The festival
Founded in 1983 by Visual Communications — the first US nonprofit dedicated to Asian American and Pacific Islander media — it is the largest film festival in Southern California devoted to Asian and Pacific Islander cinema, presenting roughly 150 films and media works annually.
Worth knowing
Its parent, Visual Communications, was founded in 1970 as the first nonprofit in the US dedicated to Asian American and Pacific Islander media arts.
How to attend
The public buys individual tickets and festival passes through the official festival site each year.
Awards & submissions
Founded by Visual Communications — the first U.S. nonprofit devoted to Asian American and Pacific Islander media, established in 1970 — the festival presents roughly 150 films and media works each year and is the largest event of its kind in Southern California. Its programming spans narrative features, documentaries and shorts by Asian American and Pacific Islander filmmakers, and the festival has historically presented audience and juried awards along with showcases for emerging talent and community-centered work. Timed to Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, screenings and events are held at venues across Los Angeles, including the Little Tokyo district, with individual tickets and festival passes sold through the official site. Filmmakers can find current submission windows and guidelines on the festival’s website ahead of each edition.
Official site →Dates and programs change year to year — check the official site for the current edition.