The twenty fourth New York Asian Film Festival just recently ended. The theme this year was “Cinema as Disruption,” and it was all about films that challenge stereotypes, break traditions, and share bold new stories from across Asia. The festival was held at places like Film at Lincoln Center, SVA Theatre, LOOK Cinemas W57, and the Korean Cultural Center.

The opening film was Informant, a Korean thriller that had its world premiere at the festival. The event ended with Flower Girl, a fantasy comedy from the Philippines. It was cool how the festival mixed serious topics with fun, imaginative stories. It showed how Asian cinema has a huge range of styles and emotions.

NYAFF screened over 100 films this year, and more than 75 of them were premieres. Some were showing for the first time ever in the world, and others had their North American or U.S. premieres. There were a lot of films from Southeast Asia too, and a surprising number of the directors were women. That was great to see, since the film industry still doesn’t always give women equal chances.

One of the major parts of the festival was the Uncaged Award competition. Eight feature films competed, and each one focused on a different aspect of life, like family, identity, or grief. Some of the films that stood out were Deep in the Mountains from China, Family Matters from Taiwan, Jinsei from Japan, and Skin of Youth, which was made in both Vietnam and Singapore. These movies made people think and feel deeply, and a lot of them were directed by first-time filmmakers.

The festival also gave out special awards to honor actors and filmmakers. Ekin Cheng, a famous actor from Hong Kong, was recognized for his long and successful career. Lisa Lu, a Chinese-American actress, received both the Star Asia Vanguard Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award. There was also a Rising Star Asia Award given to Natalie Hsu, a talented young actress from Hong Kong.

One of the coolest parts of the festival was a panel called “Vietnam on Screen: Generations in Dialogue.” It was a discussion between different Vietnamese actors, directors, and scholars about how Vietnam is shown in films. The panel included people like Kiều Chinh, Việt Hương, and Nguyễn Lâm Thảo Tâm. After the discussion, they showed Skin of Youth, which connected really well with what they talked about.

NYAFF isn’t just about watching movies—it’s about understanding cultures, celebrating diversity, and encouraging new voices in film. It’s one of the most important events for Asian cinema in North America. The festival brings together stories that people might not otherwise get to see in regular theaters. It helps break down stereotypes and gives Asian and Asian-American filmmakers a chance to shine.

Overall, NYAFF 2025 was inspiring. It showed that cinema can be a powerful tool for change and expression. Whether the movies made people laugh, cry, or think, each one added something meaningful to the conversation. I hope more people, especially students like me, get to experience festivals like this and support diverse storytelling.