The long-awaited 68th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 17-27) returns to celebrate bold and diverse cinema in a storied city built on culture, creativity, and community. This year platforms an illustrious line up of intersectional AAPI films to not miss, representing a greater reminder of why SF continues to be an inclusive city powerfully advocating for diverse stories that move, challenge, and inspire. Mark your calendars with these enriching stories!
The Dating Game
Fri, Apr 18 at 8:30 PM
Presidio Theatre (Chestnut St.)
In this fascinating documentary, Violet Du Feng (Hidden Letters) looks at the unhappy result of China’s one-child policy in a society that prefers sons. Years after the country abolished the dictate, there are 30 million more men than women. Males, especially those of lower social classes, find it almost impossible to secure a wife. The film explores a dystopic picture of a society grappling with a rash policy’s unintended consequences.
Cactus Pears
Sat, Apr 19 at 12:00 PM
Presidio Theatre (Chestnut St.)
When his father dies, Anand returns from Mumbai to his rugged western Indian hometown to mourn. Surrounded by demanding relatives and stifling rituals, Anand reconnects with childhood friend Balya. In a conservative society that struggles to accept these men’s authentic selves, their feelings deepen into a tender relationship.
3670
Sat, Apr 19 at 5:30 PM
Presidio Theatre (Chestnut St.)
Cheol-jun, a North Korean defector living in Seoul, keeps his sexuality a secret from his close friends. As he explores Seoul’s vibrant gay community, his two worlds collide, threatening his relationships and sense of belonging.
Cloud
Sun, Apr 20 at 8:30 PM
Marina Theatre
Horror maestro Kiyoshi Kurosawa crafts an eerie tale of an ambitious online reseller whose unscrupulous practices lead to a series of inexplicable, unsettling events in his new countryside home.
Viet and Nam
Mon, Apr 21 at 5:45 PM
Marina Theatre
Nam, working in a coal mine, dreams of a better life outside Vietnam but is torn between his lover Viet and his mother, still grieving her husband lost in war. This lyrical drama is both a love story and a meditation on escape and memory.
Vox Humana (Part of Shorts 1: Sublime Interludes)
Tue, Apr 22 at 6:15 PM
Marina Theatre
Bay Area Premiere
A mysterious man living in the forest becomes the prime suspect when natural disasters devastate a mountain town. A zoologist and news team seek the truth behind his eerie connection.
Bloomed in the Water (Part of Shorts 4: Family Matters)
Tue, Apr 22 at 8:45 PM
Marina Theatre
Bay Area Premiere
A Korean immigrant mother wrestles with her young son’s school photo outfit choice while navigating judgment from other mothers.
Grandma Nai Who Played Favorites (Part of Shorts 4: Family Matters)
Tue, Apr 22 at 8:45 PM
Marina Theatre
Bay Area Premiere
During a family trip to Cambodia, Grandma Nai’s ghost follows her favorite grandson, guiding him as he faces a difficult decision in his coming-out journey.
Saint Andrews (Part of Shorts 4: Family Matters)
Tue, Apr 22 at 8:45 PM
Marina Theatre
World Premiere
A Chinese Jamaican teenager falls in love with a Jamaican boy, but their relationship is tested by her Chinese immigrant parents’ disapproval.
After What Happened at the Library (Part of Shorts 2: Under Precarious Circumstances)
Wed, Apr 23 at 5:45 PM
Marina Theatre
California Premiere
After a terrifying real-life encounter, a drag queen grapples with overwhelming public attention and struggles to reclaim their identity and peace.
Memories of Zhi (Part of Shorts 2: Under Precarious Circumstances)
Wed, Apr 23 at 5:45 PM
Marina Theatre
California Premiere
After accidentally killing a boy, 16-year-old orphan Zhi takes refuge in a Buddhist monastery and unknowingly forms a bond with the victim’s mother, leading to a tense journey of deception and redemption.
Happyend
Wed, Apr 23 at 8:45 PM
Marina Theatre
In a near-future Tokyo filled with unrest, a group of teens stages elaborate pranks, triggering school crackdowns and testing their friendships. This bold debut captures the turbulence of youth and societal instability.
Have I Swallowed Your Dreams (Part of Shorts 6: Family Films)
Sat, Apr 26 at 10:00 AM
Premier Theater at One Letterman
San Francisco Bay Area Premiere
A Chinese immigrant mother and daughter share an enlightening conversation about lost dreams and sacrifice in this hand-drawn tale where poetic imagery leads to a liberatory discovery.
