List of San Diego Asian Film Festival award winners

The following is a list of San Diego Asian Film Festival winners by year.

2023 - 24th Annual
November 2-11, 2023

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award - When You Left Me On That Boulevard (dir. Kayla Abuda Galang)
 * Best Narrative Feature - Egghead & Twinkie (dir. Sarah Kambe Holland)
 * Best Documentary Feature - Rally (dir. Rooth Tang)
 * Best Narrative Short - Invasive Species (dir. Annie Ning)
 * Best Documentary Short - Tracing History (dir. Jalena Keane-Lee)
 * Best Experimental Short - Teetering Graphite (dir. Cherlyn Hsing-Hsin Liu)
 * International Short - Primetime Mother (dir. Sonny Calvento)
 * Special Jury Mention Through Sunless Ways (dir. Kira Dane, Katelyn Rebelo)
 * Emerging Filmmaker Award - Divine Factory (dir. Joseph Mangat)
 * Audience Award Winner - Wonderland (dir. Chai Yee Wei)

Notable Events and Appearances

 * Notable Films: Monster, Elegies with Ann Hui in attendance

2022 - 23rd Annual
November 3-12, 2022

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award - Wisdom Gone Wild (dir. Rea Tajiri)
 * Best Narrative Feature - Riceboy Sleeps (dir. Anthony Shim)
 * Best Documentary Feature - Bad Axe (dir. David Siev)
 * Best Narrative Short - Last Hawaiian Sugar (dir. Déjà Cresencia Bernhardt)
 * Best Documentary Short - In Loving Memory (of Who We Used to Be) (dir. Vicky Lee)
 * Best Experimental Short - Declarations of Love (dir. Tiff Rekem)
 * International Short - Will You Look at Me (dir. Shuli Huang)
 * Special Jury Mention - Lucky Fish (dir. Emily May Jampel)
 * Emerging Filmmaker Award - Liquor Store Dreams (dir. So Yum Um)
 * Audience Award Winner - Riceboy Sleeps (dir. Anthony Shim)

Notable Events and Appearances

 * Notable Films: A Confucian Confusion 4K restoration, No Bears

2021 - 22nd Annual
October 28 to November 6, 2021

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award - I Was A Simple Man (dir. Christopher Makoto Yogi)
 * Best Narrative Feature - 7 Days (dir. Roshan Sethi)
 * Best Documentary Feature - Manzanar Diverted: When Water Becomes Dust (dir. Ann Kaneko)
 * Best Narrative Short - Americanized (dir. Erica Eng)
 * Best Documentary Short - An Uninterrupted View of the Sea (dir. Mika Yatsuhashi)
 * Best Experimental Short - Rumi and his Roses (dir. Navid Sinaki)
 * International Short - Lemongrass Girl (dir. Pom Bunsermvicha)
 * Special Jury Mention - To Live Here (dir. Melanie Dang Ho)
 * Emerging Filmmaker Award - Never Rest/Unrest (dir. Tiffany Sia)
 * Audience Award Winner - Like a Rolling Stone: The Life and Times of Ben Fong-Torres (dir. Suzanne Joe Kai)

Notable Events and Appearances

 * Notable Films: Catch the Fair One, Drive My Car
 * Special Sections: Asian-American Panorama, Asia Pop!, Masters, Classics Restored, Taiwan Film Showcase

2020 - 21st Annual
October 23–31, 2020

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award - Mizuko (Water Child) (dir. Katelyn Rebelo, Kira Dane)
 * Best Narrative Feature - Mogul Mowgli (Bassam Tariq)
 * Best Documentary Feature - The Donut King (Alice Gu)
 * Best Narrative Short - Thank You, Come Again (Nirav Bhakta)
 * Best Documentary Short - I Bought a Time Machine (Yeon Park)
 * Best Animated Short - Felt Love (Angeline Vu and Arlene Bongco)
 * International Short - Red Aninsri; or, Tiptoeing on the Still Trembling Berlin Wall (Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke)
 * Special Jury Mention - Finding Yingying (Jiayan “Jenny” Shi)
 * George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award - Stray (Elizabeth Lo)
 * Audience Award Winner - Down a Dark Stairwell (Ursula Lang)

Notable Events and Appearances

 * Notable Films: 76 Days, Mogul Mowgli
 * Special Events (Pandemic Specials): Virtual Cinema options, Drive-In Movies, Q&As on Twitch, 16mm x Twitch, Mystery Kung Fu Theater, Taiwan Showcase, Virtual Lobby on Animal Crossing

