The festival
Founded in 2002 by members of the Subway Cinema collective, NYAFF began as a 12-film program in response to the declining availability of Asian films in the US. Since 2010 it has been co-presented with Film at Lincoln Center, its primary home, and is North America’s leading festival focused on popular and genre Asian cinema — distinct from the diaspora festivals.
Worth knowing
The festival grew from a 12-film program in 2002 into a major event spanning multiple New York venues.
Awards & submissions
NYAFF presents several audience-facing honors, including the Daniel A. Craft Award for Excellence in Action Cinema and the Screen International Rising Star Asia Award, alongside an audience award voted by attendees. Filmmakers submit features and shorts through FilmFreeway ahead of the summer edition, which typically runs from late June into mid-July at Film at Lincoln Center and the SVA Theatre.
How to attend
The festival is open to the public, with single tickets and passes sold through Film at Lincoln Center and the official NYAFF website each summer.
Official site →Dates and programs change year to year — check the official site for the current edition.