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Armed With a Camera Vol. 2026
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Narrative Features
1001 Frames
Film
1001 Frames
Directed by Mehrnoush Alia
Auditioning for the dream role of Scheherazade in One Thousand and One Nights becomes a nightmare in this form-blurring thriller.
VC Presents
1970s – the Emergence of Filipino American Student Activism
Film
1970s – the Emergence of Filipino American Student Activism
Directed by Roselyn Ibanez
1970s - over 50 years ago, Filipino American student organizing and my participation in the establishment of the…
A Brighter Summer Day for the Lady Avengers
Film
A Brighter Summer Day for the Lady Avengers
Directed by Birdy Wei-Ting Hung
Taiwan, 1980s. Hot summer day, watermelon juice, and a teenage girl's sexual awakening with her celluloid fantasies. Shot…
VC Presents
A Swim in the Desert
Film
A Swim in the Desert
Directed by Coffee Kang
A spectacular vision leaves K unable to close her eyes. In search of a cure, she sets out…
Accelerant
Film
Accelerant
Directed by Dorothy Xiao
As crippling debt mounts, a down-on-his-luck gambling addict goes to the extreme to save his family’s failing ice…
Adult Sitters
Film
Adult Sitters
Directed by Ann Sun
An artist and her boyfriend turn the family house into chaos while the parents are away. As the…
ADVENTURE UNDERGROUND
Film
ADVENTURE UNDERGROUND
Directed by Zhenyi li
Twelve-year-old Yi is ready to flatten his school teacher’s car tire with his buddy, but it comes with…
Alas
Film
Alas
Directed by Marcos Nieves
A young undocumented music video director must choose between a dream opportunity abroad and the family and community…
Documentary Features
Always
Film
Always
Directed by Deming Chen
A cinematic allegory of a boy becoming a teenager in rural China. Searching through an emotional landscape of…
American Boy
Film
American Boy
Directed by Undocumented Immigrant
With the looming threat of deportation. Sam, who is undocumented, is on a night out with his two…
Ani Liu: Eye Heart Womb
Film
Ani Liu: Eye Heart Womb
Directed by Miao Wang
Interdisciplinary artist and mother Ani Liu transforms pregnancy, care, and invisible labor into visceral artworks—challenging who gets to…
Anino
Film
Anino
Directed by MG Evangelista
A quiet teen inherits a dark and ancestral force that helps her to take on her bully.
autism is an altar
Film
autism is an altar
Directed by Casey Kaneyo Hidekawa
An autistic japanese american explores the connections between their Disabled and Asian american lineages through a trip to…
Because of You: A History of Kilawin Kolektibo
Film
Because of You: A History of Kilawin Kolektibo
Directed by Barbara Malaran, Desireena Almoradie
Joyful, raw, revolutionary: Because of You: A History of Kilawin Kolektibo tells the remarkable story of queer Filipinxs…
Animation
,
Documentary Features
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Pacific Cinewaves
Before the Moon Falls
Film
Before the Moon Falls
Directed by Kimberlee Bassford
After a diagnosis of mental illness, acclaimed Samoan writer Sia Figiel embarks on a path toward healing, but…
Cinema Musica
Between the Lines
Film
Between the Lines
Directed by Jill Janairo
An artsy, vintage homage to classic 90s Filipino teleserye — shot with an all-Filipinx crew.