2019 - 20th Annual
November 7–16, 2019

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award - Straight Up (James Sweeney)
 * Best Narrative Feature - Driveways (Andrew Ahn)
 * Best Documentary Feature - The Cancer Journals, Revisited (Lana Lin)
 * Best Narrative Short - First (Micaela Durand & Daniel Chew)
 * Best Documentary Short - My American Surrogate (Leslie Tai)
 * Best Animated Short - Umbilical (Danski Tang)
 * International Short - Grand Bouquet (Nao Yoshigai)
 * Special Jury Mention - Jaddoland (Nadia Shihab)
 * George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award - No Data Plan (Miko Revereza)
 * Audience Award Winner - Yellow Rose (Diane Paragas)

Notable Events and Appearances

 * Opening Night Film: The Paradise We Are Looking For
 * Centerpiece: Straight Up
 * Closing Night: To Live to Sing

Special Events: Taiwan Film Showcase, Spotlight on Tibet

9th Spring Showcase
April 11–18, 2019


 * Opening Night Film: First Night Nerves
 * Closing Night Film: Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga
 * Notable Films: Memories of My Body, Swing Kids, Song Lang, The Crossing
 * Special Events: From the Claws of Darkness: Restoring Philippine Cinema, Mystery Kung Fu Theater

2018 - 19th Annual
November 8–17, 2018

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award: June
 * Best Narrative Feature: Bitter Melon
 * Best Documentary Feature: Blowin' Up
 * Best Narrative Short: First Generation
 * Best Documentary Short: Nai Nai
 * Best International Short: Babylon
 * Best Animated Short: Yoko
 * Special Jury Mention: Origin Story
 * George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award: August at Akiko's (dir. Christopher Makoto Yogi)
 * Lifetime Achievement Award: Marcus Hu
 * Audience Award: One Cut of the Dead

Notable Events and Appearances

 * Notable Films: Little Forest, Inventing Tomorrow, Ramen Shop
 * HBO Preview: Folklore

8th Spring Showcase
April 19–26, 2018


 * Opening Night Film: Meditation Park
 * Closing Night Film: Kusama: Infinity
 * Notable Films: Minding the Gap, Love Education, Mukshin, The Third Murder,
 * Special Presentations: Falling for Angels: the Films of Yasmin Ahmad

2017 - 18th Annual
November 9–18, 2017

Award Winners

 * 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: Crushed in Spaces, directed by Janice Chun
 * International Short: Afternoon Clouds, directed by Payal Kapadia
 * Special Jury Mention: Santa Claus, directed by Jeff Man
 * Digital Pioneer Award: Angry Asian Man, directed by Phil Yu
 * George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award: Anahita Ghazvinizadeh, director of They
 * Audience Award: Island Soldier, directed by Nathan Fitch

Notable Events and Appearances

 * Notable Films: Oh Lucy!, A Better Man, The Villainess, Columbus and Newton.
 * Musical performance by actress/singer Tia Carrere.
 * Potluck Collective Podcasts: Saturday School, the Fresh Creatives and They Call Us Bruce.
 * Classic Films Restored: Shopping for Fangs (1997), Pigsy Eats Watermelon (1958) and The Little Sisters of the Grassland (1965).
 * Mystery Kung Fu Theater

7th Spring Showcase
April 20–27, 2017


 * Notable Films: Gook, An Insignificant Man, The Long Excuse, Sunday Beauty Queen, Window Horses
 * Special Presentations: “Right to Resist: From 9066 to 2017” featuring four documentary films and four shorts about political resistance.
 * Audience Award: Abacus: Small Enough to Jail

2016 - 17th Annual
November 3–12, 2016

Award Winners

 * 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: Bruce Takes Dragon Town, directed by Emily Chao
 * Animated Short: Hold Me (Ca Caw Ca Caw), directed by Renee Zhan
 * Special Jury Mention: Random Acts of Legacy, directed by Ali Kazimi
 * George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award: Andrew Ahn, director of Spa Night
 * Lifetime Achievement Award: Wayne Wang
 * Audience Award: Daze of Justice, directed by Michael Siv

Notable Events and Appearances

 * Notable Films: The Tiger Hunter, Mifune: The Last Samurai
 * Standup comedy by Actor and Comedian Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat, Trainwreck, The Interview).
 * Panel discussion with The Edge of Seventeen actor Hayden Szeto.

