Film Forum

Celebrating its 25th edition in 2026, 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.

After studying at the Department of Communications at Baptist College, Stanley Kwan joined Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) as an acting trainee but soon moved to the production department. In the early 1980s, he was an assistant to several directors who launched the first New Wave of Hong Kong cinema, including Ann Hui, Yim Ho, and Patrick Tam. In 1985, he directed his debut feature film, WOMEN and his second film, LOVE UNTO WASTE (1986), was selected for competition at the Locarno Film Festival, then a rare honor for a Hong Kong director. His third feature, ROUGE (1987), created a box office miracle among non-action films and attracted a substantial international audience. A few years later, CENTER STAGE (1991) made it to the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival and won a Golden Bear for Maggie Cheung (Best Actress). In 1997, HOLD YOU TIGHT won the Alfred Bauer Prize for Innovation and the Teddy Award for Best Lesbian/Gay Film, at the Berlinale. Kwan has played a pioneering role in the Second New Wave of Hong Kong cinema, his feature films have become art-house classics and in recent years, he has continued directing short films, three documentaries, and a short play staged in Hong Kong and London. Over the past two decades, Kwan has actively supported younger directors and has built a reputation as a dedicated mentor to students at the City University of Hong Kong.

Samuel Jamier has a background in cultural programming including the Japan Society, Korea Society, and the French Embassy. Moving to New York City from Paris in 2002, he served as a Chargé de mission for the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, as head of its literary program. At the Korea Society, he designed and executed programming initiatives spanning foreign policy and corporate symposia, to Korean cinema and traditional performing arts. As senior film programmer at Japan Society, he was responsible for the entire program of film series and festivals, including the acclaimed Japan Cuts festival.

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