a compelling meditation on the fragility of human life. *Post-film discussion with filmmaker. **Film screening is FREE RSVP

Carles Butar Butar (17 years old) is a Parmalim teenage boy who has two major roles in life, as a son who helps his family economy by working in the fields and an ordinary teenage boy who tries to fullfill his dream as a policeman. He may not be able to achieve his dream, due to his family economy condition, but he has his own way to deal with this situation. He continues to try and stick to his religion teachings that he believes in. How did Carles manage those major roles in his life? What was Malim Religion’s teaching that he believed in? What was his effort to fulfill his dream? Ahu Parmalim's Film Screening & Discussion A documentary film by Cicilia Maharani 5pm - Film Screening and Q&A 6pm - Dinner reception with the Director and Producer Sky Cafe will be offering a sampling of three dishes that are regional specialties of Northern Sumatra, where the film is set. We are proud to collaborate with Kampung Halaman Foundation, Lovethewoods, Philadelphia Indonesian Diaspora Network, Philadelphia Praise Center, and M+M on this event. RSVP