The Charlotte Asian Film Festival celebrates its fourth edition on Saturday, August 29, 2026, from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm at the Independent Picture House (IPH). Among the screenings is Emmy® Award-winning director Eugene Yi’s HBO special, The A List: 15 Stories from Asian and Pacific Diasporas. Yi will be at the festival for an in-person Q&A during the screening, 12:30–2:45 pm.

In addition to celebrating the richness and diversity of Asian and Asian American stories, this year's festival will also feature a special community conversation exploring Asian mental health and media representation, bringing together filmmakers, advocates, and community leaders to discuss how storytelling can reduce stigma, foster understanding, and create meaningful change. There will be an after-party outside of IPH at the conclusion of the festival.

charlotteasianfilmfestival.org

Schedule
(Subject to change)

Events in large theater in blue
Events in small theater in green

10:20 am
Colonel Kalsi

11:00 am
Award Presentation: Anand

The Fickle
Fireflies
Obscura
Tumpengan (One Dish Short)
Depression
The Places We Cannot Return
The Tinkerer
That Night
Back Home

11:10 am
Asian Media + Mental Health Panel Discussion

12:00 pm
Lunch

12:30 pm
Wee Dance Performances

12:45 pm
The A List

1:15 pm
Let Me Be Your Cover
Same Star Above Us
First Move

2:25 pm
The A List Q&A

3:00 pm    
Ladybeetle
Inverted
An Air of Khair
Sea Song
Between Seasons
At Your Age
The Pleasure Dome
Pauwi
Compost Pizza
Lily’s Menu
Metro
The Valley Buzz
Just Another Sweet Night
This story ends with you
The Permanent Guest
Rice & Mangoes
Our Mother Mary

6:30 pm
Awards
A Love Before Time, from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Monica Yi, Chinese Jazz Vocalist

Acknowledgments
Award WInners
Audience Awards

7:30 pm
After Party (Courtyard)

The Charlotte Asian Film Festival is presented by the Carolinas Asian American Chamber of Commerce (CAACC) and the Asian American Foundation for the Carolinas (AAFC). The festival is made possible through the generous support of the City of Charlotte Creative Growth Grant, Barings, the Arts & Science Council Venue Grant, and Independent Picture House, with community partnerships from Charlotte Film Society, Charlotte Is Creative, CLT Asian Eats, CLTure, Civility Localized, Fifth Third Bank, MAYA Studios, Mint Hill Marketing, NAMI Charlotte, Rebrand Media Agency, Saathee Magazine, Social Media Club Charlotte, and Tarang.

Charlotte Asian Film Festival
Saturday, August 29, 2026
10:00 am–8:00 pm
Independent Picture House
4237 Raleigh Street
Charlotte, NC 28213
charlotteasianfilmfestival.org

PHOTO: JO HAYES IMAGES