As a VR headset rests on an attendee’s head, the black screen illuminates, revealing “In the Mist,” a 14-minute short film directed by Taiwanese director Tung-Yen Chou. Just one of the components of the Austin Asian American Film Festival, along with short films and after parties, Asian American and Pacific Islander feature films take the spotlight with relatable stories like “Honeyjoon” and “Traces of Home.”
The Austin Asian American Film Festival continues through June 28 at Austin Film Society Cinema, located off Interstate 35. Attendees can purchase day tickets and badges through the event’s website. Showcasing films from all over Asia, AAAFF blends different film styles and genres with unique ways of viewing.
“Representation in identity and point of view is also really important,” said Neha Aziz, artistic director of AAAFF. “Obviously, the quality of the film is really important, … but we’re also programming (for an) audience. There are films where this really makes sense to program because it’s timely (and) it’s a conversation starter, but you also look to what is happening in the world.”
Headed by executive director Hanna Huang, the festival began taking submissions in November, filtering through nearly 500 submissions ranging from short films to full-length features. Huang said that her definition of AAPI films is broad, meaning that eligible films included those featuring Asian Americans in both on and off-screen roles.
“In terms of film, we do prioritize Asian American filmmakers, so, when I say that, I mean also behind the camera,” Huang said. “(That includes) filmmakers that are Asian American that produce work that might not look Asian American, but also films from what I call ‘the Asian and Middle Eastern diaspora.’… Being expansive about your community doesn’t dilute it because we’re still leaning into the specificities of each filmmaker’s background and work.”
Though film screenings headline the festival experience, AAAFF offers several different opportunities to celebrate Asian American culture, including food and free products for badge holders and attendees. Event lead Catherine Vo, who began working with AAAFF this year, dove into her hands-on experience with the film screenings’ before and after parties.
“Since this is my first (AAAFF), seeing all the different events that badge holders and guests can experience has been really eye-opening for me,” Vo said. “A viewer can see a movie and that might be the end of it, but we have events that really engage festivalgoers. There’s always a strong food component and my favorite part has been introducing new (and) local products and you’re supporting local businesses and really getting them some exposure to our festivalgoers.”
As the festival approached its 18th year, Huang worked closely with her team, including Aziz, to make subtle nods to what turning 18 feels like. Huang said that along with honoring the year of the fire horse as part of Lunar New Year, this year’s festival incorporated themes related to coming of age.
“This year, our poster was done by a tattoo artist, so there (are) little nods to turning age 18,” Huang said. “Our swag bags for our badge holders had things like candy cigarettes. … Mixing (those) childhood nostalgia vibes with adult vibes is what we’re going for. … People enjoy the fun we have with it, even though our work truly is about championing those Asian American stories.”