Between Us
Film
Between Us
Directed by Quyên Nguyễn-Lê
Between Us follows the multilayered stories of queer Khmer and Vietnamese cultural workers in southern California as they contemplate…
VC Presents
Bloom
Film
Bloom
Directed by Gerri Adachi
Hula carried Geri Adachi from a glimpse of a happy childhood experience, through brokenness and a multitude of…
Colors of the Sky’s End
Film
Colors of the Sky’s End
Directed by Catherine Truc Cam Nguyen
A Vietnamese-American photographer seeking inspiration in Sa Dec, Vietnam discovers an abandoned baby, sparking a controversial creative journey…
VC Presents
Conversation In The Wind
Film
Conversation In The Wind
Directed by Gary Fong
A grandson discovers feelings of curiosity and regret when he poses questions about his late grandfather's life in…
Correct Me If I’m Wrong
Film
Correct Me If I’m Wrong
Directed by Hao Zhou
Torn between love and tradition, a Southwest Chinese family tries to purge an entity from their queer heir…
Correspondence
Film
Correspondence
Directed by Paul Oh
A filmmaker participates in a Victim Offender Dialogue (VOD) with the murderer of his grandmother
DASHER
Film
DASHER
Directed by Alexander Bocchieri
A down-and-out food delivery driver and a wayward restaurant worker team up for a chaotic night of deliveries…
daylight
Film
daylight
Directed by Andrea A. Walter
A young vampire; afraid of who she has become, goes on a night out and rediscovers who she…
Documentary Features
Diamond Diplomacy
Film
Diamond Diplomacy
Directed by Yuriko Gamo Romer
Two nations - cultural opposites, divided by fear, prejudice, and war – clash repeatedly over a span of…
Each Solitary Moment
Film
Each Solitary Moment
Directed by Jingwen Fang
It's a serendipitous encounter - two Chinese high school girls track a certain adult woman living in New…
VC Presents
Eat ’em While They’re Hot
Film
Eat ’em While They’re Hot
Directed by Patty Fong
The fusion of Chinese American cuisine and Midwest sensibility results in a unique dish that can only be…
Documentary Features
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Special Presentations
Edmund Soohoo: The Heart of Chinatown
Film
Edmund Soohoo: The Heart of Chinatown
Directed by Walt Louie
A heartfelt tribute to Edmund Soohoo, a beloved community leader from LA's Chinatown, whose life of selfless dedication…
The Ranch of My Dreams
Film
The Ranch of My Dreams
Directed by Ann Kaneko
Collective song workshops bring community members from Bloomington, California together to compose songs that honor their disappearing ranchos…
Enjoy The View
Film
Enjoy The View
Directed by Ana Chen, Jude Garcia
A recollection of memory in honor of caretakers everywhere.
Enough
Film
Enough
Directed by Brian Tee
While researching a class assignment, a disillusioned college student crosses paths with a quiet librarian and is drawn…
Animation
Family Dinner
Film
Family Dinner
Directed by Huayi Yu
Tonight, dinner starts with a slice of tomato.
VC Presents
Finding Private Omoto
Film
Finding Private Omoto
Directed by Cathy Uchida
Through the test of time and luck, a community historian uncovers a WWI photo of Pvt Omoto in…
Cinema Musica
Frozen in Time
Film
Frozen in Time
Directed by Caleb Soon
A work-from-home graphic designer finds himself trapped in an endless loop, as the lines between dreams and reality…
VC Presents
FWC Legacy
Film
FWC Legacy
Directed by Florante Ibanez
Much of the early FilAm Identity movement progressed thru the P/Filipino
People’s Far West Conventions that flowed from Seattle…
glide (all the people i’ll never be)
Film
glide (all the people i’ll never be)
Directed by Li Anne Liew
Between life and death, a young ghost comes to terms with her loneliness when she becomes a spectator…
Grace
Film
Grace
Directed by Jana Park
Honolulu, 1959: Two women hide their forbidden love—one resisting the pressure to marry, the other her nation's admission…
HARVEST PARTY AT CAMP TWO
Film
HARVEST PARTY AT CAMP TWO
Directed by Rajan Gill, Reaa Puri
It was a summer of romance, race-wars, and rock n’ roll. Unable to attend their local prom, HARVEST…
HEADBANG
Film
HEADBANG
Directed by Anna Khaja
An American perspective on the hijab and female empowerment that resonates with universal questions of selfhood and freedom.
Heat in the Barrio
Film
Heat in the Barrio
Directed by José Esteban Ubaya
Maribel and Jorge’s walk to school is no easy feat, as a zoot-suit-wearing Pachuco is hot on their…
Helvetica : Emphasis on Hell
Film
Helvetica : Emphasis on Hell
Directed by Yolotzin Martinez
When Diane Brown is house-sitting, she calls her friends to deal with an unexpected house guest.
Her Last Day in the U.S.
