Texas Filmmakers Showcase Part 1 – Celebrates Local AAPI Voices
Everything is bigger in Texas—including the stories. At HAAPIFEST 2025, the Texas Filmmakers Showcase Part 1 highlights emerging AAPI talent from the Lone Star State. These bold, funny, heartfelt short films reflect the diversity of life, identity, and culture, right here at home.
From intergenerational humor to culinary love, neighborhood nostalgia to emotional depth—this showcase proves that Texas is fertile ground for fresh, impactful AAPI filmmaking.
📅 June 7 @ 2:30 PM
📍 DoubleTree by Hilton – 10609 Westpark Dr, Houston, TX 77042
🎟️ Get tickets/passes: haapifest.org/tickets
🌟 Featured Short Films:
🍲 “Halmoni’s Pot” (Grandma’s Pot)
📽️ Director: A. Lauren Lee
🕒 10 minutes
When her grandson asks for pot (yes, that kind), Grandma Mee-Yung doesn’t hesitate to help—but paying full price? Never. This short comedy offers a hilarious spin on cultural pride, family loyalty, and modern dilemmas.
🌶️ Spice King
📽️ Director: Ashish Pabari
🕒 20 minutes
In the vibrant South Asian community of Houston, a young man’s coming-of-age is seasoned with generational conflict, culinary rivalry, and the struggle to find one’s true flavor in life.
🏪 Closing Time
📽️ Director: Sherwin Lau
🕒 20 minutes
Through the lens of his immigrant parents' retirement, a filmmaker reflects on sacrifice, dreams, and legacy in this poignant documentary about a Hong Kong family who built a new life in America.
💔 A Hurt Like Mine
📽️ Director: Kahea Kiwaha
🕒 15 minutes
In a women’s shelter, young Keoki struggles with the emotional aftermath of domestic violence while an otherworldly presence forces him to confront buried fears and seek healing beyond survival.
🔪 Slice of Life
📽️ Directors: Emma Nebeker & Emma Chai
🕒 6 minutes
In a wildly imaginative animated thriller, a rookie vegetable rescuer braves a dangerous night market after a failed mission—full of dark humor, fast-paced action, and unexpected twists.
🎟️ Support Texas-grown AAPI stories and the next generation of storytellers!
🎬 Don’t miss this exclusive showcase at HAAPIFEST 2025.
🎫 Reserve your tickets: haapifest.org/tickets
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