Jurors & Awards
Awards
AAISC Screenplay Competition Finalists
Emerging Director – Narrative Feature
Emerging Director – Documentary Feature
Excellence in Short Filmmaking – Narrative
Excellence in Short Filmmaking – Documentary
Excellence in Ones to Watch Youth Category
Excellence in Music Video
Audience Choice Award – Narrative Feature
Audience Choice Award – Documentary Feature
Sikay Tang Critical Lens Award
Jurors
Jury for AAISC Screenplay Competition
Jury for Emerging Director – Narrative Feature
Jury for Emerging Director – Documentary Feature
Jury for Excellence in Short Filmmaking – Narrative
Jury for Excellence in Short Filmmaking – Documentary
Jury for Excellence in Ones to Watch Youth Category
Jury for Excellence in Music Video
Jury for Sikay Tang Critical Lens Award
AAIFF47 Awards
AAISC Screenplay Competition Finalists
Nominees
JOINTLY JUVENILE
Brian Du & Anne Mirrop Boyd, USA
MISSUS
Marissa Carpio, USA
RAISED ON HOOPS
Noah Kim, USA
Winner
MISSUS
Marissa Carpio, USA
Emerging Director – Narrative Feature
Nominees
PAPER MARRIAGE
Jeff Man, USA
WAKHRI
Iram Parveen Bilal, Pakistan
FANTI
Andy Nguyen, Vietnam
Winner
To be announced at the 47th Annual Asian American International Film Festival
Emerging Director – Documentary Feature
Nominees
DECOUPLING 脱钩
Yinan Wang, China
EAT BITTER
Pascale Appora-Gnekindy & Ningyi Sun,
Central African Republic
GUIÁN
Nicole Chi Amén, Costa Rica
Winner
To be announced at the 47th Annual Asian American International Film Festival
Excellence in Short Filmmaking – Narrative
Nominees
CHILDREN OF LIGHT
Minkyu Kang, USA
SHE AND HER GOOD VIBRATIONS
Olivia Griselda & Sarah Cheok, Singapore
AMERICAN OXYGEN
Adam Hazelton & Emily Hazelton, USA
THE STEAK
Kiarash Dadgar, Iran/Canada
29 HOUR FAMINE
Vivienne Shaw, USA
Winner
To be announced at the 47th Annual Asian American International Film Festival
Excellence in Short Filmmaking – Documentary
Nominees
KOWLOON!
Mona Xia & Erin Ramirez, USA
LOVE LETTER TO ASIAN WOMEN
Min Soo Park, USA
DEAR DAD
Noah Kim, USA
BENKYODO: THE LAST MANJU SHOP IN J-TOWN
Tadashi Nakamura & Akira Boch, USA
MINSEO
Emily May Jampel, USA
Winner
To be announced at the 47th Annual Asian American International Film Festival
Excellence in Ones to Watch Youth Category
Nominees
MUTED
Chris Zou, USA
CLASS CRUSH
Katherine Lynn-Rose, USA
WAIPO’S COMING OVER!
Shin Mun Yee & Glenda Quek, Singapore
BUTTERFLY: THE KING OF YUE
Jingxuan Qi, USA
RED GUARD
L-J Shen Filerman, USA
‘NORMAL GIRL’
Kimmy Nguyen-Thoi, Australia
THE STORY OF A STRANDED FROG
Steven Yao, USA
Winner
To be announced at the 47th Annual Asian American International Film Festival
Excellence in Music Video
Nominees
“Adam Acosta – Firework Fam”
Alexander Nguyen, USA
“FROGS”
Maya Marzuki Peters, USA
“January 28th, 2020”
Kimberly Te, USA
“Stop Asian Hate Love One Another”
Perry Yung, USA
“Almost Home”
Jen Kim, USA
“rine – i wish u could love me too”
Alex Chen, USA
Winner
To be announced at the 47th Annual Asian American International Film Festival
Audience Choice Award – Narrative Feature
To be announced at the 47th Annual Asian American International Film Festival
Audience Choice Award – Documentary Feature
To be announced at the 47th Annual Asian American International Film Festival
AAIFF47 Jurors
Jury for AAISC Screenplay Competition
![](https://www.asiancinevision.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/aaisc-screenplay-jurors-680x295.png)
From left to right: Alex Lin, Helen Shang, Mohamad Saleh
Alex Lin
Alex Lin is just a girl from Jersey. Her plays have been developed at Roundabout, Second Stage, NYTW, MTC, the O’Neill, Ojai, and more. As an actor, Lin has appeared at Actors Theatre of Louisville (The Wolves), New Victory (In the Land of Mauve & Gold), HVSF (Julius Caesar), Ma-Yi (The House of Billy Paul), and more. She is a Susan Smith Blackburn Prize finalist and a Weissberger Award nominee.