6th Spring Showcase
April 28th - May 5th, 2016


 * Notable Films: Sweet 20, 3688, Born to Dance, Heart Attack, Honor Thy Father, Right Now, Wrong Then
 * Special Presentations: “China Now: Independent Visions” featuring four film programs from works from the Beijing Independent Film Festival.
 * Audience Award: The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (Morgan Neville)

2015 - 16th Annual
November 5–14, 2015

Award Winners

 * 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: Drama, directed by Tian Guan
 * Documentary Short: From Tonga, directed by Huay-Bing Law
 * Animated Short: Cuz He’s Black, directed by Ji Sub Jeong
 * Special Jury Mention: Reunification, directed by Alvin Tsang
 * George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award: Takeshi Fukunaga, director of Out of My Hand
 * Lifetime Achievement Award: Tyrus Wong
 * Audience Award: Tyrus, directed by Pamela Tom
 * Digital Pioneer Award: BuzzFeed Motion Pictures

Notable Events and Appearances

 * Notable Films: Miss India America, Seoul Searching, Made in Japan.
 * Panel discussion with Ken Jeong.
 * Discussion with BuzzFeed producer Eugene Lee Yang.

5th Spring Showcase
April 16th-25th, 2015


 * Films: Top Spin, Giovanni’s Island, Margarita, With a Straw, Mariquina, My Brilliant Life, The Taking of Tiger Mountain 3D (Tsui Hark), Today
 * Special Presentation: Cinema Little Saigon, a retrospective of films and videos by Vietnamese Americans on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon
 * Audience Award: Princess Jellyfish

2014 - 15th Anniversary
Nov 6-14, 2014

Award Winners

 * 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: Transformers: the Premake, directed by Kevin B. Lee
 * Animated Short: Behind My Behind, directed by David Chai
 * Special Jury Mention: Kumu Hina, directed by Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson
 * George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award: Vera Brunner-Sung, director of Bella Vista
 * Audience Award: Limited Partnership, directed by Thomas Miller
 * Digital Pioneer Award: Anna Akana

Notable Events and Appearances

 * Notable Films: Revenge of the Green Dragons, The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness and Meet the Patels.
 * Pilot episode of Fresh Off the Boat screening.
 * Taiwan Films Showcase
 * Remembering Queer Korea Reception

4th Spring Showcase
April 17–24, 2014


 * Notable Films: Like Father, Like Son, How to Fight in Six Inch Heels, Miss Granny, The Protector 2, Siddharth, Why Don’t You Play in Hell?
 * Special Presentation: Live performances of 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors
 * Audience Award Winner: To Be Takei

2013 - 14th Annual
November 7–16, 2013

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award: Karaoke Girl, directed by Visra Vichit-Vadakan
 * Narrative Feature: Sake-Bomb, directed by Junya Sakino
 * Documentary Feature: Your Day is My Night, directed by Lynne Sachs
 * Narrative Short: The Perils of Growing Up Flat-Chested, directed by Yulin Kuang
 * Documentary Short: Draft Day, directed by Josh Kim
 * Animated Short: The Present, directed by Joe Hsieh
 * Special Jury Mention: Documented, directed by Jose Antonio Vargas and Ann Lupo
 * Social Justice Award: When I Walk, directed by Jason DaSilva
 * George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award: Leslie Tai
 * Audience Award: American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs, directed by Grace Lee

Notable Events and Appearances

 * Notable Films: Finding Mr. Right, Blind Detective, Norte: The End of History and Ip Man: The Final Fight.
 * Drive-By Cinema screenings of webseries premieres: Night Girls Crew and Flat3.
 * Mapping event for wheelchair accessibility with Jason DaSilva.

3rd Spring Showcase
April 18–25, 2013


 * Opening Night Film: Linsanity
 * Closing Night Film: Jab Tak Hai Jaan
 * Notable Films: Abigail Harm, Comrade Kim Goes Flying, Kai Po Che, Key of Life, La Source, The Last Supper, Pieta, United Red Army
 * Audience Award: Harana

2012 - 13th Annual
November 1–9, 2012

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award: Johnny Loves Dolores, directed by Clarissa de los Reyes
 * Narrative Feature: Graceland, directed by Ron Morales
 * Documentary Feature: Seeking Asian Female, directed by Debbie Lum
 * Narrative Short: Monday Monday, directed by Eric K. Yue
 * Animated Short: 38-39°C, directed by Kangmin Kim
 * Special Jury Mention: The World Before Her, directed by Nisha Pahuja
 * George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award: Ernie Park, director of Late Summer
 * Lifetime Achievement Award: Chung Chang-wha

Notable Events and Appearances

 * Notable Films: Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey

2nd Spring Showcase
April 19–26, 2012


 * Opening Night Film: Sunny
 * Closing Night Film: Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
 * Notable Films: The Front Line, Headshot, I Wish, Life Without Principle, My Back Page, Patang (Prashant Bhargava), A Simple Life.

