Pac-Arts kicks off the 27th annual San Diego Asian Film Festival (SDAFF) on Nov. 5. The festival will showcase nearly 200 films from 35 countries over the next 10 days.
SDAFF opens Thursday at the San Diego Natural History Museum with the animated film "In Waves." Then it moves to its home base of UltraStar Mission Valley Theaters at Hazard Center through Nov. 14, for the bulk of the films.
Artistic director Brian Hu has once again curated an amazing array of films, from animated Filipino superheroes to dancing yakuza, from documentaries on the streets of Seoul during martial law to a showcase of works from contemporary Asian masters.
Hu's bold programming will have something for everyone. But here are my top 10 picks.
Beth's top recommendations for SDAFF 2026
- Lav Diaz's "Let us Through, Dear Ancestors," from a Filipino film master.
- Mystery Kung Fu Theater with mystery guest — because nothing brings this level of joy and awe.
- Kore-eda's "Look Back," from one of our finest filmmakers.
- Lee Hsing's "Good Neighbors," a rare chance to see a restored 1962 Taiwanese classic.
- Bob Davis' "Just Like Me and You," a brilliant film with unique sound design and plenty of surprises.
- Makoto Ueda's "You are the Film," just delightful, clever and joyfully original.
- Sabu's "Arrested Memory," high-octane fun from a cult-favorite director.
- Herman Yau's "We're Nothing At All," for more Asian action.
- Rima Das' "Not a Hero," from the director of the fabulous "Village Rockstars."
- "The Seoul Guardians," from Kim Jong-Woo, Kim Shin-Wan and Cho Chul-Young, an intense documentary about the brief imposition of martial law in South Korea in 2024.
- Kevin B. Lee's "Afterlives," an experimental documentary that might not show up elsewhere.
- Charlotte Zhang's "Tycoon," more experimental filmmaking you may never see elsewhere — and always worth the gamble.
As always, I recommend just going to the festival and gambling on anything. A film festival is the perfect place to take risks, step out of your comfort zone and try something new.
