Boston Asian American Film Festival

What Boston Asian American Film Festival does

BAAFF (Boston Asian American Film Festival) is a volunteer-run nonprofit film festival founded in 2009 and operated as a co-production of the Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW) and ArtsEmerson. Its flagship event is an annual ~10-day festival held each October — the 2025 edition ran October 16-26 and the 2026 edition is scheduled October 15-25 — showcasing Asian American feature films, thematic shorts programs, documentaries, animations, and experimental works through both in-person screenings and virtual on-demand streaming. The organization serves three primary audiences: filmmakers seeking a screening platform (accessed via an open FilmFreeway submission pipeline), general film enthusiasts in the Greater Boston area, and the regional Asian American community seeking cultural representation.

BAAFF's product surface extends beyond the flagship festival into year-round programming through its Shared Stories and Projecting Connections initiatives, which stage community screenings and filmmaker Q&A sessions at venues including the Emerson Paramount Center, Brattle Theatre, Coolidge Corner Theatre, and the Museum of Science. A volunteer committee structure (Development, Marketing, Operations, Production, Programming) runs operations, and an annual BAAFF Golf Getaway fundraiser at Lake Winnipesaukee Golf Club supplements core activities.

The business model blends four revenue streams: individual ticket sales priced $15-$30, All-Access Festival Passes at $150 and Shorts Passes at $65, tiered corporate sponsorship packages ranging from $250 hole sponsors to $3,500 driving range/platinum tiers, individual and corporate donations via PayPal and Givebutter, and golf event player packages from $375 individuals to $3,500 driving range/platinum packages. Co-presented screenings with community organizations such as Asian Women for Health, the Asian Community Development Corporation, AARP, and the Chinese American Heritage Foundation anchor the partnership ecosystem and provide grassroots distribution into Boston's Asian American community.

Name

Boston Asian American Film Festival

Legal name

Boston Asian American Film Festival

Website

https://baaff.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BAAFF is a volunteer-run nonprofit operating New England's largest Asian American film festival each October as a co-production of AARW and ArtsEmerson, serving Asian American filmmakers and Greater Boston audiences with curated features, shorts, year-round community screenings, and an annual golf fundraiser.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Festival / Cultural Events

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPADAKAD

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Exhibition (Cinemas, Film Festivals, Screenings)

SECONDARYMPAGAFAA

General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Exhibitions, Fairs & Expos (Consumer/Public)

SECONDARYTHAHABAC

Consumer & Public Shows (B2C) Organizers

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Exhibition & Trade Show Organizers

Keywords

• Film festival
• Asian American cinema
• Film screenings
• Cultural programming
• Independent film showcase

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual film screenings, shorts programs, special presentations, and festival passes. Pricing ranges from $15 for standard films to $30 for special presentations, with All-Access Festival Passes at $150.
2. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors provide financial support at various tiers including presenting sponsors, driving range/platinum sponsors ($3,500), corporate foursome ($2,000), and hole sponsors ($250).
3. Donations: The organization accepts donations through PayPal and Givebutter platforms, with campaigns like 'Celebrating 50 with Susan' to support the festival's mission.
4. Golf Tournament: Annual golf event at Lake Winnipesaukee Golf Club with individual golfer registration at $375 and foursome packages, with all proceeds supporting BAAFF's mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Boston Asian American Film Festival (BAAFF) curates and presents an annual multi-day Asian American film festival held each October in Boston, featuring feature films, shorts programs, and special presentations in both in-person and virtual formats. The organization supplements the annual flagship event with year-round programming (Shared Stories and Projecting Connections) and operates a FilmFreeway open call for filmmaker submissions.

Product overview

Boston Asian American Film Festival (BAAFF) is New England's largest Asian American film festival, operating as a co-production of the Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW) and ArtsEmerson. The organization delivers an annual flagship film festival featuring curated feature films and thematic shorts programs, supplemented by year-round programming through its Shared Stories and Projecting Connections initiatives. The festival serves as both a platform for Asian American filmmakers and a community resource, offering volunteer opportunities, a film submission program via FilmFreeway, and annual fundraising events including the BAAFF Golf Getaway. The core offering consists of in-person screenings at venues including Emerson Paramount Center, Brattle Theatre, and Coolidge Corner Theatre, complemented by virtual on-demand shorts access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Asian American Film Festival Multi-day in-person and virtual film festival held each October in Boston, featuring curated feature films, shorts programs, special presentations, Q&A sessions with filmmakers, and audience awards. Intended for general audiences, Asian American community members, and Asian American filmmakers seeking visibility.
• Feature Films Program Curated selection of feature-length narrative and documentary films presented during the annual festival, including opening night, centerpiece, and closing night films with in-person filmmaker Q&A sessions.
• Shorts Programs Thematic collections of short films organized by theme and screened both in-person during the festival and virtually on-demand through ArtsEmerson's streaming platform, with viewing windows typically spanning a weekend.
• Shared Stories (Year-Round Screenings) Year-round screening program featuring special-event film presentations at partner venues such as the Museum of Science, complementing the annual October festival and sustaining community engagement throughout the year.
• Projecting Connections (Year-Round Community Screenings) Year-round community screening initiative featuring themed short film programs (such as Profiles of Boston portraits of Chinatown residents) presented at the Emerson Paramount Center with filmmaker Q&A sessions.
• Film Submission Service Annual paid open call for filmmakers to submit narratives, dramas, comedies, shorts, documentaries, animations, music videos, and experimental films for consideration in the festival program, managed through the FilmFreeway platform.
• BAAFF Golf Getaway Fundraiser

