Part of America’s Fabric: How PAAFF Weaves AANHPI Stories Onto the Big Screen

Throughout her career, Nani Shin often felt that people who looked like her were not supposed to “make too much noise” in their workplace.

"Even though there were other people who looked like me, they were rarely in leadership positions,” Nani, a Korean-American, said regarding her work with global for-profit media organizations. “I had been in that environment for so long, that even when I became a leader, I forgot I had a voice and unique point-of-view.” 

After a successful career in corporate media, Nani joined the Philadelphia Asian American Film Foundation (PAAFF) as executive director in 2024, where people in her community not only made noise, but shaped the story.

Initially founded as a film festival in 2008 by a group of creatives whose goal was to provide Asian filmmakers and creators with a platform to share their stories and films, PAAFF is now one of the East Coast’s largest media organizations that celebrates the works of Asian, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) storytellers and filmmakers.

“We aim to nurture emerging AANHPI filmmakers in Philadelphia and provide them with the resources and space to shine,” Nani said. “That way, we make sure that our stories are part of the fabric of America.”

Through its annual film festival and year-round programs, PAAFF amplifies voices often overlooked in mainstream media, providing AANHPI media-makers with the space to reclaim their narratives and share more nuanced versions of stories often oversimplified, villainized, or erased by mainstream media. 

Filmmaker Van Tran Nguyen understands this mission firsthand. After moving from Vietnam to the United States as a young girl, she grew up longing to see her country portrayed on the screen. What she often encountered instead were fragmented portrayals shaped by war, lacking the humanity she experienced within her own family and community. 

To challenge those narratives, Van began creating films that explored identity through a more personal and nuanced lens. “I decided to throw my hat in the ring in this war film genre,” she said. 

In her 2024 film, “The Motherload,” which screened at PAAFF’s film festival, Van challenged the portrayal of Vietnamese people in American war films. Starring alongside her mother, she recreated scenes from Hollywood movies through the perspective of two Vietnamese women, confronting decades of racism. 

“Stereotypes are broad statements that are made from a place of unknowing. If you make more stories, there is more possibility [for people] to know the truth” said Van. She noted the challenges many Asian filmmakers face, often working independently with limited access to major distributors and resources. This makes organizations like PAAFF essential for supporting emerging AANHPI artists. Such spaces, she added, allow filmmakers to reclaim their narratives. 

“It’s the work of white supremacy to make our stories small, and PAAFF does the complete opposite,” she said. 

For Patty Kuo that work is deeply personal. “Our stories are often flattened, especially the Asian American experience of racism in Hollywood,” she said. “So being able to see both my own narrative and other Asian Americans portrayed in such a loving and loud way is so meaningful.” 

After moving to Philly two years ago, Patty, a Taiwanese-American, found community volunteering with PAAFF. The films, she said, reflected an authentic display of the diversity of Asian-American lived experiences. “They show the messiness and imperfections within Asian communities and their complex journeys through life.”  

PAAFF screens films exploring themes of social advocacy and change, family and friendships, mental health, failure and success, and even daily activities, reflecting the nuanced realities of a community that has long been reduced to stereotypes. 

Such stories, as Nani put it, evoke a sense of pride that at last, AANHPI voices are on a big screen without a mute button. “For so long, we’ve been spoon-fed ideas of what Asians should look like or how they should behave,” she said. “But now we have AANHPI writers, producers, and storytellers who can relay their lived experiences.”  

While centering on Asian American and diaspora experiences, PAAFF collaborates across communities to educate, empower, and foster solidarity through film. In 2025, the foundation partnered with Twelve Gates Arts, the Women’s Film Festival and Iranian music group Shiraz Ensemble, hosting a short film showcase amplifying the voices of Iranian women. 

In addition, PAAFF joined the DC Palestinian Film and Arts Festival in hosting “Maps of Pain,” a series of short films by both Asian and Palestinian filmmakers exploring the shared effects of colonial violence from Palestine to East Asia, discussing themes of resilience, identity, survival and diaspora.  

Since PAAFF’s inception as a film festival in 2008, the foundation now has two anchors—a spring showcase and a fall festival—along with various partnership screenings and community events during the summer, expanding its reach across Philadelphia year-round. 

The annual fall festival—the foundation’s marquee event—has expanded from a weekend gathering into a 10-day program featuring films, performances, workshops and discussions celebrating AANHPI identity, culture and lived experiences. This year, the festival will take place from Nov. 5–15 and is expected to draw nearly 2,000 attendees. 

Nani credited this success to the volunteers who have led the festival with dedication, passion and perseverance over the years. “What people were really drawn to was not only the films and discussions, but being with the community,” she said, emphasizing how the festival created a space where like-minded communities could gather, connect and feel seen. 

This sense of connection has resonated with audiences throughout Philadelphia, sparking emotional conversations across communities. Nani recalled when Harvey Floyd, an audience member, was brought to tears during PAAFF’s 2024 closing-night screening of a documentary exploring anti-Asian stereotypes and racism in mainstream media. 

“As a Black man who has experienced racism himself, he was able to relate to the experiences within Asian communities,” Nani said. “But he also realized how unaware people are of the level of discrimination and racism against Asians.” Floyd later joined PAAFF’s board and continued advocating for the documentary long after the festival ended, hoping to bring it to college campuses and wider audiences. 

For Nani, moments like these reflect the larger purpose behind PAAFF’s work. “We all need to have a voice, and we’re going to join forces to unite our stories,” she said.

Connect with PAAFF this fall by getting tickets for its annual film festival, which go on sale October 6 on the organization's website. Also, check out People's Cinema Club, which gathers Philadelphia’s independent film community every Tuesday in Center City. The People's Cinema Club is a collaboration between the Philadelphia Asian American Film Foundation, BlackStar Projects, cinéSPEAK, and the Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival.
 

Photo Credits: Philadelphia Asian American Film Foundation

Elissa Odeh is a Palestinian journalist based in the Greater Philadelphia area. She holds a B.A. in Media and Culture. She has written extensively for Al-Bustan News, exploring themes of identity, migration and community through profiles, features, and cultural reporting. She focuses on communities shaped by conflict, displacement, and immigration, amplifying voices often overlooked or reduced to headlines. She aspires to use journalism to shed light on underreported stories and issues of social justice.