Asian World Film Festival Announces Honorees, Special Programs, and Screenings

11th Annual Event Showcases Leading Voices in Asian Cinema  Films to be Presented on Samsung Cinema LED Onyx  Runs Nov. 11-20 in Culver City

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) unveiled the details of the dynamic Focus on and Motion Arts programs. The festival also announced the recipients of its high-profile Snow Leopard and Bruce Lee honorary awards, along with a special screening and birthday celebration for renowned actress Lisa Lu. Featuring Oscar® contenders, regional standouts, and emerging talent from across Asia and the Asian and multiracial Asian diaspora, the 11th annual AWFF 2025 runs Nov. 11-20 at the Culver Theater in Culver City. Many filmmakers will participate in live Q&As following their screenings. Ticket information is available at: asianworldfilmfest.org/2025-festival-lineup.

"It's always inspiring to see the range of talent and storytelling represented at the Asian World Film Festival," said Georges N. Chamchoum, AWFF Executive Director. "With our 2025 program, we're proud to continue showcasing the richness and diversity of Asian filmmaking."

AWFF will present the Snow Leopard Lifetime Achievement Award to celebrated Hong Kong action and martial arts writer-director Daniel Lee (Yan-Kong Lee) ("The Climbers," "Three Kingdoms"); the Snow Leopard Outstanding Cinematic Achievement Award (Male) to leading South Korean actor-singer Lee Byung Hun ("No Other Choice," "KPop Demon Hunters"); the Snow Leopard Outstanding Cinematic Achievement Award (Female) to acclaimed Chinese American actress Lucy Liu ("Rosemead," "Kill Bill: Vol. 1"); and the Snow Leopard Rising Star Award to Taiwanese child star Nina Ye ("Left-Handed Girl," "Dead Talents Society").

Trailblazing American actor-martial artist Michael Jai White ("Black Dynamite," "The Dark Knight") will be honored with the Bruce Lee Award.

Cambodia, South Korea, Taiwan, and Kyrgyzstan will be highlighted in this year's Focus on series of programs, which celebrates the vibrant film industries of the four countries with feature-length and short film screenings. Park Chan-wook's "No Other Choice" (South Korea) opens the series.

Focus on's feature film roster includes the world premiere of "Sisterhood" (South Korea), directed by Yoon Eun-kyoung, and the international premiere of "The Favor" (South Korea), directed by Shin Joon. Among the other screenings are "Left-Handed Girl" (Taiwan), directed by Shih-Ching Tsou; "Tenement" (Cambodia), directed by Inrasothythep Neth and Sokyou Chea; and "Black Red Yellow" (Kyrgyzstan), directed by Aktan Abdykalykov--all official submissions for the Best International Feature Film Oscar. "From Island to Island" (Taiwan), directed by Kek Huat Lau, is an official submission for the Best Documentary Feature Film Oscar.

Anchoring the Focus on short film lineup are "Side A: My Summer Day" (Taiwan) from Wan Kin-Fai, which was submitted for Academy Award® consideration for Best Live Action Short Film, and "Returning Gods" (Cambodia), directed by Yoshiro Osaka, which was submitted for Academy Award consideration for Best Documentary Short Film. AWFF's full short film slate and jury will be announced shortly.

There will be a special screening of Chen Mei-juin's 2025 documentary "Lisa Lu Plays Herself," in which the legendary Chinese American actress reflects on her life through personal narration, interviews with renowned filmmakers and archival footage. The screening will be followed by a celebration of Lu's 98th birthday and her recent honor as the oldest actress to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in May 2025 (AWFF was a key supporter of this recognition). Lu will attend the commemoration.

Returning for its fourth edition, Motion Arts Day celebrates movement, creativity, and cultural harmony while promoting Los Angeles's thriving motion arts industry. The vibrant program will feature martial arts, combat sports, acrobatics, and ceremonial and street dance demonstrations, including dragon dance, lock dance, Kun Khmer, capoeira, hapkido, wire work, and fencing.

Bruce Lee Award recipient Michael Jai White, along with actors and stunt coordinators Philip Tan ("Inception," "Transformers"), Brandon H. Lee ("Cobra Kai," "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings") and Lewis Tan ("Mortal Kombat," "Deadpool & Wolverine") will be in attendance. Motion Arts Day is open to the public and takes place at the Culver City Town Plaza on Sunday, Nov. 16, from 1 to 4 p.m. 

Samsung Cinema LED Onyx joins AWFF as a first-time sponsor in support of the festival's mission to elevate and celebrate Asian cinema. All films, including Oscar and Golden Globe® submissions, will be screened at the Culver Theater, powered by the cutting-edge Samsung Onyx screen. As the world's first DCI-certified LED cinema display, Samsung Onyx delivers the vivid color, true black levels, and stunning clarity, ensuring filmmakers' artistic vision is presented exactly as intended.

In partnership with Samsung, AWFF will present "Redefining the Cinema Experience with Samsung Onyx," a special panel that brings together filmmakers from around the world to explore the future of the premium cinema experience.

AWFF 2025's full slate comprises must-see feature and short films from more than 30 Asian countries. Over 10 days, the festival will screen 73 feature-length and short films, including 23 official Oscar submissions for Best International Feature Film. The full AWFF lineup runs Nov. 11-20, 2025, at the Culver Theater in Culver City.

Asian World Film Festival Sponsors

Samsung Onyx; Emporium Thai; Jackson Market; New York Film Academy (NYFA); M Film Lab; Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles (KCCLA); Pechanga Resort Casino; Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA); Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles; Bruce Lee Foundation; My Personal Driver; WDA; The DCP Company

Focus on Programs

Focus on Cambodia

• "Tenement" - psychological horror-thriller, Inrasothythep Neth and Sokyou Chea, directors
• "Loot: A Story of Crime and Redemption" – investigative documentary, Don Millar, director
• "Returning Gods" (short) – Yoshiro Osaka, director

Focus on Kyrgyzstan

• "Black Red Yellow" – family drama, Aktan Abdykalykov, director
• "Long Way to the Pasture" (short) – documentary, Ilgiz Sher-Niyaz Tursunbekov uulu, director

Focus on Taiwan

• "Left-Handed Girl" – family drama, Shih-Ching Tsou, director
• "From Island to Island" – war documentary, Kek Huat Lau, director
• "Marching Boys" - coming-of-age drama, Chiang Jui-chih, director
• "Side A: My Summer Day" (short) – family drama, Wan Kin-Fai, director

Focus on Korea

• "No Other Choice" – comedy thriller, Park Chan-wook, director
• "Family Secrets" – family drama, Lee Sang-hoon, director
• "The Favor" – horror mystery, Shin Joon, director
• "Sisterhood" – mystery thriller, Yoon Eun-kyoung, director
• "Ggachi" (short) – social justice drama, Andrew Oh, director (screening in competition)

Asian World Film Festival  Sponsors 

Samsung Onyx; Emporium Thai; Jackson Market; New York Film Academy (NYFA); M Film Lab; Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles (KCCLA); Pechanga Resort Casino; Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA); Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles; Bruce Lee Foundation; My Personal Driver; WDA; The DCP Company

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SOURCE Asian World Film Festival