Seattle Asian American Film Festival

Mission

The Seattle Asian American Film Festival (SAAFF) endeavors to provide a space for Asian American voices, perspectives and histories by screening independent films that reflect the diversity and richness of the city's Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

Description

The Seattle Asian American Film Festival (SAAFF) showcases feature-length and short format films by and about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (APIA) across North America, with an emphasis on filmmakers from the Pacific Northwest.

Since 2013, SAAFF has hosted an annual four-day film festival that kicks off with an Opening Night Party that celebrates APIA performing artists, such as Geo (Blues Scholars), Hollis Wong-Wear (The Flavr Blue), and Japanese Breakfast. Our films include the best in recent independent work, including Academy Award nominated films like Kapaemahu, No Crying at the Dinner Table, and Moloka'i Bound.

SAAFF partners with Seattle Parks and Recreation annually to bring the free Summer Film Series to Hing Hay Park in the Chinatown-International District every Saturday in August. The program features free kids' activities, performances by local APIA musicians, martial artists, taiko drummers, and performing artists, followed by a free outdoor movie screening, complete with free popcorn.

In 2021 we hosted our 9th annual festival in March almost entirely online, in partnership with the Northwest Film Forum. We had the opportunity to show more films over more days than ever before. We look forward to celebrating our 10-year anniversary in 2022 and hope you'll GiveBIG to help us make it the biggest year ever.