Helen Shang
Helen Shang is a writer who was most recently a supervising producer on Max’s upcoming IT prequel, WELCOME TO DERRY, and a co-executive producer on season 2 of Netflix’s AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER. Helen was born in Beijing, China, and grew up in Silicon Valley. She graduated from Princeton with a BA in English and a minor in creative writing.
Mohamad Saleh
Mohamad Saleh is a Palestinian writer and film director from Amman and Brooklyn. He is a 2024 Tin House Summer Workshop participant and was a 2019 Open City Fellow at the Asian American Writers’ Workshop, where he currently serves as the Programs Manager. His work has appeared in the Los Angeles Animated Film Festival, the Big Apple Film Festival, and The Margins. He is currently working on his first short story collection.
Jury for Emerging Director in a Narrative Feature
![](https://www.asiancinevision.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/narrative-emerging-director-jurors-new-680x325.png)
From left to right: Faridah Gbadamosi, Lindsay Watson, Iman Zawahry
Faridah Gbadamosi
Faridah Gbadamosi is a pop culture enthusiast aiming to make film more inclusive. She seeks to change the space of tastemakers, rethinking the models for curation and exhibition. She has worked for film festivals and film organizations including the California Film Institute, Athena Film Festival, Outfest, and many more. She is the Director of Distribution at Open Your Eyes and Think MF. Gbadamosi is the Chair of the Board of the Anarchist United Foundation and works at Tribeca Enterprises as a Senior Programmer.
Lindsay Watson
Lindsay Watson, a Hawaiian actress born and raised on Maui, was immersed in theater and sports before moving to Los Angeles. Lindsay stars as Hana Okumura in Netflix’s family-adventure film Finding ‘Ohana and portrays the historical role of Pi’ilani in The Wind and the Reckoning, where she speaks ‘Olelo Hawai’i (Hawaiian language). Besides acting, Lindsay is passionate about writing scripts, singing, and sharing and preserving Hawaiian culture through film for future generations.
Iman Zawahry
Iman Zawahry is one of the first hijabi American-Muslim filmmakers in the nation. As the Director of Film Programs, she collaborates with the non-profit Islamic Scholarship Fund to create the first-ever American Muslim film grant. She works to amplify underrepresented female voices and speaks across the nation on Muslims in film. Her debut film, Americanish, is currently touring the festival circuit and has won numerous awards. She is also a professor of film at the University of Florida.
Jury for Emerging Director in a Documentary Feature
![](https://www.asiancinevision.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/documentaryh-emerging-director-jurors-680x297.png)
From left to right: Félix Endara, Geeta Ghandbir, Tiffany Hsiung
Félix Endara
Félix Endara, an Ecuadorian-born trans immigrant and independent documentary filmmaker, is dedicated to authentic storytelling. His short films have graced prestigious festivals, including Berlinale, DOC NYC, NewFest, and Mill Valley. Félix advocates for trans filmmakers, advising the 2023 Sundance Institute’s Trans Possibilities Intensive, founding the Trans Affinity Group within the Documentary Producers Alliance, and promoting authentic queer and trans storytelling in outlets like The Hollywood Reporter.
Geeta Ghandbir
Geeta Gandbhir transitioned from narrative to documentary film after eleven years with Spike Lee and Sam Pollard. Her work includes the Oscar-shortlisted How We Get Free, the Academy Awards-shortlisted Call Center Blues, the series Black and Missing, and many others. Directing credits include an episode of The Asian Americans and A Conversation on Race with The New York Times Op-Docs, which she co-produced.
Tiffany Hsiung
Tiffany Hsiung is a Peabody and Canadian Screen Award-winning filmmaker based in Toronto, Canada. She is listed as one of DOC NYC’s 40 Under 40. Hsiung’s work was recognized with two Emmy® nominations for the Apple TV series JANE. Harnessing her passion for storytelling and innovation, Hsiung co-created the documentary The Space We Hold and The Bassinet, a documentary marking the 50th anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in Canada.