Film
Her Last Day in the U.S.
Directed by Armando Ibanez
For nearly 40 years, Leonor has lived in the U.S. as an undocumented immigrant mother. Now, everything is…
Home Visit
Film
Home Visit
Directed by Anushka Shah, Danna Kim
A queer couple prepares for one of their moms to visit their apartment for lunch in hopes of…
Narrative Features
Honeyjoon
Film
Honeyjoon
Directed by Lilian T. Mehrel
A surprisingly sexy, darkly funny, emotional rollercoaster... about a mother-daughter trip, life, loss, and flirting.
VC Presents
HONORING OUR QUIET HEROES
Film
HONORING OUR QUIET HEROES
Directed by Don Bannai
This film explores the story of one such vet and family.
Documentary Features
Hoop Like This
Film
Hoop Like This
Directed by Shubhangi Shekhar
Twelve players come together to form the world’s first professional Indian origin basketball team, risking their careers, reputation,…
Animation
,
VC Presents
Hugs & Kisses
Film
Hugs & Kisses
Directed by Alexandra “Lexie” Orr
A soon to be born daughter feels her mom give her hugs & kisses and reminisces on what…
I am grass
Film
I am grass
Directed by Abhi Indrekar
“I am Grass” is a meditation on migration — a dreamlike documentation of a young artist from one…
i saw you in the flood
Film
i saw you in the flood
Directed by Kevin Xian Ming Yu
As their grandfather's health worsens in Northeast China, Kai, a genderqueer Chinese-American in Queens, is visited by a…
Pacific Cinewaves
IN CONVERSATION WITH DAN TAULAPAPA MCMULLIN
Film
IN CONVERSATION WITH DAN TAULAPAPA MCMULLIN
Directed by Angelique Kalani Axelrode
Iconic artist Dan Taulapapa McMullin creates radical work that reimagines the archive of queer Pasifika histories.
VC Presents
Japanese American Basketball
Film
Japanese American Basketball
Directed by Mitchell Matsumura
This is the story of Japanese American youth basketball. Why and who started this tradition going back over…
VC Presents
Jeff Chop is Missing?
Film
Jeff Chop is Missing?
Directed by Jeff Chop
Jeff Chop is Missing? An ordinary Chinatown boy dreaming of Porsches and tea in yak-hair tents with Tibetan…
VC Presents
Jichan’s Hands
Film
Jichan’s Hands
Directed by Teresa Matsushima
Follow my issei (first generation Japanese American) grandfather in overcoming a childhood tragedy. See how this childhood trauma…
VC Presents
Journeys for a Dream: Philippines to America
Film
Journeys for a Dream: Philippines to America
Directed by Grace Nall
A short documentary film about a California Filipino community creating an innovative cultural museum featuring immigration stories, struggles…
Lamento Americano
Film
Lamento Americano
Directed by Alejandro Joaquin
A young immigrant confronts the changes that come with a green card marriage and the death of his…
Documentary Features
,
Special Presentations
LET THE CITY SPEAK
Film
LET THE CITY SPEAK
Directed by Akira Boch
A Chicano rock band from East Los Angeles finds lasting purpose in the mountains of Chiapas, Mexico, fusing…
Light on a Hill
Film
Light on a Hill
Directed by Myles Matsuno
After the Eaton Fire, a Korean family’s restaurant becomes a hub for aid. As the community rebuilds, a…
Living in Uncertainty
Film
Living in Uncertainty
Directed by Naomi Zidon
Two academically overachieving sisters have to come face-to-face with the reality of their uncertain futures due to their undocumented immigration…
Animation
Living On The Edge Of The Internet
Film
Living On The Edge Of The Internet
Directed by Clarisse Chua
It’s the early 2000s, the internet is new and janky and a 7 year old girl struggles to…
Long’s Long Lost & Mini Mart
Film
Long’s Long Lost & Mini Mart
Directed by Julian Doan
In the seedy back rooms of a Little Saigon convenience store, a young customer seeking closure reanimates his…
Los Tirados
Film
Los Tirados
Directed by Javier Lopez Quintana
Jorge Tirado and his family confront the joy and pain that comes with running a Mexican Panaderia in…
Narrative Features
Lucky Lu
Film
Lucky Lu
Directed by Lloyd Lee Choi
Lucky Lu follows a New York City delivery rider whose world is turned upside down when he loses…
Cinema Musica
Midsea – The Bog
Film
Midsea – The Bog
Directed by Steven Gong
Across San Francisco's land, sea, and underground, Midsea faces the siren-call of "the bog."
