CAAMFest 2023 is proud to announce a slew of LGBTQIA+ filmmakers and films that explore their multifaceted stories. The diverse themes of the films showcase the complexities of identity, grief, family, friendship, and romance. We also have music and food programming that highlights queer individuals that bring their talent either through tunes or culinary tastings! CAAMFest 2023 will take place May 11-21, 2023, encompassing programs that celebrate Asian and Asian American stories. All programming along with LGBTQIA+ filmmakers and films on the LGBTQIA+ experience are listed below.

Films on the LGBTQIA+ Experience

All I Ever Wanted, directed by Erin Lau
Part of the Shorts Program: OUT/HERE
Sunday, May 14, 12:30 PM | Castro Theatre
Rom-com obsessed teen Christine has always longed for the picture-perfect romance – but she’s soon confronted with the fact that her ideal prince charming might actually be a princess charming instead.

Here, Hopefully, directed by Hao Zhou
Part of the Shorts Program: OUT/HERE
Sunday, May 14, 12:30 PM | Castro Theatre
A non-binary international nursing student from rural China seeks to build a sustainable and gender-affirming life in the Midwest.

Joy Ride, directed by Adele Lim
Narrative Feature
Thursday, May 11, 6:30 p.m. | Castro Theatre
The hilarious and unapologetically explicit story of identity and self-discovery centers on four unlikely friends who embark on a once-in-a-lifetime international adventure. When Audrey’s (Ashley Park) business trip to Asia goes sideways, she enlists the aid of Lolo (Sherry Cola), her irreverent, childhood best friend who also happens to be a hot mess; Kat (Stephanie Hsu), her college friend turned Chinese soap star; and Deadeye (Sabrina Wu), Lolo’s eccentric cousin. Their no-holds-barred, epic experience becomes a journey of bonding, friendship, belonging, and wild debauchery that reveals the universal truth of what it means to know and love who you are. This screening of Joyride is made possible with support from Amazon. 

Last Summer Of Nathan Lee, directed by Quentin Lee
World Premiere – Narrative Feature
Sunday, May 14, 6:30 PM | Castro Theatre 
18-year-old Nathan Lee finds out he has brain cancer and asks his best friend Dash to document his remaining life which he vows to live with passion.

Little Sky, directed by Jess X. Snow
Part of the Shorts Program: JAM SESH
A drag sensation returns home to confront their estranged father about the childhood memories that continue to haunt them.

Luv, Me, directed by Yen Dinh & Nicolas Jara
Part of the Shorts Program: OUT/HERE
Sunday, May 14, 12:30 PM | Castro Theatre
A K-drama obsessed young woman and her asexual friend butt heads over the importance of romantic love.

Skin Can Breathe, directed by Chheangkea leng
Part of the Shorts Program: OUT/HERE
Sunday, May 14, 12:30 PM | Castro Theatre
Having to constantly negotiate his identity, a queer Cambodian American teenager finds a home inside the water of his high school pool.

Still Queer, directed by Yuelei Song
Part of the Shorts Program: OUT/HERE
Sunday, May 14, 12:30 PM | Castro Theatre
After a long period away, asexual T struggles to maintain their strained friendship with Gwin, as they find themselves monitored by a persistent disembodied voice demanding an answer.

The Harvest, directed by Caylee So
Narrative Feature
Saturday, May 20, 6:00 PM | Roxie Theater
After a car accident leaves his family in need of his help, Thai returns home to Southern California, only to find his whole world in disarray. With mounting medical bills and secrets of their own, the family watches as Cher, a tough and stubborn Hmong father, suffers through the devastating effects of kidney failure. Thai struggles to choose between his fractured relationship with his family, or a life free from the burden of traditions.
*screener available

The Resemblance, directed by Derek Nguyen
Part of the Shorts Program: OUT/HERE
Sunday, May 14, 12:30 PM | Castro Theatre
A grieving couple hires an actor to role-play their dead son only to discover their evening of remembrance is more than they bargained for.

Wuss, directed by Rubing Zhang
Part of the Shorts Program: OUT/HERE
Sunday, May 14, 12:30 PM | Castro Theatre
A tomboy must choose where her loyalties lie when the chance to join the neighborhood’s boys’ squad comes at the cost of a girl she just befriended.

LGBTQIA+ Filmmakers 

Brown Elephant, directed by Fawzia Mirza
Part of the Shorts Program: DESI BLOCK PARTY
Saturday, May 13, 9:15 PM | Roxie Theater
A young Muslim woman and her family discuss a peacekeeping solution for their overly aggressive ‘White Elephant’ gift exchange. 

