This year, the annual Napa Valley Asian American Film Festival will honor Asian American women in the film industry.
According to a press release from the festival, the lineup will feature several female-led films, accompanied by post-screening Q&A sessions. The festival hopes to “underscore the vital role women play in shaping and sustaining the art of filmmaking.”
“Women’s contributions to film—particularly those of Asian American women—are too often overlooked,” the press release states. “This year’s festival honors and celebrates their vital role as storytellers and creative visionaries.”
The festival will be guest-directed by filmmaker and director Hikari, opening with her latest feature film Rental Family, starring Brendan Fraser.
Kiều Chinh will receive the festival’s Lifetime Legacy Award for Courage in Cinema. Chinh, an actress and producer, is known for her role as Suyuan in Joy Luck Club. A documentary based on her life, Kieu Chinh: A Journey Home, has won an Emmy Award.
This will be the film festival’s second year.
“Last year’s inaugural Napa Valley Asian American Film Festival was a resounding success, reflecting the community’s enthusiasm for Asian American stories on the big screen,” Bill Imada, founder of IW Group, a media organization that partners with the festival, said in a press release. “As we enter our second year, we’re proud to return to Napa Valley College’s Performing Arts Center to celebrate the filmmakers, artists, and innovators in this year’s program, and to continue spotlighting the depth and diversity of Asian American storytelling.”
Registration is closed for Common Ground: Building Together conference and gala award banquet in San Francisco on January 24. A shoutout to our planning committee: Jane Chin, Frank Mah, Jeannie Young, Akemi Tamanaha, Nathan Soohoo, Mark Young, Dave Liu, and Yiming Fu.
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