CAAMFest 2026’s Array of LGBTQ Films
| CAAMFest is returning for its 44th year, May 7-10, 2026, featuring over 60 films that capture the current zeitgeist of Asian American communities. The festival’s completely in-person screenings, panel discussions, and other programs will be centered around the AMC Kabuki in San Francisco Japantown, highlighting the city’s long history as a hub for Asian American community building with national impact. SHOWCASECENTERPIECE NARRATIVE: Forge Directed by Jing Ai Ng In Miami, siblings Raymond and Coco Zhang’s art forgery ring flourishes when they encounter a disgraced millionaire in need of their expertise. Meanwhile, FBI Art Crimes agent Emily Lee moves to Miami to investigate a series of mysterious paintings. Co-starring Kelly Marie Tran.Director Jing Ai Ng identifies as LGBTQIA+ DOCUMENTARIES Seat at the Table, directed by Sarita Khurana & Yoav AttiasDocumentary FeatureSeat at the Table chronicles the meteoric rise of South Asian Americans in U.S. politics, tracing their inspiring journey from the margins to the forefront of American power. Through unprecedented access to groundbreaking campaigns during the 2024 elections, the film reveals how this community is transforming the nation’s political future.Directors Sarita Khurana and Yoav Attias identify as LGBTQIA+ The Dao of Thao, directed by Khai Thu NguyenDocumentary FeatureWith the help of W. Kamau Bell and others at San Francisco’s Solo Performance Workshop, performer Thao P. Nguyen prepares for her next one-woman show, blending comedy and drama to explore what it means to be a queer, Asian American refugee and mother from an immigrant family — ultimately asking: how do we make and remake ourselves through art? This program is made possible with support from Bloomberg. The story centers around a queer protagonist NARRATIVE Shakti, directed by Nani Sahra WalkerNarrative FeatureWhen her mischievous daughter falls mysteriously ill, a single mother is drawn into Kathmandu’s supernatural underworld of shamans and secrets, where resilience may be their only path to redemption.Director Nani Sahra Walker identifies as LGBTQIA+ SHORTS Between Us | dir. Quyên Nguyen-Le | United States | 16 mins.Queer Khmer and Vietnamese cultural workers discuss their lived experiences across cultural, gender, and sexual orientation lines. Plays in SEASONS OF BECOMING.The story centers around queer characters Bridging Our Stories | dir. Rafael Bitanga | United States | 24 mins. When Alma Manabat Parker watches Filipino dancers perform tinikling, jumping in and out of the clanking bamboo poles with timed precision, she can’t help but compare it with the challenge of balancing her two worlds as a Filipina in Ketchikan, Alaska. Plays in REVIVAL & RECONNECTION. Director Rafael Bitanga identifies as LGBTQIA+ Dare To Win | dir. Kar Yin Tham | United States | 5 mins.A 97-year-old Chinatown tenant organizer recounts her past challenging the system and fighting on behalf of her community. Plays in OLD ROOTS, NEW BRANCHES. Director Kar Yin Tham identifies as LGBTQIA+ Lukso ng Dugo | dir. Annika Magbanua | Cast: Paolo Asuncion, Maricar Bella, Annika Magbanua | United States | 8 mins.A girl takes a stand against the cycles of abuse in her family, with the unexpected help of a creature inspired by Filipino folklore. Plays in FRAME BY FRAME.Director Annika Magbanua identifies as LGBTQIA+ Milk & Honey | dir. Rachel Leyco | Cast: Jessica Aquinio, Princess Punzalan, Sarah Carlos, Ayi Mondragon, Andrea Ilene Shapiro, Luna Hamilton | United States | 15 mins.An ambitious Filipina nurse leaves her family behind in the Philippines to chase the American Dream in the 1990s, only to find herself battling unexpected hardships as she works to reunite with her daughter. Plays in SHIFTS AND DREAMS.Director Rachel Leyco identifies as LGBTQIA+ Paper Daughter | dir. Cami Kwan | United States | 15 mins.Joy, a Chinese