HAAPIFEST Guests Join Hello Houston to Spotlight AAPI Stories and Filmmaking in Houston
This week on Hello Houston, hosts Ernie Manouse, Frank Billingsley, and Celeste Díaz Schurman welcomed special guests Tengah Nguyen and Cecilia Pham from HAAPIFEST, alongside filmmaker Mỹ Trinh, director of the powerful short film It Is Now Tomorrow.
📺 Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex5qXslcA-k
📺 HAAPIFest is around 1:26:35 mark
The segment explored the mission of HAAPIFEST 2025—Houston’s premier Asian American and Pacific Islander film festival—and the vital role of storytelling in shaping cultural identity and visibility.
As HAAPIFEST gears up for its 21st season, running May 30–June 15, Tengah and Cecilia shared insights into the festival’s expanded programming, which includes over 150 AAPI films, filmmaker panels, live workshops, comedy showcases, and book talks. They also emphasized how HAAPIFEST continues to serve as a platform for underrepresented voices and a community hub for creatives, film lovers, and changemakers.
Filmmaker Mỹ Trinh joined the conversation to discuss her moving short film It Is Now Tomorrow, which screens as part of the festival's curated shorts lineup. Trinh reflected on her creative process, the personal themes behind the film, and the importance of creating art that speaks to intergenerational memory, identity, and transformation.
Whether you're a longtime supporter of independent film or simply curious about Houston's vibrant AAPI creative community, this conversation offers a meaningful look at the people and passion behind one of the city’s most inspiring cultural events.
🎧 Missed the episode? You can stream the full conversation on YouTube or catch the replay on News 88.7.
📺 Hello Houston streams live weekdays from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. CT on YouTube and airs live on Houston Public Media’s News 88.7.
🎟 To learn more about HAAPIFEST and get your festival passes, visit www.HAAPIFest.org/tickets
#HAAPIFEST2025 #HelloHouston #HoustonPublicMedia #AAPIHeritageMonth #ItIsNowTomorrow #SupportAAPIArtists #OurStoriesOnScreen