These are eight films you shouldn’t miss at the Asian Film Festival of Dallas which will take place from July 13 – 16, 2023 in Dallas, USA.

Han Jiangyu, who has been away from his hometown for ten years, returns to his hometown, trying to regain his old love with his former lover Su Hong. Han’s old friend Chen Kai participated in the house purchase plan, so Han Jiangyu and Su Hong had to face their own problems and face the difficulties of life together. (AFFD 2023)

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In a village hidden in the mist-shrouded Northwest Vietnamese mountains resides an indigenous Hmong community, home to 12-year-old Di, part of the first generation of her people with access to formal education. A free spirit, Di recounts her experiences to Vietnamese filmmaker Diễm Hà Lệ, who planted herself within Di’s family over the course of three years to document this unique coming of age as she faces the local custom of “bride kidnapping.”  (AFFD 2023)

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Rookie police officer Will Yam is a recent graduate of the police academy. Due to a wave of serial killings, Will is partnered with veteran officer Cham Lau, who was recently reinstated on the force. However, the duo cannot solve the cases and instead causes a series of incidents. Later, Cham re-encounters a drug-addicted street urchin, Wong To (Cya Liu), who ran over his wife and daughter in the past, and his anger makes him spiral out of control and continuously abuse her. Will clumsily loses his pistol, which the serial killer finds. With the killer lurking in the city, a crisis grows closer. (AFFD 2023)

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Miyabi, a woman grappling with the grief of losing her daughter, finds solace in working as a call girl following her divorce. Her life takes an unusual turn when she encounters an eccentric client interested in photographing her spine. In a subsequent appointment, he insists on photographing her feet.

As Miyabi continues to permit her body parts to be photographed, she makes a startling discovery: each photograph taken brings her deceased daughter’s spirit nearer to her. As the series of photos near its culmination with only her eyes left to be captured, unforeseen consequences ensue. The entire society spirals into chaos in this audacious, imaginative, and unparalleled fantasy narrative. (AFFD 2023)

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Young Sohee, portrayed by Kim Si-eun, is a spirited and determined high school student residing in the Korean countryside. She is characterized by her lively nature and a fierce disposition. Eager to secure a future, she opts for an education geared toward the labor market and enrolls in a paid employment program with a sense of optimism.

Her school encourages her to enter into a contract with a call center that exploits its trainees by enticing them with the allure of bonuses that never materialize. The trainees are pressured into employing highly unethical tactics to achieve their goals. Throughout her time at the call center, Sohee faces a barrage of verbal abuse, including being shouted at, threatened, and subjected to profanities.

However, the turning point arrives when her supervisor, who is overwhelmed by the workload and stress, tragically takes his own life. This event triggers a downward spiral in Sohee’s mental state, ultimately leading her to commit an act that cannot be undone. (AFFD 2023)

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Shin, (played by Hae-jun), is an exceptionally skilled dancer specializing in waacking – a dance style akin to voguing that emphasizes striking poses. She is gearing up for a dance battle final, which holds enormous significance for her. The prize money would be sufficient to fund her gender-affirming surgery if she was victorious.

However, Shin’s life takes a turn when her estranged father passes away. Being the only child, she must perform a traditional dance ritual at his memorial service. This necessitates an uneasy return to the rural community she left behind.

Intriguingly, Shin is not alone on this journey; she is guided by a mystical peacock that serves as her spirit guide. With a mix of defiance, poise, and self-assuredness, she confronts the challenges ahead. Along the way, she remains true to her identity while softening some of her guarded exterior. (AFFD 2023)

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In 2007, a 19-year-old named Reyhaneh Jabbari is condemned to death in Iran for killing a man in self-defense during an attempted rape. The endeavors made by her family and advocates to save her not only shed light on Reyhaneh’s case but also unveil the widespread subjugation and muzzling of women in Iran. Furthermore, the case highlights the perilous lengths to which individuals go in their pursuit to defend and stand in solidarity with these women. (AFFD 2023)

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Zahara, a stateless refugee, lives on a small remote island in Malaysia, where she makes a living selling turtle eggs. One day, Samad, claiming to be a university researcher, visits the island, wanting to employ Zahara to show him around. As the day goes on, Zahara and Samad become entangled in a dangerous dance of duplicity and deception. (AFFD 2023)

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