CAAMFest 44 — Asian American Film Festival

CAAMFest is back in San Francisco this week, and the real news is that it is not just another film lineup dump. The 44th edition runs May 7 through May 10, and it is planting itself squarely in Japantown with AMC Kabuki as the main hub. That matters because festivals like this are never only about what is on screen. They are also about where a community physically gathers — and this year CAAM is leaning hard into that. (caamfest.com) ### What is CAAMFest, exactly? CAAMFest is the annual festival run by the Center for Asian American Media, and in 2026 it is marking its 44th year. CAAM describes it as a leading showcase for films from Asian America and beyond, but the practical version is simpler: a long weekend of movies, shorts, documentaries, industry conversations, and gala events built around Asian American and Pacific diaspora storytelling. (caamfest.com) ### What changed this year? The big thing is the return to an in-person, place-based festival centered on San Francisco Japantown. AMC Kabuki is doing most of the heavy lifting, with other events at spots like the Asian Art Museum, New People Cinema, KOHO Creative Hub, and Koret Auditorium. Basically, the festival is being organized as a neighborhood experience, not just a scattered set of screenings. (caamfest.com) ### When does it actually start? The festival opens Thursday, May 7, 2026. The first day includes an industry event at KOHO Creative Hub, then Opening Night: *The A List: 15 Stories From Asian and Pacific Diasporas* at AMC Kabuki, followed by an Opening Night Gala at the Asian Art Museum. So if you are thinking “festival weekend,” that is true — but the kickoff is Thursday night, not Friday. (caamfest.com) ### What does the lineup look like? It is a packed four-day schedule. Friday brings centerpiece screenings like *The Gas Station Attendant* and *Forge*. Saturday is the busiest day, with documentaries, narrative films, and shorts running from late morning into the night — titles include *Honeyjoon*, *Another World*, *The Dao of Thao*, *Breaking the Code*, *Jersey Boy*, and *Mabuhay*. (caamfest.com)re*, and the closing-night documentary *Traces of Home*. (caamfest.com) ### Why does AMC Kabuki matter so much? Because festivals need an anchor. A central venue makes the whole thing feel less like a to-do list and more like an event people can actually inhabit. Kabuki sits in Japantown, which gives CAAMFest a built-in social geography — people can watch a film, spill into the neighborhood, grab food, and come back for another screening. That sounds sma(caamfest.com) and community presence. This is an inference from the venue layout and festival design. (caamfest.com) ### Is this just a Bay Area event? No — but the Bay Area is clearly the center of gravity. CAAMFest has national standing, and outside coverage this week has framed it as one of San Francisco’s long-running, nationally recognized film festivals. At the same time, the local angle is doing real work here. The festival is using San Francisco’s history as an Asian American cultural hub as part of the event itself, not just as backdrop. (caamedia.org) ### What is the scale this year? CAAM says the 2026 edition features more than 60 films. That is enough to make the program feel broad without turning it into an industry market where ordinary attendees get lost. The schedule mixes documentaries, narratives, shorts, and side programming, which means the festival is still trying to be a cultural gathering first and a trade event second. (caamedia.org) ### So what is the bottom line? CAAMFest 44 is a film festival, yes. But this week it is also a statement about where Asian American cultural life gets to be visible — on screens, in theaters, and in a neighborhood that can hold the whole thing together. (caamfest.com)