AUSTIN, Texas — The Austin Asian American Film Festival celebrated its 15th anniversary this past weekend with plenty of hype thanks to recent box office success within the community.
“It’s four days of nothing but films, so you get to learn all about Asian heritage, Asian stories, documentaries, about history. Not just in Asia, but America as well,” Austin resident Tracey Lee said.
Lee relishes opportunities to educate others. Growing up in Alabama, she says she knew little of her Korean heritage and is now making up for lost time.
“Finding this film festival opened up doors of knowledge for me that I otherwise wouldn’t have had,” Lee said.
Working operations for the Austin Asian America Film Festival at AFS Cinema, she says this short- and long-form feature event provides a deep dive into issues facing one of the fastest growing populations in the state, according to the U.S. Census.
“I really feel like if people were willing to open up their minds a little bit, see other cultures and things, they’d kind of relate or empathize a little more with what people have been through to get where they are today,” Lee said.
“They do a really great job of centralizing voices and bringing people together so it’s an honor to screen my film here,” filmmaker PJ Raval said.
Raval, the Austin-based director of “KAPWA Texas,” believes now is the time to build off the success of recent hits such as Oscar winners “Everything, Everywhere All at Once,” “Parasite” and many others.
“I think audiences are finally paying attention to what kind of stories are being told and who are telling these stories, so it’s a great opportunity and time to be making films,” Raval said.
Along with the cinematic cultural knowledge, the festival also serves as a fundraiser for the nonprofit, aiding many community outreach efforts aimed at building support for these minority groups.
“We’re more than just this film festival,” Lee said. “Asian is an umbrella; we are so many different cultures, backgrounds and traditions.”
