The inaugural Dallas Asian American Film Festival has sold out before its first screening, a milestone organizers say reflects a growing appetite for independent film and for stories rooted in the experiences of Asian American Texans.
The festival will debut this Saturday at the Dallas Museum of Art. Organized by the Dallas Asian American Art Collective, the event will feature 10 short films and one feature presentation, with a strong emphasis on Texas-based filmmakers.
Festival Director Christina Hahn said the response exceeded expectations and serves as proof that audiences in North Texas are eager to support independent cinema and diverse storytelling, especially as the local creative community grows more diverse.
“We’re pushing against the idea that Dallas has no culture,” Hahn said. “Completely selling out our festival proves that Dallas has an appetite for indie film, for Asian American and Asian Texan-made stories.”
Unlike the long-running Asian Film Festival of Dallas, which primarily showcases international Asian cinema and celebrated its 25th fest this year, DAAFF was created with a hyperlocal focus, highlighting works made by Asian American filmmakers, particularly those with ties to Texas.
About 70% of this year’s lineup was created by Texas filmmakers, and half of the selected films come from North Texas creators. Organizers said the festival was intentionally curated to represent a broad range of Asian American identities, including South, Southeast, East and West Asian American perspectives.
The all-Asian American leadership team behind the festival is also based in North Texas.
The lineup includes animated, experimental and live-action shorts, along with a feature presentation of director Tadashi Nakamura’s documentary, “Third Act.”
Among the filmmakers screening work at the inaugural event is Dallas-based director Huzaifa Ejaz, whose short film “Phir Milain Gey” tells the story of three elderly sisters waiting in purgatory to be reunited with a younger sibling. The film draws inspiration from conversations Ejaz had with her mother about grief, family bonds, and Islamic beliefs about the afterlife.
Huzaifa EjazHuzaifa Ejaz
Phir Milain Gey by Huzaifa Ejaz
“It feels especially meaningful to represent a South Asian story told through an entirely female cast,” said Ejaz, who is Pakistani-American. “To have this film included in DAAFF’s first year feels incredibly special, and I’m grateful to be part of the community and legacy this festival is beginning to build.”
Ejaz said the project was born from a desire to center women over 50 and explore the enduring nature of sibling relationships.
“At its heart, the film is my reflection on the strange longevity of siblinghood,” she said. “It’s my love letter to my loved ones.”
Dallas filmmaker Uday Narayanan will debut his short film “The Criminal,” a comic satire about an indestructible 2007 Honda Civic battling the United States government.
Narayanan said the festival demonstrates the variety of stories being created by Asian American filmmakers.
“I think this film festival can highlight what Asian American cinema truly is, not some aggregate of clichés, but a diverse array of stories that engage audiences in bold and unique ways,” he said.
Another North Texas filmmaker, Arab American director Kais Marz, will screen “Marsupial,” which follows an aspiring screenwriter struggling to balance artistic ambition and personal relationships.
Kais MarzKais Marz
Marsupial by Kais Marz
Marz said DAAFF represents an important moment for Asian American artists working in Texas.
“For years it’s felt like we’ve been counted out in the film industry, but now I can truly see we’re taking a step in the right direction,” he said.
As an Arab American filmmaker, Marz said being included in a broader Asian American festival sends a message about the space DAAFF hopes to create.
“It says something about what this festival is trying to build, not just a space for one community but a space where underrepresented filmmakers in general can find a home,” he said.
The festival also highlights artists working outside traditional storytelling formats. Dallas-based Korean American artist and University of Texas at Dallas professor Laura Hyunjhee Kim will present “Sky’s Edge,” an experimental mixed-media work inspired by Korean literary traditions and contemporary digital culture.
Laura Hyunjhee KimLaura Hyunjhee Kim
Sky’s Edge by Laura Hyunjhee Kim
Kim said being part of the festival’s first year feels symbolic.
“A festival’s first edition is its own kind of edgeless space,” she said. “The shape of what it will become hasn’t been fixed yet. To screen at DAAFF and help write what an Asian American film festival in our region can look like is truly exciting.”
Beyond film screenings, the festival will include a free public video workshop hosted by Pegasus Media Project at the Crow Museum of Asian Art. Organizers said tickets remain available for that event.
For Hahn, the sold-out debut is about more than attendance numbers. They hope it signals the demand for a festival dedicated to Asian American filmmakers in Texas and the beginning of a lasting cultural institution that celebrates stories created in North Texas.
“North Texas has shown that we have more adventurous tastes than we let on,” Hahn said. “The artists and organizers of color are jointly building Dallas’ culture.”