HAAPIFEST EVENTS
BOOK TALK: NOT YOUR CHINA DOLL
(MAY 31, 2025)
Whether you're a book lover, history buff, film fan, or passionate about Asian American representation, the Not Your China Doll Book Talk with Katie Gee Salisbury is a must-attend event.
✅ Live Q&A Session
✅ Book Signing & Meet and Greet
✅ Celebrate AAPI Heritage and Legacy
Discover the Remarkable Story of Anna May Wong — Hollywood’s First Asian American Movie Star! From the glittering Jazz Age to global fame, Not Your China Doll reclaims the legacy of an unsung trailblazer who defied stereotypes and reshaped Asian American representation in film.
Date: May 31, 2025
Time: 12 PM
Location: DoubleTree by Hilton, 10609 Westpark Dr, Houston, TX
LUNCH & LEARN: STORY DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP (JUNE 7, 2025)
Ready to bring your stories to life? Join us for Lunch & Learn: Story Development Workshop with Marcos James at HAAPIFest!
📅 Saturday, June 7 | ⏰ 10 AM – 2 PM
📍 DoubleTree by Hilton, Houston
In this 3.5-hour workshop, you’ll:
✅ Create 3 story loglines
✅ Build a full three-act structure
✅ Grow your creative network
No script needed — just bring your imagination, a laptop, and writing software like Google Docs!
🎟️ Space is limited. Reserve your seat today at www.haapifest.org/tickets!
SHARING ALOHA
(JUNE 7, 2025)
Sharing Aloha is more than a film — it’s a journey through the eyes of young Polynesian performers who travel from across the Pacific to study at BYU–Hawaiʻi and perform at the Polynesian Cultural Center. With stories of sacrifice, faith, and cultural pride, the documentary paints a vivid portrait of what it means to “share aloha” on a global stage.
From groundbreaking fire knife dancer Jeri Galea’i to Fijian-born student Jimmy Keen, the film captures moments of vulnerability, strength, and the deep-rooted cultural values that guide these young individuals toward brighter futures.
This Houston premiere is a must-see for families, students, educators, and cultural advocates.
Date: June 7, 2025
Time: 4 PM
Location: DoubleTree by Hilton, 10609 Westpark Dr, Houston, TX
PAST EVENTS
MEET WITH HUDSON YANG (MAY 2, 2025)
Join actor and food show host Hudson Yang for a chill afternoon at Mèo Bar!
In celebration of APA Heritage Month, we'll spotlight his Houston episode of Crash Course Cuisine, chat about his latest projects, and connect with fans over good food and good vibes.
Hudson Yang rose to fame as the star of ABC’s Fresh Off the Boat, becoming one of the youngest Asian American actors to lead a network sitcom. Today, he continues to champion AAPI voices as a food show host on Crash Course Cuisine, where he explores stories through culture and cuisine.
📅 Saturday, May 3, 2-4pm
📍 Mèo Bar, 1848 Airline Dr.
HAAPIFest to Host Special Community Screening of The Wedding Banquet Ahead of National Theatrical Release
HAAPIFest (Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival) is proud to present an exclusive early screening of The Wedding Banquet, a new feature film from award-winning director Andrew Ahn, on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at Regal Edwards Greenway Grand Palace.
This special community screening, hosted in partnership with Tremendous Communications and Bleecker Street, offers Houston audiences a first look at one of the year’s most anticipated independent films just days before its nationwide theatrical release on April 18.
A reimagining of Ang Lee’s 1993 breakthrough romantic comedy of the same name, The Wedding Banquet is a contemporary story that centers on chosen family, cultural identity, and the evolving meaning of marriage and parenthood in the LGBTQ+ community.
The film stars Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live, Fire Island), Academy Award nominee Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon), Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars, Raya and the Last Dragon), Han Gi-Chan (in his English-language feature debut), Joan Chen, and Academy Award winner Youn Yuh-Jung (Minari).
“This is not just a remake,” says Ahn. “It’s a reflection of where we are today — as queer people, as immigrants, as families redefining what love and legacy look like.”
THE WEDDING BANQUET
DRAMA & COMEDY | ENGLISH, KOREAN, MADARIN | 103 MINS
In this version of the story, Min, a closeted Korean heir whose U.S. visa is about to expire, offers to marry his friend Angela in exchange for funding her partner’s IVF treatment. But plans for a quiet elopement spiral out of control when Min’s traditional grandmother arrives from Korea and insists on throwing a full-scale wedding banquet. The result is a warm, chaotic, and moving comedy that explores identity, belonging, and the messiness of family — both blood and chosen.
Bowen Yang and Han Gi-Chan in THE WEDDING BANQUET (credit Luka Cyprian Bleecker Street)
Han Gi-Chan, Youn Yuh-Jung and Kelly Marie Tran in THE WEDDING BANQUET (credit Luka Cyprian Bleecker Street)
Lily Gladstone and Kelly Marie Tran in THE WEDDING BANQUET ( credit Luka Cyprian Bleecker Street)
The film had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it was widely praised for its nuanced performances and heartfelt direction. It has since gained attention for offering a rare mainstream platform for intersectional Asian American and LGBTQ+ representation.