Sikhlens, the world’s premier Sikh film festival, aims to share Sikh heritage and culture globally by promoting Sikh-centered work and celebrating community talent. The festival invites submissions across various artistic fields, including film, literature, music, and visual art. By providing platforms for these works, Sikhlens seeks to increase visibility for artists while raising awareness about the Sikh community. The next Sikhlens: Sikh Arts & Film Festival will take place in Southern California from November 21–23, 2025.

Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival is a unique showcase of contemporary Asian cinema and work from Asia and the Asian diaspora. Works include films and videos by artists in Canada, the U.S., Asia and all over the world. As Canada’s largest pan-Asian film festival, Reel Asian provides a public forum for Asian media artists and their work, and fuels the growing appreciation for Asian cinema in Canada.

Co-presented by Civics Is Sexy and the NAACP Hollywood Bureau, The People’s Party is a two-day celebration that blends film, music, and civic engagement. Bringing together artists, activists, and community leaders, the event transforms culture into a catalyst for change and shows that civic action can be as energizing as a block party.

CAUSE, in partnership with the Little Tokyo Ghost Club, hosts the 9th Annual Haunted Little Tokyo Block Party, a community Halloween event that combines fun and civic engagement. Since 2021, CAUSE has featured a popular costume contest and voter education booths, drawing over 4,000 attendees. After breaking county records for ballots cast at a mobile vote center last year, this year’s event will include an official ballot drop-off box, continuing to inspire community participation and highlight the power of every vote.

AFI FEST, recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a qualifying festival for the Short Films categories of the Oscars®, is a premier international event showcasing the best in global cinema. Taking place October 22–26 in Los Angeles, the festival features a diverse lineup of fiction and nonfiction films, panels, and conversations with both emerging and master filmmakers.

The Hawai‘i International Film Festival (HIFF), an Academy Awards®-qualifying festival, celebrates dynamic cinema from Asia and the Pacific while championing Native Hawaiian and Indigenous filmmakers through powerful storytelling and groundbreaking programming.

East West Players, the nation’s longest-running Asian American theater and largest producer of Asian American artistic work, announced the cast and company for Paranormal Inside by Prince Gomolvilas, directed by Jeff Liu. The supernatural thriller, premiering as part of the National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere just in time for Halloween, reunites audiences with Max and Delia from The Brothers Paranormal. This production is the third installment in East West Players’ 60th Anniversary Season.

The Vietnamese American Arts and Letters Association (VAALA) announced Viet Film Fest 2025, the largest international Vietnamese film festival in the diaspora. Running virtually from October 4–19, with in-person screenings at The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana from October 10–12, the festival will feature 60 films from nine countries.

Established in 1978 by Asian CineVision, the Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF) is the nation's first and longest-running festival dedicated to independent Asian, Asian diaspora, and Pacific Islander cinema. As a platform for storytelling and social change, AAIFF highlights diverse voices and supports emerging and established filmmakers alike. Organized by the nonprofit Asian CineVision, the festival continues its mission to amplify Asian American experiences through film, television, and digital media.

The 2025 conference theme, “Passage to Seattle: From AYPE 1909 to AANHPI Rising 2025,” honors the legacy of campus activism and calls for empowering future leaders.

Co-hosted with OCA-Greater Seattle, the event will feature workshops, discussions, and activities that reflect on history and inspire action toward a more just, multi-racial democracy.

The 2025 National Convention theme, “Voices in Unity,” draws from New Mexico’s rich history, from Japanese American incarceration and Native Codetalkers to the Manhattan Project, and the diverse stories within the Japanese American and civil rights communities. This year’s convention calls on us to come together, share our voices, and drive collective action for change.

East West Players will stage a July 2025 revival of Yankee Dawg You Die by Philip Kan Gotanda, a landmark play exploring the struggles of Asian American actors in Hollywood. Centered on the unlikely friendship between two performers at different career stages, the story reveals the personal and professional compromises artists make in a challenging industry.

CAAMFest 2025 reflects on the histories shaping the present, emphasizing the importance of sharing stories amid threats to diversity and arts funding. Honoring CAAM's four-decade legacy, the festival unites diverse communities through film, highlighting the impact of place and memory in San Francisco Japantown. The program features American and international films, commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, and celebrates the strength and artistry of Asian American women, concluding on Mother's Day with events that honor community and pioneering aesthetics.

On May 2, 2025, the Asian Pacific Filmmakers Experience (APFE) launched AANHPI Heritage Month at the 41st Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, drawing over 200 filmmakers, industry leaders, and community members for a night of screenings and celebration in West Hollywood.

APFE continued its celebration on May 10 at CAAMFest in San Francisco with the Tea House Salon, spotlighting AANHPI creatives and partners. Highlights included a panel with the St. Denis Medical team and Office Hours networking sessions, offering filmmakers valuable industry connections and support.

Visual Communications, a nonprofit organization, has announced the lineup for the 2025 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF). The 41st edition of the festival aims to connect filmmakers from different eras to celebrate the power of storytelling in community building. The festival will be held in-person from May 1 to May 7, 2025, at various locations in Los Angeles, CA, with select programs available online starting May 5. Tickets will be available for members on April 3 and for the general public on April 7. For more details, visit festival.vcmedia.org/2025.

East West Players, in collaboration with Outside In Theatre, presents the Los Angeles premiere of Cambodian Rock Band.

A powerful addition to the American theater canon, Cambodian Rock Band follows a Khmer Rouge survivor returning to his homeland after 30 years. As his daughter prepares to prosecute a notorious war criminal, echoes of their shared past resurface. The story moves between timelines as father and daughter confront history, finding solace and healing through music.