The Visual Communications (VC) Film Festival / Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF) is the largest film festival in Southern California dedicated to showcasing films by and about Asians & Pacific Islanders around the world. The annual Film Festival features a robust lineup of in-person programming, along with virtual programming for our audiences at home in Southern California and beyond, and honors our cultural and movement workers who create worlds of truth and imagination.
In our continued work to create spaces for expression, engagement, and empowerment, despite times of social, cultural, and political divisiveness, we celebrate diverse storytellers who believe in the power of our stories to initiate change. When media is weaponized to destroy, these filmmakers build and connect communities. From presenting the stories of our ancestors and beloved elders, to stories unbounded by youthful energies, we bridge present and emerging generations of storytellers to living histories, so they understand that they are part of a movement. A movement rooted in rebellion towards liberation.
Established in 1983 by Visual Communications, the first non-profit organization in the US dedicated to the honest and accurate portrayals of the Asian American and Pacific American peoples, communities, and heritage through the media arts, the Festival has since presented over 6,000 films, videos, and digital mediaworks by Asian & Pacific Islander artists, and features seminars, panels, in-person guest appearances, and filmmaker awards.
The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival is a proud Academy Award®-qualifying film festival for Short Film Awards. Recipient(s) of the Film Festival’s Golden Reel Award for Narrative/Animated and Documentary Short Films will be eligible to submit in the Animated Short Film/Live-Action Short Film category of the Academy Awards®.
LOS ANGELES ASIAN PACIFIC FILM FESTIVAL HISTORY
Visual Communications, the nation’s premier Asian Pacific American (APA) media arts center, established the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF) in 1983 to promote APA cinema by showcasing the latest new works by established and emerging filmmakers and video artists and hosting filmmaker seminars, panel discussions and symposiums on topics relevant to Asian Pacific cinema.
The Festival has grown exponentially since, reflected not only by increases in both number of total works and artists, but also by substantial increases in attendance from a weekend-long series into a major annual showcase presenting the best of APA and Asian international media. From initially being housed in the then-Japan America Theatre, the Film Festival is now ensconced across Los Angeles and Southern California in various venues which include, the Aratani Theatre, Directors Guild of America, the Japanese American National Museum, CGV Cinemas, Japanese American Cultural & Community Center Regal L.A. LIVE, and more.
The Film Festival serves as a crucial launching ground for APA cinema through the premiere screenings of important new works as well as the development and nurturing of emerging talents via innovative programming initiatives including Digital Histories, the Armed With a Camera Fellowship, and C3: Conference for Creative Content. Past initiatives have included the VC Digital Academy, Project Catalyst, and the Visual Communications Film Development Fund. Award-winning artists presented in past Festivals have included:
• Alice Wu (SAVING FACE)
• Amyn Kaderali (CALL CENTER; KISSING COUSINS)
• Aneesh Chaganty (SEARCHING)
• Ang Lee (A FINE LINE; PUSHING HANDS)
• Anurag Mehta (AMERICAN CHAI)
• Arvin Chen (AU REVOIR TAIPEI)
• Bing Liu (MINDING THE GAP)
• Caylee So & Visal Sok (IN THE LIFE OF MUSIC)
• Charlie Nguyen (THE REBEL)
• Chris Chan Lee (YELLOW)
• Christine Choy (WHO KILLED VINCENT CHIN?)
• Curtis Choy (THE FALL OF THE I-HOTEL)
• Daniel Hsia (SHANGHAI CALLING)
• Daniel Park (KTOWN COWBOYS)
• Diane Paragas (YELLOW ROSE)
• Doan Hoang (OH, SAIGON)
• Eric Koyanagi (HUNDRED PERCENT)
• Erika Surat Andersen (TURBANS)
• Evan Jackson Leong (LINSANITY)
• Eyad Zahra (THE TAQWACORES)
• Gene Cajayon (THE DEBUT)
• Gene Rhee (THE QUEST FOR LENGTH)
• Georgia Lee (RED DOORS)
• Grace Lee (AMERICAN ZOMBIE; AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY)
• Gregg Araki (THE LONG WEEKEND (’O DESPAIR))
• Greg Pak (ROBOT STORIES)
• Ham Tran (JOURNEY FROM THE FALL)
• Jennifer Phang (ADVANTAGEOUS)
• Jessica Yu (SOUR DEATH BALLS; THE LIVING MUSEUM; PING PONG PLAYA)
• Justin Chon (GOOK; MS. PURPLE)
• Justin Lin (BETTER LUCK TOMORROW; FINISHING THE GAME)
• Keiko Ibi (THE PERSONALS)
• Kip Fulbeck (BANANA SPLIT)
• Lena Khan (THE TIGER HUNTER)
• Lulu Wang (THE FAREWELL)
• Michael Kang (THE MOTEL; KNOTS)
• Mina Shum (DOUBLE HAPPINESS; LONG LIFE, HAPPINESS, AND PROSPERITY)
• Musa Syeed (VALLEY OF SAINTS)
• Nanfu Wang (HOOLIGAN SPARROW)
• Patricio Ginelsa (LUMPIA)
• Philip Kan Gotanda (LIFE TASTES GOOD)
• PJ Raval (CALL HER GANDA)
• Renee Tajima-Peña (WHO KILLED VINCENT CHIN?)
