Tickets to all 11 days of CAAMFest 2021 programs go on sale to the general public beginning Tuesday, April 20 at CAAMFest.com. We will be screening more than 100 Asian and Asian American films, from May 13-23, 2021. In addition to our opening weekend drive-in presentations, we are offering many live streaming and on-demand options. Here’s a rundown of the virtual programs and conversations with filmmakers — events that you can watch live from the comfort of your own home. Keep reading to learn more about these films and go to CAAMFest.com to purchase tickets.
CAAMFest 2021 Virtual Screenings and Presentations
Try Harder!, directed by Debbie Lum
Thursday, May 13, 6:30 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. at FORT MASON FLIX and encore virtual screening Sunday, May 23, 3:00 p.m.
At San Francisco’s Lowell High School—where cool kids are nerds, nearly everyone has an amazing talent, and the majority of the student body is Asian American—the things that usually make a person stand out can feel not good enough, even commonplace.
In Conversation With Margaret Cho and premiere of Koreatown Ghost Story
Sunday, May 16, 4:00 p.m. on CAAMFest.com
A live conversation with Spotlight Honoree Margaret Cho who stars and produced KOREATOWN GHOST STORY. Filmmaker duo Minsun Park and Teddy Tenenbaum will also participate.
CENTERPIECE PRESENTATION, DOCUMENTARY
Manzanar, Diverted: When Water Becomes Dust, directed by Ann Kaneko
Sunday, May 16, 6:00pm on CAAMFest.com
In this poetic documentary, we meet an intergenerational community of women as they fight for their land and their rights. They know that when they can align their diverse groups together, including Native Americans, Japanese Americans and environmentalists, their voice is amplified.
In the Same Breath, directed by Nanfu Wang
Thursday, May 20, 5:00 p.m. on CAAMFest.com
Award winning director and CAAM 2021 Mentor, Nanfu Wang is back with her new eye-opening documentary, In the Same Breath. Official selections of Sundance Film Festival and South by Southwest, Wang’s riveting new documentary explores how the Chinese and American governments reacted to the pandemic.
See You Then, directed by Mari Walker
Friday, May 21, 7:00 p.m. on CAAMFest.com
Filmmaker Mari Walker masterfully directs this grounded and touching story of two individuals, who have felt pain in the past. Actors Pooya Mohseni and CAAMFest favorite Lynn Chen showcase their talent with two outstanding and brave performances.
Preceded by F1-100, directed by Emory Chao Johnson
Art, animation, archival footage, and digital video are interwoven in this transnational meditation through time and space of an international art student carrying a heavy burden.
CENTERPIECE PRESENTATION, NARRATIVE
Snakehead, directed by Evan Jackson Leong
Saturday, May 22, 7:00 p.m. on CAAMFest.com
In this historical piece, we are transported to New York’s Chinatown where Sister Tse (Shuya Chang) arrives by a snakehead, a human smuggler. There she fights to stay alive and in time she goes from surviving to thriving. Her morals are pushed to the limit and it’s up to her where her story goes.
CLOSING NIGHT
Americanish, directed by Iman Zawahry
Sunday, May 23, 5:00 p.m. on CAAMFest.com
In Jackson Heights, Queens two sisters and their fresh off the boat cousin try all the conventional ways to earn the love and respect of the matriarch of their family only to learn that life works out in the most unconventional ways.
TICKET INFORMATION
General admission tickets for virtual screenings and panels range from complimentary to $15. For more information, visit the box ticketing information page at CAAMFest.com.
Keep checking the CAAM blog, as we’ll be highlighting more of our programming soon! And go to CAAMFest.com to purchase tickets for each of these live screenings.
Thanks to Our Supporters
CAAMFest 2021 is made possible with lead support from Presenting Sponsors WarnerMedia; the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, San Francisco; and U.S. Bank. Additional support is provided by AARP, DoorDash, McDonald’s, Motion Picture Association, Verizon, Pacific Islanders in Communications, Firelight Media, Comcast NBCUniversal, Film SF, and California Bank & Trust. Special thanks to the following institutional funders and government agencies: Corporation for Public Broadcasting, San Francisco Grants for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Jessie Cheng Charitable Foundation, Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture and Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles, and APA Heritage Foundation.
Thank you also to our media partners: NBC Bay Area, KQED, SF/ARTS, iHeartMedia, KTSF 26, AsAmNews, SF Station, and SFGovTV.
About WarnerMedia
WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, HBO Now, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC Entertainment, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others.
About Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, San Francisco
Established in 1986, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco seeks to strengthen and broaden Hong Kong’s economic relations with 19 western states. The office also dedicates efforts to foster cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and the western states. Hong Kong is a dynamic and diverse cultural metropolis. The office is proud to be a presenting sponsor of CAAMFest 2021 and the Celebration of Hong Kong Cinema at FORT MASON FLIX.
About U.S. Bank
U.S. Bank is the fifth-largest commercial bank in the United States. The Minneapolis-based bank blends its relationship teams, branches and ATM network with digital tools that allow customers to bank when, where and how they prefer. U.S. Bank is committed to serving its millions of retail, business, wealth management, payment, commercial, corporate, and investment customers across the country and around the world as a trusted and responsible financial partner.
About CAAMFest
CAAMFest, formerly the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF), celebrates the world’s largest showcase for new Asian American and Asian film, food, and music programs.
About CAAM
For 40 years, the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) has been dedicated to presenting stories that convey the richness and diversity of Asian American experiences to the broadest audience possible. As a nonprofit organization, CAAM funds, produces, distributes, and exhibits works in film, television, and digital media. Visit our About CAAM page for more information.
