Part of the 43rd Asian American International Film Festival
Presented by Asian CineVision in association with Asia Society

A selection of shorts that celebrates queer Asian storytelling and expression. From an Indian American drag performer’s fusion of cultural influences to a young trans artist’s impassioned manifesto, these poignant accounts—of queer love, joy, heartbreak, and resilience—explore what it means to “be gay as in queer and gay as in happy.”

SACH
Dir. Christian Francis. 14 mins
SACH looks at the Bay Area drag scene and appreciates its intersectionality and flavor.

GAY AS IN HAPPY: A QUEER ANTI-TRAGEDY
Dir. Jordana Valerie Allen-Shim. 4 mins
An award-winning experimental autoethnographical documentary about queer joy, resistance, and resilience in the face of abuse, trauma, and transphobia.

KEEP ME AT BAY (罅隙)
Dir. Jingyi Hu. 18 mins. 
After finding her father’s old coat in a storage box, Snow remembers the day he came home from military service and the childhood trauma that led her to emotional distance from others.

WERE YOU GAY IN HIGH SCHOOL?
Dir. Niki Ang. 13 mins. 
Two queer women recall their awkward, closeted high school days of kissing boys and straight girl crushes.

THINGS WE CARRY
Dir. Bo Yoon Ha. 18 mins. 
A closeted Korean woman returns home to a small fishing village for her father's funeral and uncovers a secret that reconnects her with her grandmother, a traditional deep sea diver.

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE RING (婚戒)
Dir. Yichi Chen. 30 mins
Though same-sex marriage is now legal in her hometown in Taiwan, Xin risks both her family and lover as she is forced to own up to her true feelings.

This film is available to stream from October 1-13, 2020. After your purchase, you will receive an email with a link to view the film. For more information and FAQ’s, please visit our How To Festival section.

The Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF) is proudly known as "The First Home to Asian American Cinema." Organized by Asian CineVision, it's the first and longest-running festival dedicated to showcasing the moving image work by media artists of Asian descent for and about the Asian diaspora experience.