NEW YORK, NY (June 18, 2025) — The New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) and Film at Lincoln Center today unveil the final wave of programming for its bold and boundary-pushing 24th edition, adding 50+ films to an already explosive lineup. NYAFF 2025 runs July 11–27 across four venues in Manhattan and champions one unifying theme: Cinema as Disruption.

Following last week’s first wave announcement, this second reveal includes the Uncaged Award competition, a historic Vietnam Cinema Night celebration, and provocative sidebars that challenge every assumption about Asian cinema.

Since 2002, NYAFF has served as North America’s premier showcase for Asian film, spotlighting the next generation of cinematic voices. It has introduced audiences to future icons—from early Bong Joon Ho to the Thai horror revolution—and continues to define the cultural moment.

“This completes our most ambitious program ever,” says Samuel Jamier, NYAFF Executive Director. “Eight breakthrough filmmakers competing for Uncaged, plus sidebars that reimagine what Asian cinema can be. This full-circle moment reminds us why NYAFF exists: to support bold artists before the world fully recognizes them—and to celebrate how far they’ve come.”

This year’s festival opens with a bang: the Opening Night world premiere of Informant, a riotous Korean action-comedy that sets the tone for a radically inclusive lineup. Director Kim Seok will attend the premiere alongside actor Heo Sung-tae, internationally recognized for his memorable role in Squid Game. Highlights from this second wave also include Ravens with Tadanobu Asano (Shōgun) in attendance, plus standout Taiwan and Thailand programs featuring the 4K restoration of horror classic Shutter and Thailand’s Attack 13 with the cast and director in attendance.

Also announced: a special Vietnam Cinema Night, along with new spotlights such as Queer Unbound, the Shanghai Animation Studio Retrospective, and North Korean Cool—a sidebar reframing the role of North Korean characters in popular storytelling. The festival will also welcome an exciting roster of guests from across Asia and the global diaspora.

Completing this second announcement is the full 100+ lineup of the festival and its signature competitive section Uncaged Award for Best Feature Film Competition, celebrating visionary filmmakers who challenge cinematic conventions. This year’s competition continues to spotlight emerging filmmakers who embody the festival’s 2025 theme, Cinema as Disruption. Eight features—ranging from genre-defying debuts to award-winning breakthroughs—have been nominated for the prize.

The 2025 Uncaged Award nominees are:

● Time to Be Strong (힘을 낼 시간) – Namkoong Sun, South Korea (Jeonju 2024 Grand Prize)
● Green Wave (前程似锦) – Xu Lei, China (Pingyao Jury Award)
● Family Matters (我家的事) – Pan Ke-yin, Taiwan (Osaka Asian Film Fest – joint Best Actor ensemble)
● Montages of a Modern Motherhood (虎毒不) – Oliver Chan Siu-kuen, Hong Kong (North American Premiere)
● Deep in the Mountain (如意饭店) – Li Yongyi, China (directorial debut of award‑winning editor)
● Jinsei – Ryuya Suzuki, Japan (Solo‑animated feature, Annecy competitor)
● Travesty – Baatar Batsukh, Mongolia (Busan world premiere)
● Skin of Youth (Ồn Ào Tuổi Trẻ) – Ash Mayfair, Vietnam/Singapore (North American Premiere)

All competition directors are expected to attend for Q&As and the festival’s Closing Night Awards Ceremony on July 27.

The festival is presented with major support from the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York (HKETONY), Thailand Creative Culture Agency (THACCA), Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, Fundstrat Global Advisors, and the Korean Cultural Center New York (KCCNY), with additional support from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). Their partnership helps amplify some of the most vital and dynamic voices in Asian cinema today.

UNCAGED AWARD JURY

● MASUMI – Japanese-American actress and former singer-songwriter. Known for her lead role in Yakuza Princess (2021) and as Fujibayashi Naoe in Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2025).
● Tzi Ma – Veteran actor (The Farewell, Kung Fu, Interior Chinatown). NY-born, Hong Kong–raised industry icon and longtime advocate for Asian American storytelling.
● Michael Werner – Hong Kong-based producer and consultant. Former co-chair of Fortissimo Films. Recent works include All Shall Be Well (Berlinale 2024) and Sunny Side of the Street (Golden Horse winner).
● Yao – Actor of Chinese and Filipino descent, known for his breakout role in #LookAtMe (NYAFF 2022 Best Performance winner) and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners (2025). NYAFF alum and Yale-trained performer.
● Banjong Pisanthanakun – Thai filmmaker and genre pioneer. Director of Shutter (2004), Pee Mak (Thailand’s highest-grossing film), and The Medium (2021), Thailand’s Oscar entry.

SHORTS JURY

● Patrick Chen – Chinese-American director known for A Father’s Son (2022), Chen is a former board member of the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival.
● Aimee Long – Director and producer, raised in Paris, Beijing, and San Francisco, Aimee is best known for A Shot Through The Wall (2021).
● Bradley Tangonan – Hawai’i Born Filipino-American Tangonan is best known for his award-winning intersectional visual narratives, including Wilder Palms (2017) and River Of Small Gods (2023).
● Kirsten Tan – Singaporean director and screenwriter Tan is best known for her feature premiere, Sundance Award winner Pop Aye (2017).
● Joey Carranza – Festival & Exhibitions Director at Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival, Carranza is a New York City-based community builder and festival director.

