It’s official: the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival has been pushed back due to COVID-19.
Despite earlier reassurances that the LAAPFF would proceed as planned, the festival has been postponed from its original dates of April 30 through May 8 to an undetermined date later this year. This would have marked the 36th year of the festival, which showcases and celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander talent in filmmaking. Following the cancellation of South by Southwest and the postponement of the Cannes Film Festival, this announcement came as no surprise to many audiences.
Francis Cullado, executive director of Visual Communications, the nonprofit that organizes the film festival, announced the postponement on March 19. In the meantime, the LAAPFF is offering a virtual showcase to take place online throughout the month of May. Despite these shifts, Cullado maintains that the spirit of the festival remains unchanged. “With all the developments, we will be postponing the festival to later in the year,” Cullado says. “We will have the same intention of celebrating the filmmakers and artists, in addition to bringing our communities together.” He also acknowledges the logistical difficulties that the organizers anticipate because many of the films that were slated to premiere at the festival will continue with their scheduled releases later in May. However, Cullado goes on to explain why the LAAPFF is more essential than ever in these difficult times. “Especially with COVID-19 and anti-Asian sentiments, it’s an important time to celebrate and champion our stories.”
This article appeared in “Character Media”’s April/May 2020 issue. Check out our current e-magazine here.
