Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month with These 17 Films
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
With diverse storytelling becoming increasingly abundant in Hollywood, it’s never been a better time to honor all the incredible, artful stories that are AAPI-led. May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, so we invite you to join us in celebrating the achievements and rich history of the AAPI community. Media representation is no longer relegated to supporting roles and stereotypes. We proudly tell our own stories—with the nuance and humanity that we deserve.
If you like to commemorate this month by lounging on the couch and vegging out, flip on Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. If you prefer more heart-wrenching movies, grab a box of Kleenex and hug your friends while watching Past Lives. If you’re throwing a themed party complete with Tsingtaos and snacks, turn on The Boy and the Heron and have a Studio Ghibli movie marathon.
There’s no easier—or more fun—way to celebrate than to watch one of these classics and immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of Asian American history.
Past Lives
Celine Song's first feature film, Past Lives, swept audiences and critics away in 2023. It was nominated for Best Picture at the Golden Globes as well as at the Oscars. The film tells a simple, yet emotionally complex tale of two childhood friends: Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae-Sung (Teo Yoo). Over the course of the film, they reflect on how life brought them on two separate journeys—and how their lives may have been different had they both stayed together in South Korea. The story about unrequited love, what could have been, and the pain of a fractured immigrant experience stole audiences' hearts.
See the original post on Youtube
Monkey Man
Dev Patel's directorial debut, Monkey Man, burst onto the scene earlier this year to rave reviews from critics and audiences. Despite a painstaking production during Covid—and Patel even breaking his hand during filmin— the film was finally picked up for distribution after SXSW. Patel packed the film with stellar action sequences, Hindu mythology, and scathing commentary on the sociopolitical climate in India. Plus, it was downright entertaining.
See the original post on Youtube
The Boy and The Heron
No '90s kid's childhood would have been complete without a viewing of some classic Studio Ghibli films. (See: Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away, and My Neighbor Totoro.) Thankfully, Hayao Miyazaki had another animated feature up his sleeve, gracing us with The Boy and The Heron in 2023. It was brimming with his signature whimsical fantasy and moving depiction of family relationships.
See the original post on Youtube
Shortcomings
Produced and directed by Randall Park in his directorial debut, Shortcomings is a comedy about two Asian-American best friends: Ben (Justin H. Min) and Alice (Sherry Cola). If you've ever felt lost and confused about who to date, what job to take, and even where to live, this film will reassure you that you're not alone.
See the original post on Youtube
The Wedding Banquet
Ang Lee's The Wedding Banquet tells an unconventional love story. Lovers Wai-Tung (Winston Chao) and Simon (Mitchell Lichtenstein) must deal with Wai-Tung's overbearing Taiwanese parents, who don't know about their relationship. Wai-Tung devises a fake marriage scheme with a female tenant meant to placate them, but it ends up becoming all too real. With Lee's subtle yet poignant direction, the film balanced themes of cultural differences and queer identity with grace. A remake of this classic starring Lily Gladstone and Bowen Yang is in the works.
See the original post on Youtube
Minari
In 2021, Minari was nominated for six Academy Awards—with Youn Yuh-Jung winning for Best Supporting Actress, the first Korean actress to do so. Celebrate these historic wins and catch some powerful performances from Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, and Youn Yuh-Jung in this story about an immigrant Korean family trying to make their American dream come true. However, the struggle of starting over in rural America and assimilating to their new life is much more difficult and complex than they ever could've imagined.
See the original post on Youtube
Better Luck Tomorrow
After his first film release, Shopping For Fangs—which was also John Cho's film debut—director Justin Lin released Better Luck Tomorrow. It features an ensemble Asian male cast that was dubbed by many male and East Asian members of the AAPI community as the first time they truly felt represented on screen. Lin funded the film through his own credit cards and life savings, rather than making the film with an all white cast. His struggle paid off majorly, as Better Luck Tomorrow received critical acclaim and became a mainstay of AAPI film history.
