Ramona Diaz is unapologetic. While filming her latest documentary, And So It Begins, in the remote northern province of Abra, Philippines, the multi-award winning filmmaker wore pink, the campaign color of progressive presidential candidate Leni Robredo. Robredo’s rival, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, is the son of the former dictator, whose bid for president was the resurrection of a political dynasty many in this region waited three decades years for. And So It Begins is CAAMFest’s Closing Night film on May 18, a fitting closing to a festival whose curator describes as, “Lifting Truths in O ..read more

We’re excited to announce the lineup for CAAMFest 2024, taking place May 9-19, 2024 in San Francisco and Oakland. This year’s festival will include over 35 programs that will spotlight film, food, music, and ideas. “Our CAAMFest programs this year take a deeper look into our vast and infinite Asian American stories, unearthing truths that are complicated, sometimes strange, and at times revelatory,” says Festival and Exhibitions Director Thúy Trần. “As we are entering an election year in a socio-politically shapeshifting world that can feel uncertain, we look to artists and storytellers to gro ..read more

Nobody captured the rise and influence of the Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander community in the United States, and especially in New York City, more passionately than photojournalist Corky Lee, who called himself the “undisputed unofficial Asian American photographer laureate.” Since the 1970s, he chronicled his beloved Chinatown community in the Big Apple, as well as the protests and political awakening of Asian Americans across the U.S. with a passion and thoroughness that other photographers could not, or would not. Newspapers and wire services learned to turn to Lee if they ..read more

As the Center for Asian American Media begins the sixth year of the CAAM Fellowship, founders, staff, and past mentors and fellows reflect on the impact and evolution of the program. “The core ethos of the program is to really support the filmmaker, the creative, in their careers and where they are in their filmmaking path – as well as this sense of being a part of a community and supporting one another in that community,” said Sapana Sakya, CAAM’s Talent Development and Special Projects Director. The program has included 16 mentors and fellows thus far. The year-long program pairs seasoned me ..read more

Excited. Energized. Grateful.  In January, that is how Billy Bustamante, director of Brava Theater’s upcoming production of Larry The Musical, is feeling, two months prior to opening night. An exploration of the life and legacy of Filipino American farm labor activist Larry Itliong, the original musical is already drawing interest well before previews begin, with opening night nearly sold out, and the last two weeks of its run looking to be the same. “This is probably the most meaningful project of my career as a Filipino American theater artist,” Bustamante commented, “and there’s been s ..read more

With the 96th Academy Awards just around the corner, we reflect on another year of Asian American media. Following major hits of recent years like Everything Everywhere All At Once, Minari, and Parasite, the nominated films of 2024 delve into quieter narratives of resilience, stories beneath the surface, and deeply personal journeys. While we may not anticipate another groundbreaking moment at this year’s ceremony akin to the success of Everything Everywhere, which will forever be remembered among Asian Americans as a defining moment in history, this year’s nominees continue to illuminate the ..read more

CAAM co-founder Loni Ding is among six trailblazing Asian-Americans featured in Know History, Know Self, a public art piece created by award-winning Oakland artist Minnie Phan. The project showcases poster designs of multiple Asian-American pioneers in arts and culture, paying homage to their impacts and recognizing their connections to the city of San Francisco. Ding, who passed away in 2010, was an independent filmmaker and producer with a history of activism and commitment to public service. In addition to co-founding the National Asian American Telecommunications Association, now known as ..read more

With all the talk of Oscar snubs, 2024 has been a sparse year for new Asian American-helmed works at the Sundance Film Festival–just one documentary short, three full-length documentaries, and one narrative film. Asian American filmmakers remain underdogs, coincidentally a common theme in many of their films. From The Smallest Power illustrating the power of an Iranian woman to fight injustice to a coming-of-age story of an awkward Taiwanese American 13-year old boy in Didi, these films illustrate how people often overlooked in society can have an important voice.  The Smallest Power A s ..read more

Doris Duke Foundation announced at Sundance Film Festival that the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) has been selected as a 2024 grantee in support of CAAM’s U.S. Muslim Documentary Fund. CAAM was one of three organizations selected this year through the Foundation’s Building Bridges Program which funds U.S. nonprofit organizations that help to uplift Muslim storytelling across the arts and entertainment industry. CAAM  is the only organization of its kind focusing on non-fiction narratives from Asian Americans and other communities. This $4.5 million grant will enable the San Franci ..read more

As part of our 2023 End of Year reflections, highlighting CAAM’s critical role in supporting storytellers and untold narratives, we asked three talented Asian American storytellers to talk about how Center for Asian American Media has played a part in their development as creatives. Deann Borshay Liem is an Emmy Award-winning documentarian known for her films exploring war, memory, adoption, and identity, with her most recent documentary, Crossings, screened at CAAMFest and on PBS in 2023. Some of her most notable works include Geographies of Kinship (2019)  Memory of the Forgotten W ..read more