These are our twenty recommended short films from the Asian American International Film Festival, which will take place in cinemas and online from August 1 – 11, 2024 in New York, USA.

29 Hour Famine by Etzu Shaw – USA | 2024 – 16 minutes
Section | Our Favorite Recipes

Jenny, a stubbornly headstrong teenager, is this year’s organizer of her church youth group’s annual fasting event. But unlike previous iterations of the so-called “famine,” she seems to be approaching the event with unusual and off-putting intensity, despite her friend Mina’s attempts to get her to relax.

When Jenny discovers a wayward dinosaur cookie crumb in the church, she becomes hell-bent on exposing the culprit at any cost, all while increasing the intensity of the event’s activities, forcing Mina to try to intervene and prevent her from becoming the most hated person in their youth group. (AAIFF 2024)

Screening Date:
August 2, 2024 | Friday | Regal Union Square – Auditorium 14 | 8:30 pm
Available online from August 2 – 11, 2024

Trailer:

A Summer’s End Poem by Lam Can-zhao – China, Switzerland, Malaysia | 2024 – 15 minutes
Section | Roadmap to the Soul

In a village near the southern Chinese city Chaozhou, a boy spends the summer with his grandfather. As the last day of summer break approaches, he gathers his hard-earned savings to fulfill a dream: getting a city hairstyle. But the gap between expectation and reality is big. The story of a boy bidding farewell to his childhood and embarking on a journey of self-discovery transcends the boundaries of a small village and resonates with universal themes such as growing up and the unpredictable nature of life. (AAIFF 2024)

Screening Date:
August 3, 2024 | Saturday | Regal Union Square – Auditorium 14 | 1:45 pm

Trailer:

Children of Light by Minkyu Kang – Korea, USA | 2023 – 21 minutes
Section | Rise Up!

In the 1960s, a Korean boy (16), kidnapped and assaulted at a juvenile center on a remote island, must escape with his rival to survive. (AAIFF 2024)

Screening Date:
August 10, 2024 | Saturday | Regal Union Square – Auditorium 14 | 12:30 pm
Available online from August 2 – 11, 2024

Class Crush by Katherine Lynn-Rose – USA | 2023 – 8 minutes
Section | Ones To Watch: Filmmakers Under 21

In class, Julia quietly admires Riley from a distance. Their first awkward interaction leads to a friendship as they walk home together after school. Over time, their connection deepens. Riley invites Julia to the upcoming homecoming dance. After meeting up at Riley’s house, Julia and Riley arrive at homecoming to a scene of sparkling lights and dancing couples. Everything is perfect. But as the night wears on, Julia’s dream starts to crack, slowly revealing the blood-stained truth: she is dancing with a dead body. (AAIFF 2024)

Screening Date:
August 3, 2024 | Saturday | Regal Union Square – Auditorium 14 | 12:00 pm
Available online from August 2 – 11, 2024

Daly City by Nick Hartanto – USA | 2024 – 16 minutes
Section | Coloring Out of the Lines

An Indonesian boy and his mother attend a church potluck and lie about their dish. (AAIFF 2024)

Screening Date:
August 2, 2024 | Friday | Regal Union Square – Auditorium 14 | 6:00 pm
Available online from August 2 – 11, 2024

Jesa by Jee Hoon Seo – USA, Korea | 2024 – 13 minutes
Section | Coloring Out of the Lines

JIN YOUNG, 10, a Korean American boy who lives in the States with his mom and brother, strives to reconnect with his estranged dad and his relatives when they visit to perform the annual Korean ancestral rite called Jesa. As Jin pays respects to his ancestors and learns about his Korean roots, his older brother TAE YOUNG, 18, grows frustrated at the so-called tradition that subjugates women, particularly his mom, to the kitchen. As tensions boil over, Jin finds out that his mother has made the ultimate sacrifice—staying in a loveless marriage with her chatting father—in order to preserve his innocence and sense of family. (AAIFF 2024)

Screening Date:
August 2, 2024 | Friday | Regal Union Square – Auditorium 14 | 6:00 pm
Available online from August 2 – 11, 2024

Trailer:

Layover by Taylor Sanghyun Lee – USA, Korea | 2024 – 12 minutes
Section | Roadmap to the Soul

Solomon, a hard-partying DJ, wakes up hungover and dyes his hair from blonde to black. At a train station, he meets his father who makes him change into a military uniform before they head to Solomon’s childhood home. There, Solomon meets with his mother, who is in hospice due to cancer.

We realize that Solomon and his father have lied to his mother that Solomon is in the military since this is a source of pride for her in her last days. Solomon sings “Amazing Grace” to his mother and reassures her that he is living a good life.

Back at home after Solomon and his Father say goodbye for the last time, Solomon reflects on the trip— just another layover before his next stop, another club. (AAIFF 2024)

Screening Date:
August 3, 2024 | Saturday | Regal Union Square – Auditorium 14 | 1:45 pm
Available online from August 2 – 11, 2024

Trailer:

Love Letter to Asian Women by Min Soo Park – USA | 2024 – 9 minutes

LOVE LETTER TO ASIAN WOMEN is a short documentary that explores the captivating world of Felicia Oh, a Taiwanese drag queen who challenges stereotypes and reshapes perceptions of Asian femininity through her performances. Felicia’s distinctive approach to drag in the vibrant landscape of New York City transforms societal expectations placed on Asian women into eye-catching expressions of individuality. (AAIFF 2024)

Screening Date:
August 8, 2024 | Thursday | Regal Union Square – Auditorium 14 | 6:00 pm
Available online from August 2 – 11, 2024

Trailer:

Lullaby by Chi Thai – UK | 2024 – 14 minutes
Section | Tales That Go Bump in the Night

A refugee is haunted by a devastating incident from her past. (AAIFF 2024)

Screening Date:
August 4, 2024 | Sunday | Regal Union Square – Auditorium 14 | 4:15 pm
Available online from August 2 – 11, 2024

Trailer:

Muted by Chris Zou – USA | 2024 – 6 minutes
Section | Ones To Watch: Filmmakers Under 21

Jessica is a Chinese-American high schooler studying for a chemistry test late at night. Faced with the immense pressure of perfection, she turns to pills to enhance her study performance. Her actions threaten to jeopardize her relationships with her friends while exploring her tumultuous relationship with her mother. (AAIFF 2024)

Screening Date:
August 3, 2024 | Saturday | Regal Union Square – Auditorium 14 | 12:00 pm
Available online from August 2 – 11, 2024

Trailer:

To see part 2 of this article please go HERE (Soon)
For festival we also recommended 10 feature films, you can read more about them HERE

For more information, please visit: https://www.aaiff.org/