Jury for Excellence in Short Filmmaking – Narrative
![](https://www.asiancinevision.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/narrative-excellence-in-shorts-jurors-680x231.png)
From left to right: Irene Soriano, Jingyi Shao, Taylor Shung
Irene Soriano
Irene Soriano is an independent film curator and producer. She programs short films for the Sundance Film Festival and serves as the Lead Curator for the I SEE YOU Independent Queer Filipinx Short Film Microcinema. Irene is also the founding producer of KITA Initiatives, an artistic collaborative that supports the creation, distribution, and exhibition of work by new voices emerging within the Filipino diaspora. Central to Irene’s mission in the film space are the principles of building community, fostering collaboration, and providing sustainable support for the various projects she champions.
Jingyi Shao
Jingyi Shao is a writer and director with experience in commercials, TV, and film. He began his career directing international ads for brands like Honda, Levi’s, and more. Transitioning to narrative projects, Shao has developed TV and film content for HBO, Amazon, and Netflix. He worked with Emmy-winning creator Lena Waithe on Boomerang and Twenties, and they collaborated again on Shao’s feature debut, Chang Can Dunk. The script placed 2nd on the 2020 Black List, and Variety named Shao to its 2023 Directors to Watch List for his work on the project.
Taylor Shung
Taylor Shung is a producer born and raised in New York City. She began her career in production, working with filmmakers and artists such as Kogonada, Kahlil Joseph, and The Daniels. Her most recent film credits include Celine Song’s Past Lives and Chloe Zhao’s Nomadland. As a producer, Shung has helped bring to the screen films by emerging filmmakers such as Zia Anger (My First Film), Hannah Peterson (The Graduates), and Olivia West Lloyd (Somewhere Quiet). Shung is a 2019 Sundance Creative Producing Fellow.
Jury for Excellence in Short Filmmaking – Documentary
![](https://www.asiancinevision.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/documentary-excellence-in-shorts-jurors-680x296.png)
From left to right: Pulkit Datta, Kitty Hu, Chithra Jeyaram
Pulkit Datta
Pulkit Datta is a producer, director, and film programmer based in New York. His films have screened at festivals such as Toronto, Tribeca, Atlanta, and more. Datta’s key credits include ISRAELISM, INVISIBLE, DO WE BELONG?, and the upcoming climate activism doc series VS. GOLIATH and fiction feature JERSEY BOY. Datta has been a Producing Fellow at the Center for Asian American Media as well as Impact Partners. He is active in the filmmaking community, establishing initiatives to nurture underrepresented talent, build alternative distribution strategies, and curate for film festivals.
Kitty Hu
Kitty Hu is a queer, Chinese documentary filmmaker. As the daughter of immigrants, Hu’s work amplifies character-driven stories that reflect the work of our social movements, exploring topics such as labor, housing, culture, migration, and climate. She recently directed the Emmy-nominated L.A. Rebellion: A Cinematic Movement (PBS Artbound) and produced Taste the Nation (Hulu), Wild Hope (PBS), Take Out (HBO Max), and America Outdoors (PBS). She is also a proud member of BGDM and A-Doc.
Chithra Jeyaram
Chithra Jeyaram is a physical-therapist-turned-filmmaker with an MFA in Film from the University of Texas at Austin. Her work dismantles stereotypes by centering narratives that illuminate the perspectives, struggles, and complexities of the most fundamental social unit: the family. Her upcoming film, Our Daughters, examines open adoption through immigrant eyes. Jeyaram is an alumna of Visions du Réel Rough Cut Lab, Chicken & Egg (Egg)celerator Lab, BGDM Artist Fellowship, Gotham Documentary Fellowship, and Jerome Foundation.
Excellence in Ones to Watch Youth Category
![](https://www.asiancinevision.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ones-to-watch-jurors-680x298.png)
From left to right: Wu-Ching Chang, David Tanh, Sen-I Yu
Wu-Ching Chang
Wu-Ching Chang, a world-class animation director with an MA from the Royal College of Art, serves as an adjunct assistant professor specializing in Communication Design at Shih Chien University, Taiwan. She also works as a judge at the FFTG Awards, and her globally screened films address women’s issues, modernity, and humanistic views through interviews and artistic practice. Her animated film, My Grandmother Is An Egg, won a Jury Special Mention at the Atlanta Film Festival and was selected for Animafest Zagreb and Flickerfest.
David Tanh
David Tanh serves as the Partnerships Director at the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival. A Teochew Chinese American and child of Cambodian refugees, he has a deep passion for storytelling. He has contributed to the Harvey Award-nominated Once Upon A Time Machine and the multiple Eisner and Harvey Award-winning Little Nemo: Dream Another Dream. Tanh is dedicated to promoting and preserving the visions and voices of AANHPI storytellers.
