The San Diego Asian Film Festival is a competitive film festival aiming to celebrate achievements in Asian American cinema. An independent jury of filmmakers, curators, critics, academics, and other professionals is chosen to view films and select winners in the following categories: Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, Narrative Short, Documentary Short, Animated Short, and International Short. Additionally, the jury selects a Grand Jury winner and optional Special Jury mentions.
SDAFF programmers also select the recipient of the George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award, named after the co-founder of the DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival and the former Program Director of the San Diego Asian Film Festival. An advocate for all things independent, George passed away from cancer on October 14, 2008. The award in his memory is given to a first-time feature filmmaker who embodies his spirit.
Other awards at the festival include the Digital Pioneer Award, Best International Short, the Lifetime Achievement Award, and an Audience Award, which is open to all new feature films in the festival.
Grand Jury Prize
I WAS A SIMPLE MAN, Directed by Christopher Makoto Yogi
Best Documentary Feature
MANZANAR DIVERTED: WHEN WATER BECOMES DUST, Directed by Ann Kaneko
Best Narrative Feature
7 DAYS, Directed by Roshan Sethi
Best Documentary Short
AN UNINTERRUPTED VIEW OF THE SEA, Directed by Mika Yatsuhashi
Best Narrative Short
AMERICANIZED, Directed by Erica Eng
Best Experimental Short
RUMI AND HIS ROSES, Directed by Navid Sinaki
Special Jury Mention
TO LIVE HERE, Directed by Melanie Dang Ho
INTERNATIONAL JURIED COMPETITION
Jurors include Martin Edralin, Kristine Estorninos, Maggie Lee
Best International Short
LEMONGRASS GIRL, Directed by Pom Bunsermvicha
OTHER AWARDS:
Emerging Filmmaker Award
NEVER REST/UNREST, Directed by Tiffany Sia
Audience Award
LIKE A ROLLING STONE: THE LIFE & TIMES OF BEN FONG-TORRES, Directed by Suzanne Joe Kai
Grand Jury Award
MIZUKO (Water Child), directed by Katelyn Rebelo & Kira Dane
Narrative Feature
MOGUL MOWGLI, directed by Bassam Tariq
Documentary Feature
THE DONUT KING, directed by Alice Gu
Narrative Short
THANK YOU, COME AGAIN, directed by Nirav Bhakta
Documentary Short
I BOUGHT A TIME MACHINE, directed by Yeon Park
Animated Short
FELT LOVE, directed by Angeline Vu and Arlene Bongco
International Short
Special Jury Mention
FINDING YINGYING, directed by Jiayan “Jenny” Shi
George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award
Elizabeth Lo, director of STRAY
Audience Award
DOWN A DARK STAIRWELL, directed by Ursula Liang
Grand Jury Award
STRAIGHT UP, directed by James Sweeney
Narrative Feature
DRIVEWAYS, directed by Andrew Ahn
Documentary Feature
THE CANCER JOURNALS, REVISITED, directed by Lana Lin
Narrative Short
FIRST, directed by Micaela Durand & Daniel Chew
Documentary Short
Animated Short
UMBILICAL, directed by Danski Tang
International Short
GRAND BOUQUET, directed by Nao Yoshigai
Special Jury Mention
JADDOLAND, directed by Nadia Shihab
George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award
Miko Revereza, director of NO DATA PLAN
Audience Award
Grand Jury Award
JUNE, directed by Huay-Bing Law
Narrative Feature
BITTER MELON, directed by H.P. Mendoza
Documentary Feature
BLOWIN’ UP, directed by Stephanie Wang-Breal
Narrative Short
FIRST GENERATION, directed by Jeannie Nguyen
Documentary Short
Animated Short
International Short
BABYLON, directed by Keith Deligero
Special Jury Mention
ORIGIN STORY, directed by Kulap Vilaysack
Lifetime Achievement Award
Marcus Hu, Co-Founder, Strand Releasing
George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award
Christopher Makoto Yogi, director of AUGUST AT AKIKO’S
Audience Award
Grand Jury Award
MY ENEMY MY BROTHER, directed by Ann Shin
Narrative Feature
WEXFORD PLAZA, directed by Joyce Wong
Documentary Feature
OUT OF STATE, directed by Ciara Lacy
Narrative Short
FLOAT, directed by Tristan Seniuk & Voleak Sip
Documentary Short
MOTHER’S DAY, directed by Elizabeth Lo & R.J. Lozada
Animated Short
International Short
AFTERNOON CLOUDS, directed by Payal Kapadia
Special Jury Mention
SANTA CLAUS, directed by Jeff Man
Digital Pioneer Award
Phil Yu, Angry Asian Man
George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award
Anahita Ghazvinizadeh, director of THEY
Audience Award
Grand Jury Award
THE LOCKPICKER directed by Randall Okita
Narrative Feature
CHEE AND T, directed by Tanuj Chopra
Documentary Feature
BAD RAP, directed by Salima Koroma
Narrative Short
DEATH IN A DAY, directed by Lin Wang
Documentary Short
Animated Short
HOLD ME (CA CAW CA CAW), directed by Renee Zhan
Special Jury Mention
RANDOM ACTS OF LEGACY, directed by Ali Kazimi
Lifetime Achievement Award
Wayne Wang
George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award
Andrew Ahn, director of SPA NIGHT
Audience Award
Grand Jury Award
DISTANCE BETWEEN, directed by R.J. Lozada
Narrative Feature
CRUSH THE SKULL, directed by Viet Nguyen
Documentary Feature
OPERATION POPCORN, directed by David Grabias
Narrative Short
Documentary Short
FROM TONGA, directed by Huay-Bing Law
Animated Short
Special Jury Mention
REUNIFICATION, directed by Alvin Tsang
Lifetime Achievement Award
Tyrus Wong
Digital Pioneer Award
Buzzfeed Motion Pictures
George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award
Takeshi Fukunaga, director of OUT OF MY HAND
Audience Award
Grand Jury Award
APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR, directed by Desiree Akhavan
Narrative Feature
MAN FROM RENO, directed by Dave Boyle
Documentary Feature
MY LIFE IN CHINA, directed by Kenneth Eng
Narrative Short
HYPEBEASTS, directed by Jessica dela Merced
Documentary Short
Animated Short
BEHIND MY BEHIND, directed by David Chai
Special Jury Mention
KUMU HINA, directed by Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson
Digital Pioneer Award
Anna Akana
George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award
Vera Brunner-Sung, director of BELLA VISTA
Audience Award