The Asian Pacific Filmmakers Experience

Established in 2002 in Park City, Utah to honor and recognize the cinematic artists whose works premiered at the Sundance and Slamdance Film Festivals, the Asian Pacific Filmmakers Experience foregrounds and celebrates the creative products of Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Asian international cinema artists.

In recent years, we’ve found that the opportunities to celebrate our communities’ cinematic storytelling voices cannot be confined to a cold weekend each January in northern Utah. Thus, we’ll be using this space to celebrate The Asian Pacific Filmmakers Experience in cities where we congregate, whether it be in Austin, TX, Los Angeles, CA, New York City, Toronto, ON, and points between. We look forward to you following us as 2021 brings both trepidation, anticipation, and hope upon us all!

WELCOME

Park City 2021 from home? When the organizers of the 2020 Asian Pacific Filmmakers Experience in Park City descended upon the site of the annual Sundance and Slamdance Film Festivals a year ago this week, no one could have predicted that this would be the last time we would see one another for a long time. Indeed, the triple whammy of a global pandemic, a long-overdue national reckoning on racial inequity, and the most vitriolic presidential election EVER has conspired to compel the American cinematic arts community to re-imagine a safer, saner, and yes, a more egalitarian movie-watching and filmmaker celebratory experience.

With that, the organizers of the Experience bring you our 2021 edition, the 2021 Asian Pacific Filmmakers Experience in (Virtual) Park City. Through a series of online chats, discussions, and partnerships among a broad range of constituents throughout the Asian American and Pacific Islander filmmaking community, we aim to innovate, integrate, and cultivate both emerging and established storytellers, and additionally adapt technology to fulfill our mission to celebrate and foreground our communities’ cinematic artists.

Let’s see what we did LAST year at #APAParkCity2020

Learn more about #APAParkCity2021 here

Check out #APAAustin 2021 here

FOLLOW #APAParkCity FROM HOME

Starting Thursday, January 28, the Asian Pacific Filmmakers Experience team will be (virtually) on the ground preparing for a full line-up of events throughout Opening Weekend starting on Day One and beyond. Hit us on our Facebook event page for timely updates and special announcements pertaining to not only Sundance but Slamdance artists as well. And be sure to hashtag us! #APAParkCity and #AsAmCreatorRollCall to let one and all know you support our communities’ creators.

FOLLOW OUR FRIENDS AND PARTNERS ON VIRTUAL MAIN STREET PARK CITY!

Visit Visual Communications, the nation’s premier Asian Pacific American media arts organization, at SUITE VC, and find out what they have in store. Click here.

Starting Jan. 28, visit the Center for Asian American Media for an exclusive interview with director Debbie Lum (TRY HARDER!). More to come! Click here.

Visit the Asian American Documentary Network to view the brand-new Asian American Documentary Film Database, and learn more about their activities. Visit them here.

Visit the Asia Society to check out a couple of live panels beginning Jan. 29. Check it out here.

INTRODUCING…OUR #APAAUSTIN ARTISTS!

We are no longer in (virtual) Park City, Utah, but in equally (virtual) Austin, Texas! The organizers of the Asian Pacific Filmmakers Experience are pleased to celebrate a solid slate of works by Asian American and pacific Islander filmmakers that are premiering as part of the South by Southwest Film, Music, and Digital Media Festival and Conference, March 16 through 20, 2021. This stellar class of filmmakers offers proof that Asian American and Pacific Islander cinema is made ALL YEAR round.

MEET OUR 2021 #APAAustin ARTISTS

ASIAN PACIFIC FILMMAKERS EXPERIENCE ON THE ROAD

In recent years, members of the Asian Pacific Filmmakers Experience organizing team have “hit the road” to celebrate the cinematic achievements of Asian American and Pacific Islander filmmakers and media artists whose works have premiered at mainstream film festivals throughout North America. From Austin TX (site of the South-By-Southwest Film, Media and Music Festival) to Toronto, Ontario (home to the Toronto International Film Festival), we have engaged with our friends including the Austin Asian American Film Festival, Asian CineVision, the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, and others who share with us the goal of spotlighting and foregrounding our communities’ cinematic artists. Stay tuned, as we’ll continue to share our ongoing adventures as we continue to celebrate our artists — at whichever mainstream film festival they are spotlighted.