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CAAMFest · San Francisco, USA

CAAMFest

Founded 1982Usually May (AAPI Heritage Month)San Francisco Japantown & Bay Area venues

New films from Asian America and the broader Asian diaspora, alongside music, food and community programming.

The festival

Founded in 1982 as the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF) and renamed CAAMFest in 2013, it is presented by the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) and is one of the nation’s largest and leading showcases for Asian American and Asian film.

Worth knowing

The 2013 rename reflected an expanded scope beyond film into music, food and interactive programs; it traditionally presents roughly 130 works across the Bay Area each year.

Awards & submissions

Beyond screenings, CAAM runs the year-round CAAM Filmmaker Fund and fellowship programs supporting Asian American documentary storytellers, and the festival presents juried and audience awards each spring — including recognition for social-justice documentary in the tradition of pioneering filmmaker Loni Ding. Filmmakers submit through FilmFreeway ahead of the May edition.

How to attend

The festival is open to the public, with individual tickets and festival passes sold through the official CAAMFest website each spring.

Official site →

Dates and programs change year to year — check the official site for the current edition.