See the original post on Youtube
The Joy Luck Club
The Joy Luck Club is a classic tale about family and love, with a powerhouse cast of AAPI women including Tsai Chin, Kieu Chinh, Lisa Lu, France Nuyen, Rosalind Chao, Lauren Tom, and Ming-Na Wen. Get ready to watch an ensemble performance that is the ultimate examination of mother-daughter relationships. The Joy Luck Club is story about growing up, love and loss, and generational differences—all things most of us can relate to.
See the original post on Youtube
Okja
Bong Joon-Ho's Okja is a wild science fiction action film about one young Korean girl's love for a genetically enhanced pig that she helps raise. Once her "super pig" wins a competition fronted by a huge corporation, he is taken from her. Okja boasts a remarkably passionate performance from Ahn Seo-Hyun and a memorable supporting role from Steven Yeun. A fantastical story with an important and touching moral, Okja was an instant classic.
See the original post on Youtube
Bend It Like Beckham
Bend It Like Beckham follows Jess Bhamra, a British Indian Punjabi Sikh young woman who wants to pursue playing soccer—or football, as they call it across the pond—but must face the mounting pressures that her parents place on her to follow their wishes. Jess has to face racist discrimination, the challenge of competing for athletic scholarships, and a blossoming romance with her soccer coach. Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley bring tons of charm to the film as a pair of fiercely competitive, but supportive best friends.
See the original post on Youtube
Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle
One of the most iconic stoner comedies ever made (that wasn't written by Seth Rogen), Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle was landmark representation for low-achieving Asian Americans who just want to chill, get stoned, and eat White Castle. Absurd and hilarious, it cemented John Cho and Kal Penn's status as comedy stars.
See the original post on Youtube
Turning Red
Pixar and Disney's Turning Red tracks the coming of age of a young Chinese Canadian teenage girl, Meilin Lee. Mei is stuck between being a loyal daughter who meets her parents' expectations and being true to herself and her own interests. Life gets much more complicated for Mei when she inherits a familial magical ability to transform into a red panda whenever she experiences extreme emotions. Talk about a teenage nightmare! Fun, sweet, and heart-warming, you won't want to pass this one up.
See the original post on Youtube
Slumdog Millionaire
Another Academy Award-sweeping AAPI-led film, Slumdog Millionaire danced its way into our hearts in 2009. Dev Patel established himself as a heartthrob in the Danny Boyle-directed drama. The film tells heart-racing tale of a young man striving to reunite with a childhood love and climb his way out of devastating poverty.
See the original post on Youtube
Always Be My Maybe
Always Be My Maybe, which stars Ali Wong and Randall Park, is a true romantic comedy–which we are starving for nowadays. The two show undeniable chemistry as they trade hilarious quips and land in awkward situations that bring them closer. The film also boasts incredible guest stars in Keanu Reeves and Daniel Dae Kim—just in case you needed any extra reasons to enjoy this one.
See the original post on Youtube
Tigertail
The first feature film from Alan Yang—known for his work directing and writing on Parks & Recreation and Master of None—Tigertail is a multigenerational immigrant tale. It follows a young man who, through his ambitions for a better life, loses sight of his first love and his own identity. Tigertail is a touching, heart-wrenching story about the impact of trauma and the regrets we carry with us.
See the original post on Youtube
Everything Everywhere All At Once
No list of films celebrating AAPI culture could be complete without naming 2022's Everything Everywhere All At Once, a powerhouse of a film that swept seven Academy Awards (including Best Picture). It even became the top-grossing movie ever released by A24. The film also earned Michelle Yeoh the Oscar for Best Actress, becoming the first AAPI-identifying woman to win the award. But forget all the hype and just watch it for it is: a fun, fantastical, and touching tale about family and the forever struggle of making meaning in life.
See the original post on Youtube
Rush Hour
What better way to celebrate AAPI heritage than with the groundbreaking buddy cop movie, Rush Hour? For many Asian Americans, this was one of the mainstays of Asian representation in mainstream movies for the '90s and early aughts. Do the jokes hold up? Maybe. But does the action and odd, but somehow irresistible chemistry between Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker hold up? Absolutely.
See the original post on Youtube
You Might Also Like