immigrant taking on the persona of a deceased girl, navigates detention and interrogation on Angel Island. Plays in FRAME BY FRAME.Director Annette Cho identifies as LGBTQIA+ Ramen Western | dir. Meloddy Gao | Cast: Vanessa Wang, Xiaoyang Wang, Nick Hanh | United States | 8 mins.A young girl, equipped with a bowl of sentient ramen, takes a journey through the American West, in hopes of understanding what it means to her. Plays in FRAME BY FRAME.Director Meloddy Gao identifies as LGBTQIA+ Rope | dir. Lucas Ikaika Manuel-Scheibe | Cast: Akane Little, Che’Li, Yuka Taga, Wataru Nishida | United States | 13 mins.Connections across generations are explored, as a man experiences a night of erotic bondage, while thinking back to his grandmother – an “ama” (“sea woman”) – who went missing. Plays in THIRTEEN O’ CLOCK.Director Lucas Ikaika Manuel-Scheibe identifies as LGBTQIA+ See You Tomorrow Tomorrow Tomorrow | dir. Desdemona Chiang | Cast: Irene Tu, Lisa Lu, Maria Zhang | United States | 14 mins.An aspiring, queer stand-up comedian grapples with her career and the greater duty of caring for her 99-year-old grandmother in her final years. Plays in OLD ROOTS, NEW BRANCHES. Director Desdemona Chiang identifies as LGBTQIA+The story centers around a queer protagonist Skin | dir. Urvashi Pathania | Cast: Sureni Sureni Weerasekera, Shreya Navile | United States | 12 mins.An Indian American woman, insecure about her skin tone, visits a mysterious skin-lightening center. Plays in THIRTEEN O’ CLOCK.Director Urvashi Pathania identifies as LGBTQIA+ Sweet Farewell | dir. Cynthia Nguyen | Cast: Jackie Tien, Don Nguyen, Andy Kim |United States | 11 mins.An elderly Vietnamese dessert shop owner and a teenage waitress must confront impending threats to their business, both willing to do anything to save it. Plays in SHIFTS AND DREAMS.Director Cynthia Nguyen identifies as LGBTQIA+ The Bird, the Girl and the Typhoon | dir. Angeline Meitzler | United States | 11 mins.An elder, migrant Filipino nurse breaks out of 40 years of routine over the last 40 years, empowering herself through transformation into both the things she fears most and everything she vowed (or was destined to) protect. Plays in FRAME BY FRAME.Director Angeline Meitzler identifies as LGBTQIA+ The Last Resort | dir. Sarita Khurana | United States | 12 mins.In the first-ever Indian retirement complex in the U.S, a tight-knit group of Indian immigrants forge a resilient community—navigating family tensions, cultural longing, and the realities of growing old together. Plays in OLD ROOTS, NEW BRANCHES. Director Sarita Khurana identifies as LGBTQIA+ The Newcomer | dir. Annette Cho | United States | 6 mins.A Korean immigrant struggles to find parts of the culture she left behind. Plays in FRAME BY FRAME.Director Annette Cho identifies as LGBTQIA+ Warren King: King of Cardboard | dir. Curtis Chin | United States | 16 mins.Former engineer Warren King uses his expertise and vivid imagination to create modern-day terra-cotta warriors commemorating the community around him. Plays in SHIFTS AND DREAMS.Director Curtis Chin identifies as LGBTQIA+ |
| Ticket prices range from $13 to $80. Visit CAAMFest.com to purchase tickets online. All of CAAMFest’s auditoriums, venues, and their restrooms are accessible. ABOUT CAAMFestCelebrating its 44th year in 2026, CAAMFest is the nation’s leading showcase for films from Asian America and beyond. CAAMFest takes place May 7-10, 2026. Check CAAMFest.com for more programming and ticketing details.ABOUT CAAMFor over 45 years, the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) has been dedicated to presenting stories that convey the richness and diversity of Asian American experiences to the broadest audience possible. As a nonprofit organization, CAAM funds, produces, distributes, and exhibits works in film, television, and digital media. For more information, please visit CAAMedia.org. |