Asian Independent Cinema Showcase

The Asian Independent Cinema Showcase (AICS) is a UBC-based film festival that aims to foster a film appreciation community within and beyond the university; cultivate media literacy and cross-cultural understanding; and give voices to independent stories told by Asian filmmakers. Broadly speaking, an “independent film” is considered to be a creative work produced outside big or mainstream studios. Through the lens of independent cinemas, the AICS is committed to serve as a participatory platform for publication and dialogue between independent storytellers, underrepresented groups, cultural practitioners, emerging talents, academics, students, and members of the public.

The UBC AICS is co-convened and co-curated by Dr. Helena Wu, Canada Research Chair in Hong Kong Studies and Assistant Professor of the Department of Asian Studies at UBC, and Jimmy Lo, an award-winning filmmaker and film educator who is also a UBC alumnus (MFA in Film Production ’24).

Stay tuned for upcoming screening events by following AICS Instagram.

Support our work by making a gift to UBC.

[Updated: 25 Apr 2025]

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Asian Independent Cinema Showcase 2025

Opening Film
Vancouver Premiere of KISSING THE GROUND YOU WALKED ON 海鷗來過的房間 and Conversation with Director HONG HENG-FAI 孔慶輝
Thursday, 6 February 2025, 19:00–21:15 PT
UBC Robson Square, Vancouver

AICS 2025 x TFAI Taiwan Docs
In Search of the Self: Documentary Shorts from Taiwan
Thursday, 13 March 2025, 18:30–20:30 PT
AERL120, UBC Point Grey Campus

Premiere Event
Vancouver Premiere of K-Family Affairs and Conversation with Director Arum Nam
Thursday, 3 April 2025, 18:30–20:30 PT
UBC Robson Square, Vancouver

Closing Event
In Search of Light: Hong Kong x Taiwan Documentary Short Films
Tuesday, May 6 2025, 19:00-21:00 PT
AERL120, UBC Point Grey Campus

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Special Events 2025

Clara Law: Drifting Petals, Floating Lives

A Retrospective Presented by the UBC Asian Independent Cinema Showcase & The Cinematheque

16 January – 5 February, 2025
The Cinematheque, Vancouver

The Cinematheque and the UBC Asian Independent Cinema Showcase are pleased to present a select retrospective surveying the remarkable, decades-spanning oeuvre of Clara Law. Curated in concert with the director and Eddie Fong, the six-film program features each of the aforementioned titles, all boasting new restorations, plus the couple’s latest collaboration Drifting Petals (2021), a DIY ghost story plumbing personal and political traumas.

Law and Fong will join the audience via Zoom for Q&As following the first screening of each film in the retrospective.

Program:

Autumn Moon (1992)
January 16, 2025, 7 pm
January 26, 2025, 8:50 pm

They Say the Moon Is Fuller Here (1985)
January 18, 2025 6:30 pm
January 27, 2025 8:50 pm

Farewell, China (1990)
January 18, 2025 8:40 pm
January 26, 2025 6:30 pm

The Goddess of 1967 (2000)
January 19, 2025 6:00 pm
February 5, 2025 8:40 pm

Floating Life (1996)
January 24, 2025 6:00 pm
February 5, 2025 6:30 pm

Drifting Petals (2021)
January 24, 2025 8:30 pm
February 2, 2025 6:00 pm

Click here for more details.

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Asian Independent Cinema Showcase 2024

Opening Film
Saturday, 20 January 2024, 14:00–17:00 PT
Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema, Vancouver
North American Premiere of DRIFTING PETALS 花果飄零 and Conversation with Director Clara Law 羅卓瑤

AICS x Hong Kong Freshwave
Friday, 2 February 2024, 18:00–20:15 PT
AERL 120, Aquatic Ecosystems Research Laboratory, UBC
Away From Home: Short Films Selection and Conversation with Filmmakers
Featuring “Before the Box Gets Emptied” (HO Sze-wai, 2023), The Reticent Wave” (YUEN Chi-him, 2023), and “About Simon Says, Simon Says” (SIU Chi-yan, 2022)

AICS x South Taiwan Film Festival
Friday, 22 March 2024, 18:00–20:30 PT
AERL 120, Aquatic Ecosystems Research Laboratory, UBC
In Search of Home: Short Films Selection and Conversation with Filmmakers
Featuring “The Darkest Night” (TOH Tze Wei, 2019), “There” (WU Yu-Fen, 2022), and “Night is Young” (KWOK Zune, 2020)

Closing Film
Friday, 12 April 2024, 18:00–20:15 PT
AERL 120, Aquatic Ecosystems Research Laboratory, UBC
Screening of LEAVING IN SORROW 憂憂愁愁的走了 and Conversation with Director VINCENT CHUI 崔允信

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Acknowledgements:

UBC Hong Kong Studies Initiative
UBC Department of Asian Studies
UBC Public Humanities Hub
UBC Watt Family – Hong Kong Studies Initiative Fund
UBC Centre for Chinese Research
UBC Robson Connects
SFU Institute for Transpacific Cultural Research
Hong Kong Freshwave International Short Film Festival
South Taiwan Film Festival
Taiwan Film & Audiovisual Institute (TFAI) X Taiwan Docs
The Cinematheque, Vancouver
Ying E Chi