The 24th New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) will open with the world premiere of Informant, starring Squid Game breakout Heo Sung-tae. The film’s director, Kim Seok, and Heo will attend the opening night screening on July 11.
The festival runs from July 11 to 27 at four venues across Manhattan. Organizers have announced a second wave of programming, adding over 50 films under the theme “Cinema as Disruption.”
Informant, a Korean action-comedy, sets the tone for what NYAFF calls “a radically inclusive lineup.” More than 50 filmmakers, actors, and industry professionals from Asia and the global diaspora will attend.
The star-studded guest list also includes Tadanobu Asano (Shōgun), attending the screening of Ravens; Taiwanese actress Vivian Sung (Our Times), for the Korean-Taiwanese co-production The Secret House; and Filipino star Sue Ramirez (The Kingdom), who will appear for the closing night film Flower Girl.
Eight films are nominated for the festival’s Uncaged Award for best feature film. They include Time to Be Strong by Namkoong Sun (South Korea), winner of the Jeonju 2024 Grand Prize; Green Wave by Xu Lei (China), winner of the Pingyao Jury Award; and Family Matters by Pan Ke-yin (Taiwan), which won Best Actor Ensemble at the Osaka Asian Film Festival.
Other nominees are Montages of a Modern Motherhood by Oliver Chan Siu-kuen (Hong Kong, North American premiere), Deep in the Mountain by Li Yongyi (China), Jinsei by Ryuya Suzuki (Japan, Annecy competitor), Travesty by Baatar Batsukh (Mongolia, Busan world premiere), and Skin of Youth by Ash Mayfair (Vietnam/Singapore, North American premiere).
The Uncaged Award jury includes actor Masumi (Yakuza Princess), veteran actor Tzi Ma (The Farewell), Hong Kong producer Michael Werner, actor Yao (#LookAtMe), and Thai filmmaker Banjong Pisanthanakun (Shutter).
Programming highlights include a Vietnam cinema night featuring the North American premiere of Skin of Youth and a panel discussion titled “Vietnam on Screen: Generations in Dialogue,” featuring Tony Bui (Three Seasons), entertainer Việt Hương, actor Kieu Chinh, and director Catherine Nguyen.
Other special programs include Queer Unbound, showcasing seven LGBTQ+ focused films; a Shanghai Animation Studio retrospective presenting 4K restorations of landmark Chinese animated films; and North Korean Cool, which explores the evolving portrayal of North Korean characters in popular culture.
“This completes our most ambitious program ever,” said Samuel Jamier, NYAFF executive director. “Eight breakthrough filmmakers competing for Uncaged, plus sidebars that reimagine what Asian cinema can be. This full-circle moment reminds us why NYAFF exists: to support bold artists before the world fully recognizes them — and to celebrate how far they’ve come.”
The festival will screen films at Film at Lincoln Center, SVA Theatre, Look Dine-In Cinemas W57, and the Korean Cultural Center NY. It is supported by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York, Thailand Creative Culture Agency, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, Fundstrat Global Advisors, and the Korean Cultural Center New York.
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