The Philadelphia Asian American Film Foundation announces the lineup for the 19th annual Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival, returning to Philadelphia this fall with 73 films from 23 countries and territories. 3 exclusive Philadelphia premieres. An inaugural Storyteller Summit. And a celebration of the
artists, histories, and communities shaping Philadelphia’s creative landscape.

The festival features five narrative feature films, five documentary features, and 63 short films spanning Asia, the Pacific, and the global diaspora. Curated programming highlights LGBTQ+ cinema, Iranian filmmaking, Philippine stories, Asian and Latine connections, and documentary, bringing together stories that explore migration, identity, family, memory, culture, and belonging.

In PAAFF’s 19th edition the festival looks at what we inherit, what we carry forward, and what
we create next.

“PAAFF has always been about creating a home for stories and storytellers, but our vision has grown beyond the festival itself,” said Nani Shin, Executive Director of PAAFF. “This year, we are thinking about what it means to build a cultural home in Philadelphia: a place where audiences can encounter stories from around the world and see themselves in them, where artists can find both community and the resources to keep creating, and where the histories we carry can become the foundation for what we develop next.”

PAAFF will present 38 premiere screenings, including five World Premieres: Kiyoshi, Drive On Mr. Otter, Dry, The Way We Are, and Significant Other People. The festival will also feature the International Premiere of Gopchang, the North American Premiere of Mama’s Girl, and the U.S. Premiere of Toward the Sun, alongside East Coast premieres of Sgt. Haane, Iakwe, Halcyon Days, Dubito, Oakland Ilokana, Lolobatman, Portrait,
Shedding, Bridging Our Stories, Spiders on My Lashline, and Siren.

Women and nonbinary filmmakers direct 37 films in the program, while 13 films center LGBTQ+ stories and perspectives. Together, they reflect the breadth and complexity of contemporary
AANHPI storytelling.

Rather than defining Asian American cinema through a single experience, PAAFF creates space for the many communities and connections that make up the diaspora.

PAAFF will honor Philadelphia native Danny Chung with its Trailblazer Award, recognizing his contributions to music, film, and global Asian popular culture at Storyteller Spotlight on Saturday, November 7th at 6:00 PM, at Asian Arts Initiative in a conversation moderated by 6abc’s Nydia Han.

A Korean American songwriter, lyricist, producer, recording artist, and voice actor, Chung’s credits include Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation’s KPop Demon Hunters, where he served as a songwriter, performer, and the voice of Baby Saja. Danny wrote two featured songs in the film: “Soda Pop” and “How It’s Done”. The film won Best Animated Feature at the 98th Academy Awards, while “Golden” won Best Original Song. His career, which spans K-pop, animation, and film, represents the global reach of a Philadelphia-born Asian American artist. PAAFF’s Trailblazer Award celebrates both his achievements and the city that helped shape his creative journey.

PAAFF will launch its inaugural Storyteller Summit, a half-day professional development program, open to all, bringing film industry professionals to Philadelphia to share knowledge, resources, and connections with the city’s broader creative community.

Open to all Philadelphia filmmakers and creative professionals, the Summit will explore the business of building a creative career, from intellectual property and contracts to professional positioning, relationships, visibility, and sustainable creative practice.

PAAFF will deepen its connection to Philadelphia through new and ongoing partnerships with local arts and media organizations like 12 Gates Arts, Scribe Video Center, & FRIEDA.

In partnership with FRIEDA, PAAFF will present What We Carry, What We Create, a conversation featuring women and femme-presenting artists working across disciplines. The program explores cultural inheritance across generations and the ways artists transform what they inherit into work that speaks to the present. PAAFF will also partner with Scribe Video Center for a special tribute to filmmaker Christine Choy, honoring her groundbreaking work and enduring influence on documentary filmmaking.

These collaborations reflect PAAFF’s commitment to building community not only through film,
but through conversation, creative exchange, and shared cultural history.

As PAAFF approaches its 20th anniversary, the festival continues to grow as a home for AANHPI stories, artists, and audiences in Philadelphia. This year’s program brings together international cinema, local partnerships, artist development, and community conversations around a shared question: What do we carry with us, and what will we create from it?

For nearly two decades, PAAFF has brought stories from across the diaspora to Philadelphia. Now, as it looks toward its next chapter, the festival is building not only a platform for stories, but a community for the people who tell them.