Carrion, directed by Yvonne Zhang
Part of the Shorts Program: THE MOURNING AFTER
Saturday, May 20, 9:00 PM | Roxie Theater
Living on an isolated desert motel with her grieving mother, a young girl must confront death after she digs up a rotting carcass.

Don’t Be Sorry, directed by David Au
Opening for feature film BIG FIGHT IN LITTLE CHINATOWN
Saturday, May 13th, 2:30 PM | Great Star Theater 
A timid but resilient Korean American senior is empowered to fight back when she discovers face-slapping competition videos on the internet.

Hearsay, directed by Banban Cheng
Part of the Shorts Program: COMPANION PASS
Thursday, May 18, 5:30 PM | Roxie Theater
Gossip inflames a community when Lili, an outgoing and talkative hairdresser, discovers a damaging secret about a customer.

Kapwa Texas, directed by PJ Raval
Part of the Shorts Program: COMMUNITY CARE
Saturday, May 13, 11:00 AM | San Francisco Public Library (Main)
As the world grapples with an emerging global pandemic, three young Filipino women forge unexpected connections with their families and discover themselves in the process. A self-documented time capsule during turbulent times, Kapwa Texas captures the unbreakable bond between Filipino family and community.

Many Moons, directed by Chisato Hughes
World Premiere – Part of the Rea Tajiri Retrospective program: HISTORY & MEMORY
Saturday, May 20, 12:00 PM | SFMOMA Phyllis Wattis Theater
In this hybrid documentary/fiction film, Chinese community members of Humboldt County search for the lone exception to the 1885 expulsion and 60-year enforced exclusion of “Chinamen” – Charlie Moon, whose descendants are Native tribal members.

Oyakodon, directed by Roxy Shih
Part of the Shorts Program: MAMA TRAUMA
Sunday, May 14, 3:15 PM | Roxie Theater
A single, immigrant mother struggles to keep traditions and a small noodle shop alive in a rapidly changing world.

Pō’ele Wai (As The Water Darkens), directed by Tiare Ribeaux
Part of the Pacific Shorts Program made possible with support from Pacific Islanders in Communications
Sunday, May 21, 12:00 PM | New Parkway Theater
Told through visual metaphor and poetic homage, a weaver experiences a transformation when she realizes her drinking water has been poisoned by petroleum leaking into O’ahu’s watersheds.

Unseen, directed by Set Hernandez 
Documentary
Sunday, May 14, 12:15 PM | Roxie Theater
Most people dream of a better future. Pedro, an aspiring social worker, is no different. But as a blind, undocumented immigrant, Pedro faces political restrictions to obtain his college degree, secure a job in his field, and support his family. As he finally graduates, uncertainty looms over Pedro. What starts as a journey to provide mental health care for his community ultimately transforms into Pedro’s path toward his own healing. Through experimental cinematography and sound, “unseen” reimagines the accessibility of cinema, while exploring the intersections of immigration, disability, and mental health.

Well Wishes My Love, Your Love, directed by Gabriel Gabriel Garble
Part of the Shorts Program: COMPANION PASS
Thursday, May 18, 5:30 PM | Roxie Theater
Newly orphaned and freshly wounded from an immense loss, a boy lends his companion a prosthetic arm for the day. The companion would then expose the prosthetic limb to a mélange of textures and materials, whilst documenting the whole process. As the moon inches closer and closer to the sun, the boy sees something unusual reflected on the water’s surface… What will become of the limb, and what will become of the video recordings?

TICKET INFORMATION 
General admission tickets for screenings and panels range from complementary to $15. Special presentations and events range from $20 – $135. Tickets for students, seniors, and people with disabilities are at reduced prices for most events. For more information, please visit the box ticketing information page at:  CAAMFest.com

CAAMFest COVID-19 POLICY
Masks are recommended for indoor events and venues and when not eating or drinking. This policy may change depending on each host venue’s policy as well as any changing local and federal guidelines.

About CAAMFest
Celebrating its 41st year in 2023, CAAMFest is the nation’s leading showcase for Asian and Asian American talent in film, food, music, and arts. CAAMFest takes place May 11-21, 2023. Check CAAMFest.com for more programming and ticketing details.

About CAAM
For over 40 years, CAAM (Center for Asian American Media) 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 about CAAM, please visit www.CAAMedia.org.