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San Francisco Chronicle​

Guide to CAAMFest 2025: Must-watch films that celebrate Asian Americans, past and present

As the world's longest-running Asian American-themed film festival, it seems especially timely that this year, CAAMFest turns its focus to community roots. Reflection and retrospection are key themes throughout the films screening during the four-day festival organized by the Center for Asian American Media that runs from Thursday to Sunday, May 8-11. For its 43rd year, not only will CAAMFest spotlight films that mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, but the festival's programming will also point its lens toward the next generation of Asian American filmmakers and activists. As an organization, CAAM itself is in a period of transition. Last December, the nonprofit celebrated the career of its retiring executive director Stephen Gong, capping off more than 40 years of his involvement. So it's fitting that this year's festival schedule honors the stories of Asian Americans who laid down the roots of the vibrant culture that so many enjoy today — which feels all the more important to underscore under a presidential administration that's attacking diversity initiatives and pulling arts funding. Here are seven screenings worth catching during this year's CAAMFest, which commemorate the foundations of Asian America and imagine its future. 'Third Act' Kicking off CAAMFest's opening night is Tadashi Nakamura's intimate documentary about his father, Robert A. Nakamura, known as 'the godfather of Asian American media' who directed the first Asian American feature film 'Hito Hata: Raise the Banner' (1980) and founded the first Asian American media arts organization, Visual Communications. 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 8. AMC Kabuki 1, 1881 Post St., S.F. 'Chinatown Cha-Cha' The joy, beauty and glamour of these Asian American senior dancers is a poignant delight to witness. This celebratory documentary traces the history of the nightclub dancers of San Francisco's Chinatown in the 1940s and how in older age, these former professionals inspire their peers to keep dancing. 8 p.m. Friday, May 9. AMC Kabuki 3, 1881 Post St., S.F. Making Waves: The Rise of Asian America While paying homage to the student activists at UC Berkeley and San Francisco State who birthed the Asian American movement in 1968, this moving documentary by Jon Osaki and Josh Chuck also introduces audiences to young activists like the Texas teenagers fighting to add Asian American studies to their state's curriculum. 4 p.m. Saturday, May 10. AMC Kabuki 1, 1881 Post St., S.F. Bitterroot In this feature by Vera Brunner-Sung, care takes multiple forms, from one Hmong family's intergenerational breakfasts to finding solace in natural splendor. Beautifully shot, the story follows recent divorcee Lue as he interacts with his tightly knit community, which includes NBC Bay Area anchor/reporter Gia Vang in the role of his sister, May. 7 p.m. Saturday, May 10. AMC Kabuki 1, 1881 Post St., S.F. Centerpiece Shorts A rarity for CAAMFest, this year a slate of short films get the distinction of being named a festival centerpiece. The seven-film screening includes 'Billo Rani,' a charming story about a 12-year-old figuring out how to feel about her unibrow, and 'Kumar Kumar,' a dark comedy about loneliness. 12 p.m. Sunday, May 11. Roxie Theater, 3117 16th St., S.F. Palestinian Landscapes This two-film showcase asks audiences to consider Palestinians' connection to land and tradition. 'A Stone's Throw' takes an experimental approach in mapping geographies and feelings of loss, while 'Foragers' reveals how harvesting plants in Palestine has become criminalized activity under occupation. 5 p.m. Sunday, May 11. Roxie Theater, 3117 16th St., S.F. Yellow Face CAAMFest's closing night screening returns to events of the 1990s in the filmed 2024 revival of David Henry Hwang's Broadway play 'Yellow Face.' Recorded for PBS's 'Great Performances,' the biting, uproarious theatrical mockumentary about casting a white actor in an Asian role for 'Miss Saigon' on Broadway features standouts like Daniel Dae Kim and Francis Jue. 8 p.m. Sunday, May 11. AMC Kabuki 1, 1881 Post St., S.F.