Forge, ‘Before the Moon Falls’ and ‘Seat at the Table’ Win at 44th CAAMFest

The Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) wrapped its 44th annual CAAMFest in San Francisco Japantown, with the top award for best narrative feature going to Jing Ai Ng’s Forge, and the documentary feature prize went to Kimberlee Bassfor’s Before the Moon Falls.

The Audience Award went to The Seat at the Table, directed by Sarita Khurana and Yoav Attias.

Thousands of people attended nearly 40 screenings, including Opening Night film HBO’s The A List: 15 Stories from Asian and Pacific Diasporas and the Closing Night film Traces of Home by Berkeley-based debut filmmaker Colette Ghunim.

“The future of storytelling is as much about drawing audiences to theaters as it is about being a convening space for audiences and the creative community,” says CAAM Executive Director Donald Young. “The packed sessions at Filmmaker Summit and Industry Hub reflect the importance of CAAM providing a space for makers to learn from each other how to tell stories about Asian Americans in this changing environment.”

This year’s theme of “Bad Asians Causing Good Trouble” echoed through both the Filmmaker Summit and Industry Hub sessions and the selections of award-winning films.

CAAMFest 2026 Award Winners

Narrative Award

Narrative Feature Winner: Forge, directed by Jing Ai Ng

In Miami, siblings Raymond and Coco Zhang run a profitable art forgery ring. When the Zhangs cross paths with millionaire Holden Beaumont, they’re coerced into creating counterfeit masterpieces as a front for his old American family’s art collection, only to become entangled in a web of deception.

Honorable Mention: Honeyjoon, directed by Lilian T. Mehrel

“The jury would like to honor FORGE with the Narrative Competition Award for its confident storytelling, strong pacing, and compelling, complex performances across a richly woven ensemble. The film balances entertainment with interesting provocations, inviting audiences to consider questions about authenticity and the nature of “real art”. There was a genuine sense of place that vividly grounded the story, making it feel both specific and universal.

What the jury particularly appreciated and would like to uplift is how FORGE subverts familiar stereotypes with a light but deliberate touch, offering narratives on identity, model minority, imposter syndrome, and perfectionism in ways that feel resonant, fresh, and unforced. It left the jury wanting an even deeper exploration of certain relational dynamics and the art world it is enmeshed in. Ultimately, the film is both incredibly engaging and thoughtfully crafted. Congratulations to writer-director Jing Ai Ng on a triumph of a debut feature; we can’t wait to see what you do next.

The jury would also like to give honorable mention to Lilian Mehrel’s debut feature HONEYJOON, a refreshing perspective on grief, mother-daughter dynamics, liberation, and intergenerational healing. The film balances joy and sorrow, while disrupting what one might expect in a film about loss. The relationships feel lived in, the setting is stunning, and the moments of levity and comic relief are perfectly timed.

Congratulations to our Narrative Competition winner FORGE, honorable mention HONEYJOON, and all of the beautiful narrative features at this year’s festival.”

Documentary Award

Documentary Feature Award Winner: Before the Moon Falls, directed by Kimberlee Bassford

Before the Moon Falls was an intimate portrait of acclaimed Samoan writer Sia Figiel eight years in the making when tragedy struck. Now the film offers an in-depth and thought-provoking look at Sia’s tumultuous journey leading to that traumatic moment, illuminating the complexities of inconsistently treated mental illness and the devastating toll it can exact on individuals, families and entire communities.

Honorable Mentions: Uncommitted, directed by Razi Jafri and Traces of Home, directed by Colette Ghunim

“‘Before The Moon Falls’ is the kind of documentary that we in the field ultimately think of as a true-to-the form project: a filmmaker and artist genuinely committed to a story, not knowing what will become, and due to the patience, care and talent of the filmmaker and the authentic and empathetic relationship with their participant, feel that this represents documentary filmmaking in its highest form. It is a film that stays with you long after you watch it and we hope it is a reminder of the importance of slowing down and holding space for one other, no matter how dark it can get.

The jury wants to recognize filmmakers Colette Ghunim and Razi Jafri for their significant contributions to representing the Palestinian and Palestinian American experience through their courageous films.”

Audience Award

Seat at the Table, directed by Sarita Khurana and Yoav Attias

Seat at the Table chronicles the meteoric rise of South Asian Americans in U.S. politics, tracing their inspiring journey from the margins to the forefront of American power. Through unprecedented access to groundbreaking campaigns during the 2024 elections, the film reveals how this community is transforming the nation’s political future.

InspirAsian Award

InspirASIAN Graduate Student Award Winner: Bridging Our Stories, directed by Rafael Bitanga

When the last Filipino community center in Ketchikan, Alaska, becomes a memory, a 50-year-old Filipina who spent her life resisting her heritage travels to the Philippines to rediscover her roots, preserving her community’s disappearing culture, and teaching indigenous Filipino dances. This is a story beyond one culture; it is about the struggle of immigrants to maintain their identity in the U.S., played out on the last frontier.

InspirASIAN Undergraduate Student Award Winner: Sweet Farewell, directed by Cynthia Nguyen
An elderly Vietnamese dessert shop owner and a teenage waitress must confront impending threats to their business, both willing to do anything to save it.

Loni Ding Award

The Loni Ding Award is named after Loni Ding, a pioneering, independent filmmaker, television producer, university instructor, and powerful advocate for the independent media arts. Loni was also an outspoken advocate for more democratic, public interest art and media. The annual Award is presented to an emerging Asian American filmmaker whose short-length (under 30 minutes) work illuminates the experiences of underrepresented communities.

Loni Ding Award Winner: Bridging Our Stories, directed by Rafael Bitanga

When the last Filipino community center in Ketchikan, Alaska, becomes a memory, a 50-year-old Filipina who spent her life resisting her heritage travels to the Philippines to rediscover her roots, preserving her community’s disappearing culture, and teaching indigenous Filipino dances. This is a story beyond one culture; it is about the struggle of immigrants to maintain their identity in the U.S., played out on the last frontier.

“We are honored to present this year’s Loni Ding Award to ‘Bridging Our Stories,’ directed by Rafael Bitanga. This film stands out for its breathtaking cinematography and its deeply community-centered focus on the Filipino-American population in Ketchikan, Alaska.

At the heart of ‘Bridging Our Stories’ is a community’s strength and unity in its quest for cultural survival within the broader Alaskan narrative. This reality is powerfully highlighted through Ketchikan community leader Alma Manabat Parker, whose journey includes memories of her former community center and a cross-continental trip to the Philippines to research indigenous practices and traditions. This experience informs her work with Ketchikan youth, guiding her efforts as the film underscores the necessity of physical community spaces and continued connection to the homeland.

Alma’s journey triumphantly fulfills its purpose and reveals a profound truth: a cultural bearer does not require a perfect lineage or an unbroken connection to the homeland. Instead, they need commitment, humility, and the courage to become students of their own heritage. Ultimately, the film presents a holistic story of intergenerational strength. Through amplifying the voices of this remote, underrepresented community and embodying the community-driven legacy of Loni Ding, we are proud to present the Loni Ding Award to ‘Bridging our Stories’.”