Special Programming Spotlights

● Vietnam Cinema Night: Featuring the North American premiere of Skin of Youth and a panel with Tony Bui (Three Seasons, Columbia University), iconic entertainer Việt Hương, legendary actress Kieu Chinh, and rising director Catherine Nguyen: “Vietnam on Screen: Generations in Dialogue.”
● Queer Unbound: Featuring seven LGBTQ+ focused films including Bel Ami, Skin of Youth, and Sylvia Chang–starrer Daughter’s Daughter.
● Shanghai Animation Studio Retrospective: 4K restorations of landmark Chinese animated films, and brand-new feature A Story About Fire.
● NYAFF Rediscoveries: A series of restored titles, including the 2K restoration of Taiwanese classic Gorgeous.
● Horrorscope: East Asia’s dark side, featuring eight chilling films including the Hong Kong zombie horror Possession Street and hit Japanese creeper Dollhouse.
● North Korean Cool: An action-focused sidebar on how North Korean characters have become slick operatives, tragic heroes, and sharp-edged mirrors of South Korean fears, fantasies, and politics.

More than 50 filmmakers, actors, and industry professionals will attend NYAFF 2025, including directors and cast members from across the festival lineup. A complete guest list is available at nyaff.org.

Guest Highlights

● Taiwanese star Vivian Sung (Our Times, Take Me To The Moon) will be in attendance with her latest, Korean-Taiwanese co-production The Secret House.
● Korean action star Heo Sung-tae (Squid Game) will be in attendance for the Opening Night film Informant.
● Filipino sensation Sue Ramirez (The Kingdom) will be in attendance for the Closing Night film Flower Girl.
● Japanese superstar Tadanobu Asano (Shōgun) will be in attendance for Masahisa Fukase’s biopic Ravens.

Tickets for the 24th New York Asian Film Festival go on sale Wednesday, June 18 at 2:00 pm ET, with early access for FLC and NYAFF Members beginning at 12:00 pm ET. Tickets are $19; $16 for students, seniors (62+), and persons with disabilities; and $14 for FLC and NYAFF Members. See more at FLC and save with a 3+ Film Package: $17 for the General Public; $14 for students, seniors, and persons with disabilities; and $12 for Members. Note: Opening Night and premium screenings are excluded.

Premium screenings at Film at Lincoln Center, including Opening Night film Informant, Last Song for You, and Ravens, are $25 for General Public and $20 for FLC Members, students, seniors, and persons with disabilities. Those who wish to attend the Opening Night screening and the Night Market can get tickets for $50 for the General Public and $40 for FLC Members, students, seniors, and persons with disabilities.

For Opening Gala tickets, visit galabid.com/nyaffgala2025.

For complete pricing details and additional information, visit filmlinc.org and nyaff.org.

FULL LINEUP: 78 feature films, 28 short films, 43 Screenings at FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER)
Please note the program is still subject to change.
Films marked with ** will screen at Film at Lincoln Center.

Celebrating its 24th edition in 2025, the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) is North America’s leading festival of Asian cinema. It was called “the best film festival in New York” by The Village Voice and “arguably the world’s best-curated program of new and classic Asian cinema” by IndieWire. Launched in 2002, the festival showcases a wildly diverse lineup of singular titles each year, ranging from mainstream blockbusters and art-house eccentricities to genre and cult classics. It was the first North American film festival to champion the works of Johnnie To, Bong Joon Ho, Park Chan-wook, Takashi Miike, and other auteurs of contemporary Asian cinema. Notable festival guests have included Lee Byung-hun, Ryoo Seung-wan, Masami Nagasawa, Sammo Hung, Lee Jung-jae, and Jackie Chan. Since 2010, NYAFF has been produced in collaboration with Film at Lincoln Center.

#NYAFF2025: Where Asian Cinema Gets Dangerous

Full lineup and updates: nyaff.org Follow: @nyaff on Instagram, X, and Facebook for guest announcements and exclusive content.

Press Contact: Diana Choi, diana.choi@nyaff.org
(Viewing links for key films are available by request.)

This summer, NYAFF isn’t following the conversation. It is the conversation.

NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FOUNDATION
The New York Asian Film Foundation Inc. is America’s premier 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the exhibition and appreciation of Asian film culture in all its forms, with year-round festivals and programs, and a view to building bridges between Asia and America.

The New York Asian Film Foundation’s flagship event is the annual New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF), which has been presented in collaboration with Film at Lincoln Center since 2010. Now celebrating its 24th year, NYAFF is North America’s leading festival of Asian cinema.

The foundation’s other events and initiatives include special screening events and an annual Winter Showcase at the SVA Theatre.

The New York Asian Film Festival, a program of the New York Asian Film Foundation, is made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.

FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER
Film at Lincoln Center (FLC) is a nonprofit organization that celebrates cinema as an essential art form and fosters a vibrant home for film culture to thrive. FLC presents premier film festivals, retrospectives, new releases, and restorations year-round in state-of-the-art theaters at New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. FLC offers audiences the opportunity to discover works from established and emerging directors from around the world with a passionate community of film lovers at marquee events, including the New York Film Festival and New Directors/New Films.

Founded in 1969, FLC is committed to preserving the excitement of the theatrical experience for all audiences, advancing high-quality film journalism through the publication of Film Comment, cultivating the next generation of film industry professionals through our FLC Academies, and enriching the lives of all who engage with our programs.

Rolex is the Official Partner and Exclusive Timepiece of Film at Lincoln Center.

Film at Lincoln Center receives generous, year-round support from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. American Airlines is the Official Airline of Film at Lincoln Center. For more information, visit filmlinc.org and follow @filmlinc on X, Instagram, and Bluesky.