The Asian American International Film Festival runs from July 23-26.
Photo courtesy of the AAIFF from the film I Don't Sleep I Dream, directed by JP Chan.

July 13, 2009 - The Asian American International Film Festival is the first and longest running festival devoted to showcasing Asian and Asian American films in the country. Beginning Thursday, July 23 and running through Sunday, July 26, AAIFF '09 will feature the work of over sixty filmmakers from around the world. In addition to the screenings, the festival will also conduct panel discussions, Q&A sessions, workshops and awards.

Featured programs:

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS Short Film Program
Fri, July 24, 5pm
Museum of Chinese in America, 215 Centre Street (between Howard Street & Grand Street)
Immigration is more than a series of border crossings. Whether in New York, San Francisco, or Taiwan, the immigrants in these shorts must reconcile their places in the new world with their foundations in the old. Their lives, by choice or by force, plot a new course for the meaning of “home.”

LIFE ON THE EDGE Short Film Program
Sat, July 25, 4:30pm
Museum of Chinese in America, 215 Centre Street (Howard Street & Grand Street)
This series of documentaries highlights the lives of those who, in their pursuit of an ideal, cannot afford to take anything for granted. Standing up for the displaced, the marginalized, and the silenced, the figures in these films aren’t larger than life. This, in fact, is what makes their stories so vital.

FUN & FANTASY Short Film Program
Sun, July 26, 2:15pm
Museum of Chinese in America, 215 Centre Street (Howard Street & Grand Street)
Ranging from boisterous humor to out-of-body experiences, this set of shorts takes as much pleasure in bending reality as it does in making light of it. These films capture the whimsical, the supernatural, and the unexpected with a variety of takes on life.

To purchase tickets or for more information, call the Box Office at 212-989-3962/0017 or go online to www.aaiff.org.

The festival will include various programs featuring short films.
Photo courtesy of the AAIFF from the film Here to Stay, directed by ManSee Kong.