ASIAN CINEMA
FILM FESTIVAL
An Inspiring Night at the Austin Asian American Film Festival
Aja Haywood, Austin TMN Creator at the Austin Asian American Film Festival.
The red carpet at this year’s Austin Asian American Film Festival was more than a photo op — it was a celebration of identity, artistry, and community. Now in its 17th year, AAAFF continues to spotlight bold, personal stories from the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanvder (AANHPI) communities. TMN Creator Aja Haywood was on the ground to capture the voices behind the films — and reflect on what made the night unforgettable.
Hi, I’m Aja Haywood, a TMN Creator, and I recently had the opportunity to cover the red carpet at the Austin Asian American Film Festival (AAAFF). This was my second time covering an event with TMN. I had a bit more confidence this time around, but I was still nervous — especially about my hair lol.
I came prepared by learning more about what makes AAAFF so special and why it deserves to be documented. The 17th annual Austin Asian American Film Festival celebrates stories from Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities through film. The festival also highlights AANHPI issues and fosters community through partnerships with creatives and organizations. The lineup includes stories from the Asian diaspora, Asian American voices, international perspectives, and local Texan filmmakers.
This year’s festival ran from June 25 to 29 at the AFS Cinema, with a red carpet event held on Friday, June 27 to highlight the featured filmmakers and speakers. The evening led up to the centerpiece screening of Chinatown Cha-Cha by Luka Yuanyuan Yang. Filmmakers on the red carpet included Yen Tan, director of All That We Love starring Margaret Cho, Sook-Yin Lee, director of Paying for It, and Rajee Samarasinghe, director of Your Touch Makes Others Invisible.
Photos below: Moments from the Austin Asian American Film Festival Red Carpet. Photos by Aja Haywood.
It was fascinating to witness so many brilliant creative minds, excited to share their work and talk about their creative process. Seeing them proud of their stories reminded me of the power of film to connect people and preserve culture.
One of the best parts of the night was meeting other youth creatives who were there for the same reason I was. It helped take some of the pressure off. I was asked who I wanted to interview, and I was especially excited to speak with Luka Yuanyuan Yang, director of Chinatown Cha-Cha. As the creator of the festival’s centerpiece film, Luka’s message to the audience was powerful. She reminded us that age is just a number, and the spirit of her documentary is rooted in passion and cultural pride.
I also had a memorable conversation with Sook-Yin Lee, director of Paying for It. We spoke about relationship dynamics and youth dating culture, which made sense given her film’s focus on open relationships and sex work. What stayed with me from our conversation was her belief that when we live in times of political instability and social unrest, it becomes an especially important time to make art.
After the interviews, we watched Chinatown Cha-Cha, and the film truly left an impression on me. It felt life-affirming and motivating. I left inspired to keep creating and to stay passionate about the things I love.
Stay tuned and follow us on YouTube to watch the upcoming interviews with Luka Yuanyuan Yang and Sook-Yin Lee!
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