Milk & Honey
Film
Milk & Honey
Directed by Rachel Leyco
An ambitious Filipina nurse leaves her family behind in the Philippines to chase the American Dream in the…
Misadventures of a Nisei Week Queen
Film
Misadventures of a Nisei Week Queen
Directed by Evan Kodani
The life of June Aochi Berk, from World War II incarceration in a horse stall, to beauty pageant…
MOE
Film
MOE
Directed by Guillermo E. Barahona C., Rose Donahue
Moe had a bad day and confronts his past about his name. Segue to documentary on Co-Director Guillermo's…
MONI
Film
MONI
Directed by Sungbin Moon
A 29-year-old single sober mother fights to regain custody of her three children after losing them to addiction.
VC Presents
More Than Drums
Film
More Than Drums
Directed by Barbara Kagawa Shore
The members of Kishin Daiko reflect on how taiko (Japanese Drumming) shapes their lives, community, and their sense…
Mr. Ramen
Film
Mr. Ramen
Directed by Mia Hagerty, Shubhra Dubey
Thirty two years ago, Shinobu-san opened Mr. Ramen on Little Tokyo’s historic 1st Street. In the wake of…
VC Presents
My Adopted Family
Film
My Adopted Family
Directed by Tracy Quan-Nichols
The film is about Tracy Quan-Nichols following her dream, and gaining a family in the process.
VC Presents
My Father was a Footballer
Film
My Father was a Footballer
Directed by Matthew Kim
Through a blend of archival footage and spoken interview, I investigate the intersection of football, ambition, and responsibility…
Animation
Ocean In My Box
Film
Ocean In My Box
Directed by Isaac Kau
When a weathered box arrives from Taiwan, a young man must choose whether or not to dive into…
Oscar’s Return
Film
Oscar’s Return
Directed by Steven Raven Liang
Recently released from prison, Oscar strives to become a dog trainer while wrestling with the constraints of returning…
Animation
Paper Daughter
Film
Paper Daughter
Directed by Cami Kwan
A young Chinese woman grapples with the guilt of using the identity of a deceased girl to immigrate…
Parhelio
Film
Parhelio
Directed by Karla Vargas Gastélum
The future of an undocumented woman and her teenage son is jeopardized after a chance encounter with a…
Pigeon Soup
Film
Pigeon Soup
Directed by Lynn Liu
In a rural village, a paralyzed grandmother and her pigeon-raising husband move through slow days shaped by quiet…
Narrative Features
Pinch
Film
Pinch
Directed by Uttera Singh
One misstep. One lie. A neighbourhood ready to erupt.
As a woman battles harassment and hush-hush hypocrisy,
In a world…
PÓPO
Film
PÓPO
Directed by Jingyi Li
In a quiet Boston home, a Hong Kong immigrant family navigates the final days of a loved one's…
VC Presents
Popo Fights Back
Film
Popo Fights Back
Directed by Fran Ito
At 94 Fran have learned to defend herself.
Animation
,
VC Presents
Ramen Western
Film
Ramen Western
Directed by Meloddy Gao
A young Chinese American girl sets off to uncover the secrets of the American West with an unexpected…
Narrative Features
Reunion
Film
Reunion
Directed by John Woochong Kim
A despondent Asian American funeral home worker, goes to his high school reunion with hopes of jump starting his…
Roommates
Film
Roommates
Directed by Jonathan "JD" De Guzman II
A young man fights his desire for his best friend's boyfriend.
Rope
Film
Rope
Directed by Lucas Manuel-Scheibe
During a night of erotic bondage, Aki begins to recall the story of his grandmother’s disappearance.
