Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival (PAAFF)
PAAFF is dedicated to supporting and highlighting the experiences of Asian and Pacific Islander diaspora through creative community-focused programs. In addition to their film programs, this volunteer-run organization also presents supporting programming such as live performances, chef demonstrations, panels and lectures, and educational workshops during the festival and throughout the year.
No matter how niche the project, I’ve learned that every audience has its own language—both literally and figuratively. But what happens when you need to communicate across 2,300 different Asian languages? The Asian diaspora is vast, and I asked myself, how do we get a multilingual community excited about a film festival they might not understand or even feel connected to? The answer: by being truly inclusive.
Representation isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the foundation of authentic engagement. When people see themselves reflected in marketing, a connection is formed. But inclusion goes beyond simply placing diverse faces in visuals. It’s about making people feel seen, heard, and understood. And with a community as diverse as ours, there was no “one-size-fits-all” approach. Instead, we developed a strategy rooted in three key principles:
1. Lead with Empathy
To resonate with the community, we needed to acknowledge their lived experiences. That meant rethinking accessibility. If we featured a Khmer-language film, we didn’t expect audiences to travel across the city to see it—we brought it to them. By screening it in or near Cambodian neighborhoods—whether in a temple or a local restaurant—we transformed a simple viewing into a culturally familiar and safe experience.
2. Speak the Right Language—Literally & Figuratively
Language is powerful, and how we use it can either invite or alienate an audience. When promoting a Vietnamese film, we translated materials into Vietnamese. For Filipino-centric films, especially those touching on LGBTQ+ themes, we carefully considered the use of terms like “Filipinx,” ensuring our messaging was inclusive but also culturally sensitive.
3. Cross-Cultural Marketing: Build Bridges, Not Silos
Engagement shouldn’t exist in isolation. When showcasing a documentary about Blasians (individuals of Black and Asian heritage), we partnered with a youth poetry collective to perform before the screening, transforming a simple film event into an immersive “docu-theater” experience. To fill seats, we collaborated with organizations like BlackStar Film Festival and Philadelphia Asian Performing Artists, offering them free tickets in exchange for promotion within their networks—expanding our reach while building meaningful partnerships.
By establishing a brand voice rooted in representation and inclusivity, we didn’t just grow an audience—we built a movement. What started as a small community of cinephiles and volunteers evolved into the third-largest Asian film festival in the U.S. That’s the power of storytelling done right.