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award: Surrogate Valentine, directed by Dave Boyle
 * Narrative Feature: In the Family, directed by Patrick Wang
 * Documentary Feature: Tales of the Waria, directed by Kathy Huang
 * Narrative Short: Andy, directed by Andrew Ahn
 * Documentary Short: Making Noise in Silence, directed by Mina T. Son
 * Animated Short: Enrique Wrecks the World, directed by David Chai
 * Special Jury Mention: The LuLu Session, directed by S. Casper Wong
 * George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award: Patrick Wang, director of In the Family
 * Lifetime Achievement Award: Nancy Kwan
 * Audience Award: The Power of Two, directed by Marc Smolowitz

Notable Events and Appearances

 * Honored Gala Guests: the Board of San Diego County Supervisors, the director of the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum and the Principal of Barnard Mandarin Chinese Magnet School.

1st Spring Showcase
April 15–22, 2011


 * Opening Night Film: Little Big Soldier (Ding Sheng)
 * Closing Night Film: Boy (Taika Waititi)
 * Films: Getting Home, Hansel & Gretel, The House of Suh, The Man from Nowhere, One Voice, Patisserie Coin De Rue, Poetry (Lee Chang-dong), Saigon Electric
 * Special Presentation: Japan earthquake fundraiser screening of A Tale of Mari & Three Puppies.

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award: The House of Suh, directed by Iris Shim
 * Narrative Feature: Littlerock, directed by Mike Ott
 * Documentary Feature: Finding Face, directed by Skye Fitzgerald and Patti Duncan
 * Narrative Short: Works of Art, directed by Andrew Pang
 * Documentary Short: Top Spin, directed by Sara Newens and Mina T. Son
 * Animated Short: The Wonder Hospital, directed by Beomsik Shimbe Shim
 * George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award: Nadine Truong
 * Influential Asian American Artist Award: Daniel Dae Kim
 * Audience Award: One Voice, directed by Lisette Flannery

Notable Events and Appearances

 * Asian Americans in Hollywood (Panel) - featuring: Ellen Wong, Harry Shum, Aaron Yoo, Jon M. Chu, and CS Lee.

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award: Children of Invention, directed by Tze Chun
 * Narrative Feature: Children of Invention, directed by Tze Chun
 * Documentary Feature: Whatever It Takes, directed by Christopher Wong
 * Narrative Short: A Green Mountain In a Drawer, directed by Hwa-Jun Lee
 * Documentary Short: Rough Cut, directed by Firouzeh Khosrovani
 * Animated Short: Kudan, directed by Taku Kimura
 * Special Jury Mention: A Song For Ourselves, directed by Tadashi Nakamura
 * George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award: Mark Tran, director of All About Dad
 * Audience Award: White on Rice, directed by David Boyle

Notable Events and Appearances

 * Notable Screenings: Red Cliff, Afro Samurai Resurrection (TV), Detroit Metal City, Neko Ramen and Vampire Girl Vs. Frankenstein Girl.
 * Celebrity Appearances: Margaret Cho, Tamlyn Tomita, and Dante Basco.

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award: Dirty Hands: the Art & Crimes of David Choe, directed by Harry Kim
 * Narrative Feature: Santa Mesa, directed by Ron Morales
 * Documentary Feature: Shame, directed by Mohammed Naqvi
 * Narrative Short: Lady, directed by Wendy Cheng
 * Animated Short: Meat Days, directed by Joe Hsieh
 * Special Jury Mention: Damn the Past!, directed by Julie Kang
 * Lifetime Achievement Award: Soon-Tek Oh

Notable Events and Appearances

 * A Celebrity Panel: Asian Americans in Hollywood - featuring: Aaron Yoo, James Kyson Lee, Leonardo Nam, Smith Cho, Sheetal Sheth, and Jimmy Tsai.
 * From Comics to Film - featuring: Greg Pak and Jim Lee

