SF Int’l Asian American Film Fest Turns 30

The Center for Asian America Media presents the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF) every March. SFIAAFF turns 30 this year and the organizers are planning a special festival to mark the occasion!

The SFIAAFF is the largest and most prestigious showcase for new Asian American and Asian films in North America, annually presenting approximately 120 works in San Francisco, Berkeley and San Jose. SFIAAFF also features the best in Asian American music and digital and interactive media. Since 1982, the SFIAAFF has been an important launching point for Asian American independent filmmakers as well as a vital source for new Asian cinema.

“It’s [SFIAAFF] great. I’m really proud to be part of it because it’s a community. It really is a community. And it’s great to see the variety of films this year. We’ve gone beyond talking and complaining about Asian American issues and being a minority to just telling great stories. That’s exciting to me.”

-Daniel Wu, Actor

“What began as a way for Asian Americans to counteract negativity and neglect in American mainstream media has blossomed into an acclaimed draw for actors, producers, musicians and artists of all kinds.”

• Kevin Lee, AsianWeek

“The pressures to make a living and to fit in, without denying one’s parents or losing sight of one’s origins, are the stuff of cliché, or fiction. To the contrary, the S.F. International Asian American Film Festival reminds us, in a variety of ways from a dozen directions, that’s reality. Up to the minute, and at the same time the latest chapter in an unfolding history. Our collective history, I might add.”

• Michael Fox, KQED Arts and Culture

“This is one of the finest, most respected Asian American film festivals in the country, and they always put together a really fun, amazing program. I’ve had a close relationship and affinity for the good people who put this festival on for years. SFIAAFF rules.”

• Angry Asian Man

“…SFIAAFF has grown from being a niche event to a major contender on the international festival circuit—with more than enough voices and crossovers to justify its unwieldy moniker.”

• Max Goldberg, SF360

Festival details will be announced soon. In the meantime, connect with CAAM at http://caamedia.org.