• Richard Wong (COLMA: THE MUSICAL)
• Rico Martinez (DESPERATE)
• Sarab Neelam (OCEAN OF PEARLS)
• Tanuj Chopra (PUNCHING AT THE SUN; CHEE AND T)
• Timothy Linh Bui (GREEN DRAGON)
• Trinh T. Minh-ha (SURNAME VIET, GIVEN NAME NAM)
• Tze Chun (CHILDREN OF INVENTION)
• Tran Trang (ALETHEIA)
• Wayne Wang (CHAN IS MISSING)
• Yu Gu (A WOMAN'S WORK: THE NFL’S CHEERLEADER PROBLEM)
and many others. The Festival has also brought the works of such renowned Asian international filmmakers to the attention of Southland moviegoing audiences:
• Amir Muhammad (THE LAST COMMUNIST)
• Anocha Suwichakornpong (BY THE TIME IT GETS DARK)
• Ann Hui (SONG OF THE EXILE; SUMMER SNOW)
• “Beat” Takeshi (SONATINE; ZATOICHI)
• Bora Kim (HOUSE OF HUMMINGBIRD)
• Buddhadeb Dasgupta (THE WRESTLERS)
• Chen Kaige (LIFE ON A STRING; TEMPTRESS MOON; TOGETHER)
• Dang Nhat Minh (THE RETURN; NOSTALGIA FOR COUNTRYLAND)
• Danny and Oxide Pang (THE EYE)
• Davy Chou (GOLDEN SHUMBERS; DIAMOND ISLAND)
• Hao Wu (PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE)
• Hur Jin-ho (HAPPINESS)
• Im Kwon-taek (SOPYONGE)
• Jiu-Liang Wang (PLASTIC CHINA)
• John Woo (BULLET IN THE HEAD; ONCE A THIEF)
• Josh Kim (HOW TO WIN AT CHECKERS...)
• Julia Kwan (EVE & THE FIRE HORSE)
• Kore-eda Hirokazu (AFTER LIFE)
• Lee Myung-se (NOWHERE TO HIDE)
• Lino Brocka (BAYAN KO)
• Lixin Fan (LAST TRAIN HOME)
• Mabel Cheung (THE SOONG SISTERS)
• Mani Rathnam (BOMBAY)
• Marie Jamora (WHAT ISN'T THERE)
• Miike Takashi (THE BIRD PEOPLE IN CHINA; GOZU)
• Mike DeLeon (3RD WORLD HERO)
• Nia diNata (ARISAN!; CHANTS OF LOTUS)
• Nonzee Nimibutr (NANG NAK)
• Park Kwang-su (BLACK REPUBLIC; TO THE STARRY ISLAND)
• Pen-ek Ratanaruang (LAST LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE; INVISIBLE WAVES)
• Ramona Diaz (MOTHERLAND)
• Royston Tan (15)
• Shinobu Yaguchi (MY SECRET CACHE; WATERBOYS)
• Stanley Kwan (ROUGE; RED ROSE, WHITE ROSE)
• Steve Chen (DREAM LAND)
• Taika Waititi (TAMA TÜ; EAGLE VS. SHARK; BOY)
• Takita Yojiro (DEPARTURES)
• Teddy Chen (BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS)
• Tony Ayres (THE HOME SONG STORIES)
• Tran Anh Hung (CYCLO)
• Vea Mafile'o & Jeremiah Tauamiti (FOR MY FATHER'S KINGDOM)
• Waad al-Kateab & Edward Watts (FOR SAMA)
• Wong Kar-wai (CHUNGKING EXPRESS)
• Yung Chang (UP THE YANGTZE)
AWARD WINNERS
The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival has conferred filmmaker awards beginning in 1995, when short films were recognized. The impact of short film and video on the growing Asian Pacific cinematic community was confirmed when, in 1998, the awards were named the King Hu Award (later the Festival Golden Reel Award) to recognize overall excellence in the short subject format; and the New Directors/New Visions Award in recognition of innovative and original use of cinematic language and vision. The New Directors/New Visions Award was augmented in 2004 to recognize the efforts of former Visual Communications Executive Director Linda Mabalot to nurture and develop emerging Asian Pacific filmmaking talents.
Beginning in 2004, after a five-year break, the Film Festival resumed handing out awards for feature-length film and video works. Recognizing the growing technical accomplishment and vision of our communities’ cinematic artists, the Festival in 2006 instituted Grand Jury and Special Jury Awards in both narrative and non-fiction feature-length film. Complementing these awards are the Festival Audience Awards recognizing the Festival audience’s favorites in both narrative and non-fiction; and Special Jury citations for excellence in Acting.
PAST FESTIVALS
