The Asian World Film Festival is turning Culver City into a major hub for global cinema this November. With a carefully curated 2026 lineup spanning overlooked festival gems, Oscar submissions, documentaries, premieres, and regional spotlights, the event is making a strong case for why Asian storytelling deserves wider attention in Los Angeles and beyond.
Running from November 12 to 19 at the Culver Theatre, the festival’s newly announced Asian Vision and Focus On sections offer one of the most diverse programs on the international calendar. For film lovers interested in TV & Video, world cinema, and emerging directors, the Asian World Film Festival promises a week of discovery.
Asian World Film Festival spotlights overlooked films in Asian Vision
The standout centerpiece of this announcement is Asian Vision, a juried competition now in its third straight year. The section is designed to champion films that may have missed out on attention elsewhere, giving them a high-profile platform and a chance to compete for the Asian Vision Award.
That mission matters. In a crowded festival landscape, bold films from smaller industries or first-time filmmakers can easily be overshadowed. The Asian World Film Festival is positioning Asian Vision as a corrective, highlighting artistic merit over market noise.
Key films in the Asian Vision section
- No Good In Sight: A Story – a Kazakh neo-Western and debut feature from director Alibi Mukushev, screening as a North American premiere.
- Released – a Tibetan drama directed by Khabu, also a North American premiere, with the filmmaker set to appear for a post-screening Q&A.
- Dear You – a Chinese box office phenomenon directed by Lan Hongchun that reportedly turned a roughly $2 million budget into more than $285 million in China.
- Kurak – a Kyrgyz social drama from Emil Atageldijev and Erke Dzhumakmatova.
- I Wanna Be Your Lobster – a music-driven romance from Myanmar filmmaker Pyae Zaw Phyo.
- Bluefish – a gritty action drama directed by South Korea’s Lee Sang-hoon.
- Fear – a psychological drama from Apollinariia Degtiareva, a filmmaker based in Russia’s Sakha Republic.
This range alone shows why the Asian World Film Festival continues to stand out. The lineup moves from commercial breakout hits to intimate regional dramas, creating a program that reflects the scale and complexity of Asian cinema today.
Focus On sections widen the Asian World Film Festival lens
Beyond the competition, the festival’s Focus On program broadens the conversation by exploring cinema from specific countries and regions. This year, the sections include China, Japan, Palestine, Kyrgyzstan, South Korea, Taiwan, and a special ASEAN selection.
That structure gives the Asian World Film Festival a dual identity: it is both a discovery engine for underseen films and a curated showcase of national and regional film cultures.
Focus On China
China’s slate features Once Upon A Time In The Middle East, the country’s official Oscar submission for Best International Feature Film. It also includes the U.S. premiere of Peter Ho-sun Chan’s The Road Not Taken, which has been selected as the festival’s Closing Night Gala.
Focus On Palestine
One of the most politically and emotionally resonant strands, Focus On Palestine will present seven documentaries. Among the key titles are:
- Citizen Osama by Ahmed Hassouna, Palestine’s official Oscar submission
- Who Is Still Alive by Nicolas Wadimoff, submitted by Switzerland
- NAZA by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor
- American Doctor by Teng Poh Si
- Edward Said: Between Worlds by Maiken Baird
- Traces Of Home by Colette Ghunim
- Who Killed Alex Odeh? by Jason Osder and William Lafi Youmans
This documentary-heavy selection underscores how the Asian World Film Festival is also embracing cinema as a form of witness, memory, and cultural dialogue.
Focus On Taiwan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan and Korea
Taiwan’s program includes A Foggy Tale, directed by Chen Yu-hsun and selected as Taiwan’s Oscar submission, alongside three award-winning shorts. A Q&A with Chen and producers Yeh Ju-feng and Lee Lieh adds further appeal for festival audiences.
Japan will screen its Oscar submission All Of A Sudden, directed by Hamaguchi Ryūsuke, as well as the U.S. premiere of animated feature Chimney Town: Frozen In Time from Hirota Yusuke.
Kyrgyzstan’s focus includes Kassandra, directed by Bekzat Pirmatov, which will open the festival as a North American premiere, plus Sean McDonnell’s documentary Beyond The Silk Road.
Korea’s selection features Oscar entry Possible Love from Lee Chang-dong and the North American premiere of Choir Of God, directed by Kim Hyung-hyup.
Focus On ASEAN
Curated with Joanne Goh and the Malaysia International Film Festival, the ASEAN program gathers films from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Singapore. Highlights include:
- Phra Ruang: Rise Of The Empire from Thailand
- The Sandbox from Singapore
- Tears In Kuala Lumpur from Malaysia, screening as a U.S. premiere
This regional curation adds another valuable layer to the Asian World Film Festival, showing how Southeast Asian cinema is evolving across genres, budgets, and storytelling traditions.
Why this lineup matters for global cinema
The 2026 edition is not just another festival announcement. It reflects larger shifts in international film culture:
- Growing recognition of underrepresented national cinemas
- Stronger crossover potential for Asian titles in North America
- Increased festival demand for documentaries and socially engaged storytelling
- Rising visibility for Oscar submissions outside the usual European circuit
By combining premieres, award contenders, and hard-to-find films, the Asian World Film Festival is building a program that serves both serious cinephiles and curious mainstream viewers.
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Conclusion
The Asian World Film Festival is shaping up to be one of November’s most compelling film events, not simply because of its premieres, but because of its perspective. From Dear You and Kurak to Palestine’s documentary showcase and a robust ASEAN selection, the lineup highlights the astonishing breadth of filmmaking across Asia. For anyone tracking international cinema, awards season contenders, or new voices in TV & Video culture, the Asian World Film Festival is one to watch closely.