Saint Andrews
Film
Saint Andrews
Directed by Erin Ramírez
Coming to terms with her family’s racial prejudice, a Chinese-Jamaican teenager is pushed to carry out a subtle act of defiance-- one which may have permanent consequences.
Cinema Musica
SELLING FEET PIX HMU
Film
SELLING FEET PIX HMU
Directed by Vanessa Marzaroli
A young woman sells Polaroids of herself in DTLA, navigating the blurred line between her true identity and…
Shitfly
Film
Shitfly
Directed by Julian Park
In a burning city at the end of the world, a delivery driver must journey to visit his…
SILICON VALLEY GIRL
Film
SILICON VALLEY GIRL
Directed by Yeon Jin Lee
Everything seems perfect for a young Asian female intern at a top tech company, until an unexpected visit…
Sole
Film
Sole
Directed by Haneol Lee
A Korean American cobbler in Nashville, Tennessee finds peace in his simple life. A meditation on dreams and…
somewhere, i exist
Film
somewhere, i exist
Directed by Aaron Madrigal
A young man struggling with grief after losing his mother finds comfort in old voicemails and a conversation…
VC Presents
Somewhere to be
Film
Somewhere to be
Directed by Libby Chun
A young woman's efforts to bring her runaway sister back home turn into a strange night in an…
Animation
SORRY I MISSED YOUR CALL
Film
SORRY I MISSED YOUR CALL
Directed by Hae Ji Cho
A multimedia animation utilizing a series of real voicemails, SORRY I MISSED YOUR CALL explores the emotional turmoil…
STILL STANDING
Film
STILL STANDING
Directed by Livia Albeck-Ripka, Víctor Tadashi Suarez
After the Los Angeles wildfires leave thousands of homes contaminated with toxic ash, residents face an impossible choice:…
Stroke of Dreams
Film
Stroke of Dreams
Directed by Tracy Nguyen
Two best friends Sarah and Emily share joyful, summer rituals before the start of their first college semester:…
SUDAKAS
Film
SUDAKAS
Directed by Ricardo Betancourt
higher educated immigrant works a lower wage job in the same city she was once a diplomat in.
Sweat
Film
Sweat
Directed by Edward Nguyen
A day away from crossing the border of Vietnam, a farmer engages with his co-worker that reveals the…
Taga
Film
Taga
Directed by Jill Marie Sachs
When Western eco-volunteers scorn the customs of a remote mountain village, an ancient evil comes knocking.
Teb Chaw (Land)
Film
Teb Chaw (Land)
Directed by Joua Lee Grande
Teb Chaw (Land) [pronounced: thay-chuh] is an immersive portrait of Hmong refugee farmers transforming local foodways in a diversified…
Documentary Features
The A List: 15 Stories from Asian and Pacific Diasporas
Film
The A List: 15 Stories from Asian and Pacific Diasporas
Directed by Eugene Yi
What does it mean to be AAPI? Trailblazers from Sandra Oh to Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Kumail Nanjiani to…
Documentary Features
The Auntie Sewing Squad Resistance Playbook
Film
The Auntie Sewing Squad Resistance Playbook
Directed by Valerie Soe
THE AUNTIE SEWING SQUAD RESISTANCE PLAYBOOK looks at the Auntie Sewing Squad, a collective of mostly BIPOC women…
Animation
The Bird, the Girl and the Typhoon
Film
The Bird, the Girl and the Typhoon
Directed by Angeline Marie Michael Meitzler
While following her morning routine, an elderly migrant Filipino nurse is liberated from a lifetime of service as…
VC Presents
THE FACE OF THE ENEMY
Film
THE FACE OF THE ENEMY
Directed by Glen Tao
A firsthand account of a Japanese American girl’s childhood upended by wartime hysteria, forcing her family into desert…
Pacific Cinewaves
The Forest is a Spirit That Beckons Me
Film
The Forest is a Spirit That Beckons Me
Directed by Jacob Cruz-Rine
After a lifetime of waiting, a CHamoru woman finds that her family curse has finally emerged on her…
The Last Resort
Film
The Last Resort
Directed by Sarita Khurana
In the first-ever Indian retirement complex in the U.S, a tight-knit group of Indian immigrants forge a resilient…
the layover
Film
the layover
Directed by Yuchi Chiu
Prepared to spend his Christmas alone, a newly single man unexpectedly takes in his ex-boyfriend’s grieving mother.