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award: Cats of Mirikitani, directed by Linda Hattendorf
 * Narrative Feature: Owl and the Sparrow, directed by Stephane Gauger
 * Documentary Feature: Na Kamalei: The Men of Hula, directed by Lisette Flanary
 * Narrative Short: Monsoon, directed by Shyam Balse
 * Documentary Short: Mookey’s Story, directed by Carolyn Goossen & Daffodil Altan
 * Animated Short: City Paradise, directed by Gaelle Denis
 * Music video: Champion by Native Guns, directed by Patricio Ginelsa
 * Lifetime Achievement Award: George Takei

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award: Journey From the Fall, directed by Ham Tran
 * Narrative Feature: Eve & the Firehorse, directed by Julia Kwan
 * Documentary Feature: Last Atomic Bomb, directed by Robert Richter
 * Narrative Short: Hiro, directed by Matthew Swanson
 * Animated Short: Mirage, directed by Youngwoon Jang
 * Experimental: Latent Sorrow, directed by Shon Kim
 * Music Video: Steal the Blueprints, directed by Chris Deaner
 * Special Jury Mention: Colma: The Musical, directed by Richard Wong
 * Lifetime Achievement Award: Kieu Chin

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award: Seibutsu: (Still Life), directed by Joe Turner Lin
 * Narrative Feature: The Motel, directed by Michael Kang
 * Documentary Feature: And Thereafter, directed by Hosup Lee
 * Narrative Short: Summer of the Serpent, directed by Kimi Takesue
 * Documentary Short: Daastar: Defending Sikh Identity, directed by Kevin Lee
 * Animated Short: Public Bath, directed by Tak Hoon Kim
 * Experimental: 5 x 90: The Wake, directed by Samuel Kiehoon Lee
 * Music Video: Psychokinetics: The Vault, directed by Gene Celso
 * Visionary Award: Saving Face, directed by Alice Wu
 * Lifetime Achievement: Joan Chen

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award: The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam, directed by Ann Marie Fleming
 * Narrative Feature: First Morning, directed by Victor Vu
 * Documentary Feature: The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam, directed by Ann Marie Fleming
 * Narrative Short: Sangam, directed by Prashant Bhargava
 * Documentary Short: Yellow Brotherhood, directed by Tadashi Nakamura
 * Animated Short: Birthday Boy, directed by Sejong Park
 * Experimental: Balikbayan, directed by Larilyn Sanchez & Riza Manalo
 * Music Video: Skyflakes: Bad Thoughts, directed by Dino Ignacio

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award: Refugee, directed by Spencer Nakasako
 * Narrative Feature: Book of Rules, directed by Sung H. Kim
 * Documentary Feature: Sleeping Tigers: The Asahi Baseball Story, directed by Jari Osborne
 * Narrative Short: Anniversary, directed by Ham Tran
 * Documentary Short: How to Make Kimchee, directed by Samuel Kiehoon Lee
 * Animated Short: Henry’s Garden, directed by Moon Seun
 * Experimental: Nothing But Love, directed by Wen-Yao Chuang

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award: Sophie, directed by Helen Lee
 * Narrative Feature: Charlotte Sometimes, directed by Eric Byler
 * Documentary Feature: Journey for Lotus, directed by Eunhee Cha
 * Narrative Short: Barrier Device, directed by Grace Lee
 * Documentary Short: BLT Genesis, directed by Evan Leong
 * Animated Short: Vessel Wrestling, directed by Lisa Yu
 * Experimental: Still I Rise, directed by Umesh Shukla

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award: Roads and Bridges, directed by Abraham Lim
 * Narrative Feature: Dog Food (Azucena), directed by Carlos Siguion-Reyna
 * Documentary Feature: Made in China, directed by Karin Lee
 * Narrative Short: Talk to Taka, directed by Richard Kim
 * Documentary Short: Bitter and Sweet, directed by Johanna Lee
 * Animated Short: Lint People, directed by Helder Sun
 * Experimental: Staccato Fugue, directed by Teo Carlo Pulgar

Award Winners

 * Grand Jury Award: Karma Local, directed by Darshan Bhagat
 * Narrative Feature: The Debut, directed by Gene Cajayon
 * Documentary Feature: When You’re Smiling, directed by Janice Tanaka
 * Narrative Short: Mouse, directed by Greg Pak
 * Documentary Short: Shit, the Movie, directed by Julie Gaw
 * Experimental: By this Parting, directed by Mieko Ouchi