CAAMFest 2026 Spotlights Independent Filmmaking and Unexpected Stories From Asian America
SAN FRANCISCO, April 2, 2026 — CAAMFest is returning for its 44th year, May 7-10, 2026, featuring over 60 films that capture the current zeitgeist of Asian American communities. The festival’s completely in-person screenings, panel discussions, and other programs will be centered around the AMC Kabuki in San Francisco Japantown, highlighting the city’s long history as a hub for Asian American community building with national impact.
“After 2025, a year of historic challenges and change for the media, 2026 is shaping up as a time of renewed vigor for Asian American independent storytellers,” says CAAM Executive Director Donald Young. “The energy of the future is palpable. CAAMFest 2026 in many ways returns us to our roots, with an ethos that is scrappy, inspired, and full of attitude.”
This year’s festival also includes five World Premiere films and an increased focus on showcasing documentaries funded or produced by the San Francisco-based Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), which produces CAAMFest. Opening Night will begin at the AMC Kabuki Theater with an advance screening of the documentary feature The A-List: 15 Stories from Asian and Pacific Diasporas. Following the film, CAAM will host a Gala at the Asian Art Museum featuring tastes of the most talked about Asian American food and beverages in the Bay Area.
Along with the film screenings, CAAMFest also includes the Filmmaker Summit and Industry Hub, a free event attracting filmmakers from around the nation to discuss the topics facing independent creatives who are focused on undertold stories.
“CAAM doesn’t just showcase Asian American stories, we also play an integral role in the pipeline of unique stories that reflect the experiences of our communities,” says CAAM Talent Development and Special Projects Director Sapana Sakya. “We’re proud to screen 19 CAAM supported documentaries in this year’s festival.”
Across the over 60 films that will be shown at this year’s festival, thematic throughlines are emerging.
“Each feature film that we programmed included characters that were morally conflicted, went against the grain, and shook the status quo,” says CAAMFest Program Manager Dino-Ray Ramos. “The stories featured flawed people that defied the model minority myth and subverted stereotypical ‘good Asian’ behavior. Along with similarly themed and defiant documentaries, we were subconsciously building a program of bad Asians causing good trouble.”