The Austin Asian American Film Festival (AAAFF) returns for its 17th year from June 25-29 at AFS Cinema (6406 N. I-35,
Ste. 3100). The five-day event will present films by Asian and Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) filmmakers.
The festival schedule includes 11 features, two shorts showcases, a "variety show" on the big screen, and a few parties after notable showings.
The opening film, All That We Love, was made by an Austin director and writer duo — Yen Tan and Clay Liford, respectively — and features an all-star cast: Margaret Cho, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Kenneth Choi, Atsuko Okatsuka, and Missi Pyle. The slice-of-life film represents grief after the loss of a pet, with some humor mixed in.
The closing film is Sunshine, following a gymnast named Sunshine who finds out she is pregnant and begins a search for abortion pills in Manila, despite a constitutional ban on abortion in the Philippines. She encounters a mysterious child who exposes some of her confusing feelings. AAAFF award-winner in 2021 Antoinette Jadaone directed this film.
There is one more headliner in the middle: Chinatown Cha-Cha, directed by Luka Yuanyuan Yang. The documentary feature celebrates Coby Yee, a 93-year-old former nightclub dancer as she embarks on one last tour. Audiences will watch as Yee's dance troupe inspire feelings of cultural pride while making stops around the world.
"I'm thrilled to have All That We Love, Chinatown Cha-Cha, and Sunshine as our headliners this year hailing from the USA, China, and the Philippines,” said AAAFF artistic director Neha Aziz. “Even though each film could not be more different than the other, they each bring together themes of loss, inspiration, and determination in their own unique ways."
As in past years, films from the 2025 lineup will be considered for juried awards. There will be a Narrative & Documentary Jury made up of judges from the film and entertainment industry, and there will be separate categories for feature and short films.
Beyond showcasing AANHPI filmmakers, there is another overarching theme for this year's festival: "playful rebellion."
“In the current tumultuous and uncertain state of arts funding, we invite our community to celebrate in ‘playful rebellion’ with us however they see fit,” said AAAFF executive director Hanna Huang. “Film and media arts are an indelible part of how we relate to each other and this year we continue to build solidarity and community in our shared time together watching fantastic independent cinema about the Asian American and Pacific Islander diaspora.”
All-access badges ($160) are available to purchase now at aaafilmfest.org. Badge holders will have priority access to all film showings, exclusive AAAFF events each day, and official AAAFF merch. Plus, they'll walk away with a swag bag. Students can purchase a discounted badge ($95) that just includes access to the film showings.