Sen-I Yu
Sen-I Yu is an award-winning filmmaker based in New York, originally from Taiwan. Her feature directorial debut, My Heavenly City, was selected for the 43rd Hawaii International Film Festival and was nominated for the NETPAC Award. The film had theatrical releases in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and limited releases in the United States, UK, and Canada, achieving $1.2 million at the box office. She serves as an assistant professor in Cinema Production at Ithaca College.
Jury for Excellence in Music Video
![](https://www.asiancinevision.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/music-video-jurors-680x225.png)
From left to right: Kenzo Le, James Mao, Alex Porat
Kenzo Le
Kenzo Le is an LA-based cinematographer and producer committed to creating intentional, meaningful work. As a first-generation Vietnamese-American, Le seeks to grow his community and foster the next generation. His visual style is sensory-driven, imaginative, and impressionistic. He is the founder and creative director of Crimson Edge, a film production company dedicated to uplifting underrepresented directors and communities through their distinct visual work. He has cultivated a love for narrative shorts and features, resulting in several distributions and features with CryptTV, LALIFF, and Outfest.
James Mao
James Mao, also known as Mamesjao, is a multifaceted artist, director, and creative director renowned for his work in music videos, multimedia campaigns, and visual art. Born in Shenzhen and raised between China, Canada, and the US, Mao’s bicultural background informs his unique aesthetic. He gained fame with innovative animated sequences for Western artists like Lil Uzi Vert and Kehlani, leading to collaborations with 88rising directing top Asian artists including Jackson Wang and (G)I-dle. Known for his edgy and experimental style, Mao continues to challenge traditional visual norms in the music video industry.
Alex Porat
Alex Porat is a magnetic force. She delivers lighthearted pop with serious skill, effortlessly combining memorable melodies with fresh electronic production and crystalline vocal delivery. She first gained a strong following by posting covers on YouTube. Now, with only a few years of solo releases under her belt, she has amassed over 120 million streams on DSPs, 1.1 million YouTube subscribers, and more than 200 million total YouTube views.
Sikay Tang Critical Lens Award
This year, we have created a special award, the Sikay Tang Critical Lens Award, to go to a filmmaker whose documentary explores complex issues with an innovative perspective. This Award is in honor of longtime ACV friend, filmmaker, and teacher, Sikay Tang, who passed away last year from cancer.
For more than 20 years, Sikay was a photographer and filmmaker, who also served as editor for numerous critically acclaimed features, short films, and television series. However, to us here in NYC, she was first and foremost a pillar of our Asian American creative community.
Born in Hong Kong and growing up in New York, themes of her work include belonging, acceptance, cultural identity, and the loving communities we create for ourselves. Sikay was one of ACV’s greatest friends and supporters, and we are so honored to share her with you at this year’s Festival.
Jury for Sikay Tang Critical Lens Award
![](https://www.asiancinevision.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/sikay-tang-jurors-680x224.png)
From left to right: Judy Doctoroff, Sam Pollard, Jean Tsien
Judy Doctoroff
Judy Doctoroff was privileged to work with Sikay Tang on multiple occasions. An award-winning executive producer with more than 30 years of experience, Judy most recently served as Managing Director of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism initiative committed to improved climate coverage.
Doctoroff also worked with Bill Moyers as President and Chief Operating Officer of Public Affairs Television, and played a critical role in the production of innovative and courageous works on subjects ranging from the politics and the environment to the role of the media in democracy to the world of ideas.
Sam Pollard
SAM POLLARD is an accomplished feature film and television video editor, and documentary producer/director. He has collaborated with Spike Lee on a number of films, including Four Little Girls and When The Levees Broke.
Since 2012, Mr. Pollard has completed a number of projects, including Slavery By Another Name (PBS), August Wilson: The Ground On Which I Stand (American Masters), and Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me (American Masters). In recent years, his work includes the series, Why We Hate (Discovery Channel) and Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children (HBO), and the film MLK/FBI.
Jean Tsien
Jean Tsien has worked in documentaries for 40 years as an editor, producer, and consultant. She was executive producer for PLASTIC CHINA (Golden Horse Award for Best Editing) and PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE (SXSW Grand Jury Award).
She has received Peabody Awards for her work on the PBS series ASIAN AMERICANS and the Emmy Award-winning 76 DAYS. Recent projects include FREE CHOL SOO LEE and HBO’s aka Mr. Chow. Jean is a recipient of numerous awards, including: the Art of Editing Mentorship Award (Sundance Institute); the Lifetime Achievement Award (DOC NYC); and the Luminary Award (Doc10).