VC Presents
THE LEAVING, WAS THE LOVE
Film
THE LEAVING, WAS THE LOVE
Directed by Bernice Damagpat
A resilient mother, trapped in an abusive marriage, escapes to a women's shelter after her husband threatens to…
The Nikkei of Norwalk
Film
The Nikkei of Norwalk
Directed by Jeffrey Gee Chin
Norwalk's Southeast Japanese School and Community Center celebrates their 100 years of history, however despite ability to overcome…
Animation
,
Pacific Cinewaves
The Rain
Film
The Rain
Directed by Kā'eo Luke
Exploring what it truly means to live and love.
Pacific Cinewaves
The Return
Film
The Return
Directed by Marina Alofagia McCartney
When Lupesina answers her ancestors’ call, she must find acceptance of herself, or risk being stuck in the…
THE SANSEI PROJECT
Film
THE SANSEI PROJECT
Directed by Robert Shoji
From one-on-one interviews THE SANSEI PROJECT explores what it means to be Sansei (Third Generation Japanese American).
The Sharp Point of Time
Film
The Sharp Point of Time
Directed by Andrew Acedo
An immigrant Filipina mother who had dreams of being a filmmaker just wants her America-born son to not…
The Water is Blue in Tanjong Katong
Film
The Water is Blue in Tanjong Katong
Directed by Izzy Osman
Amidst Singapore’s unending redevelopment, the golden legacy of P. Ramlee lives on as the Malay community continues to…
VC Presents
This is Not a Showcase
Film
This is Not a Showcase
Directed by Derek Benig
A visual journey through space and time that explores Tuesday Night Cafe, the longest running grassroots Asian American…
Three Ladies & A Fake ID
Film
Three Ladies & A Fake ID
Directed by Brandon Okumura
Three middle aged women get fake IDs to score a senior discount at a local restaurant.
Time Keeps Marching On
Film
Time Keeps Marching On
Directed by Vinnoth Krishnan
An undocumented immigrant explores his and his family’s immigration trauma while grasping hope through a voicemail.
VC Presents
Tuimaseve: A High Chief Story
Film
Tuimaseve: A High Chief Story
Directed by Benjamin Pola
As two generations of Sāmoan high chiefs reflect on their experiences becoming familia leaders, we discover how the…
Veterano
Film
Veterano
Directed by Patrick Epino
A Filipino World War II veteran with nothing left to lose dusts off his past and his pistol…
Warren King: King of Cardboard
Film
Warren King: King of Cardboard
Directed by Curtis Chin
Warren King transforms cardboard into sculptural reflections of his Chinese-American family’s immigration and his path from engineer to…
WE BUY GOLD
Film
WE BUY GOLD
Directed by Albie Smith-Chang, David Huang
Two young coin dealers in New York City Chinatown document their attempts to secure a deal of a…
We Rise Together
Film
We Rise Together
Directed by Alan Kondo
We Rise Together shows the power of solidarity in the immigrant rights movement among a deported Cambodian refugee,…
Pacific Cinewaves
What We Carry
Film
What We Carry
Directed by Lindsay Watson
After years of tragic miscarriages, Sala begins to lose hope of becoming a mom- until she uncovers a…
Cinema Musica
Why Are You Like This?
Film
Why Are You Like This?
Directed by Sung Eun (Grace) Park
A girl in her early 20s confronts her roommate Monster for all the problems he's been causing.
Animation
,
Documentary Features
Y Vân: The Lost Sounds of Saigon
Film
Y Vân: The Lost Sounds of Saigon
Directed by Khoa Ha & Victor Velle
A young Vietnamese American artist sets out to recover her late grandfather’s lost musical recordings, uncovering hidden family…
You Have Arrived
Film
You Have Arrived
Directed by Dia Frampton
When a supernatural GPS leads the chronically depressed mother of a missing child to an ordinary man, she…
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