OUR
Nani Shin brings over 25 years of experience in the media and entertainment industry, having represented renowned global media brands such as Bravo, A+E, History, and Lifetime, among others. Throughout her career, she has been a leader in content distribution, brand management, and strategic partnerships, successfully negotiating content and partnership agreements for multi-screen and over-the-top streaming platforms.
Nani’s passion for creative expression, purposeful partnerships and an inclusive culture aligns perfectly with the mission and ethos of PAAFF. As a South Korean-born, Northeast Philly-raised professional who built her career in NYC and returned to the Philly suburbs with her family, Nani is deeply rooted to our community. She is eager to spark new partnerships and collaborations that elevate AANHPI representation and excellence. She draws inspiration from nature, her faith, the arts—especially performing arts and, of course, her love for films.
Arzhang Zafar is a writer and film programmer based in Philadelphia. Originally from way out west, he ended up in Philly back in 2017 and has been working with PAAFF in various capacities for most of that time. He is particularly interested in highlighting the stories of underrepresented communities and the ways in which historical and contemporary identity and culture intersect in diasporic art and media. He appreciates that this work allows him to watch a lot of movies that wider audiences don’t often get to see, but would love it if wider audiences got to see those movies too. It’s easy to despair about the state of cinema, but he’s hopeful that audiences will appreciate all the weird and wonderful things filmmakers, video artists, and animators are still out there creating.
Joseph Carranza is a New York City based community builder and festival director. He has centered his career around creating platforms for creatives to showcase their work, mentoring the next generation of storytellers, and planning large scale events that make an impact on society. From his work in the nonprofit sector, behind the scenes on film sets, to project managing large scale events Joseph’s leadership bridges the gap between creatives and culture at large.
David Tanh is a Teochew Chinese American and a child of Cambodian Refugees. He grew up in a Chinese Take-Out in the Logan and Olney neighborhoods of Philadelphia. He is enamored with stories and storytelling. He is a comic book writer in the Harvey Award nominated, Once Upon a Time Machine, and the multiple Eisner and Harvey Award winner, Little Nemo: Dream Another Dream. David is dedicated to promoting and preserving the visions and voices of AANHPI especially those in the Greater Philadelphia Area. And last but not least, he hopes he is a good husband and father.
Kathy Vy Chung is a Vietnamese American graphic designer, illustrator, and storyteller with a big heart for storytelling based in Philadelphia. Growing up, Kathy has always been passionate in storytelling from participating in high school film festivals to becoming one of many community designers for Philadelphia’s Chinatown. Passionate in using design to uplift marginalized narratives, Kathy brings folks together through a common goal, narrative, or background. At PAAFF, Kathy was a lead designer for 2021-2023 seasons and has stepped up to the plate as an Art Director this 2024 year with a wonderful team!
Festival Designers
Fiona Tran Cynthia Zhou
Fiona Tran Cynthia Zhou
Social Media Producer – Karen Louie
PR Manager – Roland Bui
Web Designer – Sarah Shin
Venue Manager – Liana Irvine
Lead Photographer – Vinh Dang
Programmers
Aiko Hamamoto, Catherine Nguyen, Chen-Yi Wu, Julia Fan, Lillian Li, Phoebe Schaub, Wren Lee
Screeners
Aiko Hamamoto, Brittney Scurry, Caren Hosansky, Catherine Nguyen, Chen-Yi Wu, Chetana R. Narasimha Jois, Don Thomases, Emilie Xie, James Kawano, Julia Fan, Julie Rockefeller, Klyde Breitton, Larissa Lucas, Lillian Li, Phoebe Schaub, Sharon Pearson, Shivon Pearl Love, Vu Pham, Wren Lee, Yinan Wang, Zong Sheng Tan