Quantifiable outcome

• 18th annual festival in 2025
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAARW is the founding organization behind BAAFF, with over 45 years of supporting the Asian American community through film. BAAFF is a co-production of AARW and ArtsEmerson. AARW provides organizational support, community connections, and cultural programming expertise to the festival.
• ArtsEmersoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtsEmerson is the co-production partner providing venue access at the Emerson Paramount Center and ticketing infrastructure. The partnership enables BAAFF to host screenings and special events at professional theater facilities.
• Asian Community Development Corporation (ACDC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerACDC co-presents film screenings including Love, Chinatown, supporting community development initiatives in Boston's Chinatown area.
• Asian Women for HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAsian Women for Health co-presents Rosemead and provides health resources and community support for Asian women in the Boston area.
• AARPminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAARP sponsors film screenings including Love, Chinatown, supporting healthy aging and community engagement initiatives.
• Chinese American Heritage Foundation (CAHF)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCAHF supports BAAFF programming as a sponsor for films like Forge and Rosemead, promoting Chinese American cultural heritage.
• HuluminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHulu Original Series Interior Chinatown was featured as a special presentation at BAAFF, with partnership for preview screenings and Q&A events.
• Museum of ScienceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMuseum of Science partners with BAAFF for special event screenings including Beam Me Up, Sulu and Can I Get A Witness, providing venue access for community film events.
• Emerson CollegeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEmerson College provides venue support through the Paramount Center and has connections with film education programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival: Washington DC-area festival showcasing Asian American and Pacific Islander films with similar year-round screening initiatives. Comparable as a regional Asian American film festival with curated feature and shorts programming.
• CAAMFest (Center for Asian American Media Film Festival): San Francisco-based Asian American film festival, one of the largest in North America. Directly comparable as a flagship Asian American film festival with similar mission of showcasing Asian American cinema, filmmaker Q&As, and community engagement programming.
• New York Asian Film Festival: Long-running Asian film festival held in New York City focused on contemporary Asian cinema. Directly comparable in mission and programming model, though anchored to a different U.S. metro with a broader international scope.
• Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival: Los Angeles-based festival presented by Visual Communications, focused on Asian American and Pacific Islander cinema. Comparable as an annual multi-day film festival with filmmaker Q&As, shorts programs, and special presentations.

Regional players

• Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival: Toronto-based festival showcasing contemporary Asian cinema with year-round programming. Comparable as a community-rooted Asian film festival with feature films, shorts, and filmmaker engagement, though operating in Canada.
• Hawaii International Film Festival: Long-established film festival in Honolulu with a strong focus on Asia Pacific and Asian American cinema. Comparable as a regional film festival with similar curatorial focus on Asian storytelling, though with broader Asia Pacific scope.

Broad incumbents

• Tribeca Film Festival: Major New York-based film festival with broader genre scope and significant brand/sponsor footprint. Comparable as a multi-venue urban film festival model, though at far larger scale and not Asian American-focused.
• SFFILM Festival: San Francisco-based general-audience film festival with broader genre scope. Comparable as a long-running major U.S. film festival using a regional multi-venue model, though not specializing in Asian American content.

Others

• ArtsEmerson: Boston-based performing arts presenter and BAAFF's co-production partner, providing venue and ticketing infrastructure. Comparable as the operational backbone for in-person screenings and shared audience access in Greater Boston.
• Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW): Founding parent organization of BAAFF, providing organizational infrastructure and community connections. Comparable as the institutional backbone that shares staffing, mission, and Asian American community relationships with the festival.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bostonaafilm
• YouTubeyoutube.com/bostonaaff
• Facebookfacebook.com/baaff
• Instagraminstagram.com/bostonaafilm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Boston Asian American Film Festival