A still from “Red Pocket,” a short film directed by Austin Chen, where “a magical Red Pocket interrupts an anxiety ridden family dinner” according to AFFD. (AFFD Facebook)
Angelika Film Center is hosting the annual Asian Film Festival of Dallas (AFFD) from July 23-26, a nonprofit film exhibition featuring Asian and Asian-American movies that cover a variety of cultural topics.
“Founded by Mye Hoang and Stephen Carlton in 2002, the AFFD has provided opportunities for over 600 Asian and Asian-American filmmakers and documentarians to share their vision, often providing the only venue for their films to be shown in Dallas,” AFFD’s mission statement reads.
The poster for “Macai,” directed by Sun-J Perumal. (AFFD Facebook)
This year’s collection includes horror, action, drama, documentary and family films, showcasing the versatility of Asian cinema. Movies like “The Gorals” by Yoo Jae-wook explore coming-of-age topics through the lens of academically stressed students, while “Never After Dark” by Dave Boyle and “Macai” by Sun-J Perumal focus on thrill, crime and terror.
“The volunteer-run Asian Film Festival of Dallas has grown to become one of the south’s largest showcases of Asian and Asian-American cinema,” their website says. “We’ve brought to Dallas some of the biggest names in Asian-American film such as Justin Lin and Sung Kang. We have broadened the audience for these films in the North Texas region.”
AFFD takes an inclusive approach to selecting their program for the year, valuing representation, engagement, accessibility, youth outreach and filmmaker support in all of their decisions. Some initiatives launched as a result include closed captioning, a film student block and internship and networking opportunities.
“AFFD actively seeks out films from diverse Asian backgrounds, including those by underrepresented communities,” their DEI statement reads. “We believe that diversity strengthens creativity, enriches storytelling and broadens perspectives. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable environment for filmmakers, audiences and communities.”
This week’s showtimes and special events are linked when bolded below:
- Thursday, July 23
- Student Shorts (“Red Pocket,” “She Will Rock You,” “Plaything” and “Looky-Loo”) from noon-1:30 p.m.
- “Now I Met Her” from 2-4:01 p.m.
- “The Gorals” from 4:30-6:17 p.m.
- “Colony” (Opening Night Screening) from 6:45-8:47 p.m.
- Opening Night Party at AKAI in Musume Dallas from 9-11 p.m.
- “Ichi the Killer” (18+) from 10-12:09 a.m.
- Friday, July 24
- Narrative Shorts Block (“Zaban,” “Blood and Water,” “Over the Threshold” and “YOU COULD’VE BEEN A NURSE”) from 12:30-1:32 p.m.
- “Two Seasons, Two Strangers” from 2-3:29 p.m.
- “Behind the Shadows” from 4-5:43 p.m.
- “Lucky Lu” from 6:15-7:58 p.m.
- “Gamaland” and “Diary of the Ghost” (Studio Focus Screening) from 8:30-9:57 p.m.
- “Drunken Blade” from 10:30-midnight
- Saturday, July 25
- “Frosted Window” from noon-1:20 p.m.
- “En Route To” from 1:30-3:16 p.m.
- “Year of the Cat” (Filmmaker Q&A) from 3:45-5:23 p.m.
- “Never After Dark” (Centerpiece Screening) from 6:30-8:15 p.m.
- Centerpiece Reception at the Angelika Film Center Cafe from 8-9 p.m.
- “Macai” from 8:45-10:30 p.m.
- Late Night Shorts Block (“Red Pocket,” “She Will Rock You,” “Plaything” and “Looky-Loo”) from 11-11:57 p.m.
- Sunday, July 26
- “3670” from noon-2:03 p.m.
- “Diamond Diplomacy” (Filmmaker Q&A) from 2:30-3:54 p.m.
- “Train to Busan” (Closing Night Film) from 7:30-9:28 p.m.
- “AnyMart” (Studio Focus Screening) from 10-11:28 p.m.
- Closing Night Party at the Highland Hotel from 9-11 p.m.
“Sharing the rich diversity of Asian culture through the medium of cinema, the AFFD continues to transport festival-goers into different lives and cultures from the comfort of their theater seats.”
