Pacific Arts Movement

What Pacific Arts Movement does

Pacific Arts Movement is a San Diego-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit media arts organization founded in 2000 that presents Asian and Asian American Pacific Islander cinema to local audiences. Its core product is the annual San Diego Asian Film Festival (SDAFF), self-described as the largest showcase of Asian cinema on the West Coast, which in its 26th edition (November 6-15, 2025) screened 150+ films from 30+ countries across six partner venues in San Diego County. A secondary product, the Spring Showcase of Asian Cinema, is a three-day spring event in its 15th edition (April 24-26, 2026). Supporting programming includes the Chew the Scene culinary launch event (paused in 2025), the Reel Voices high school documentary filmmaking program (operating 20+ years), an internship pipeline, and school partnerships.

The organization has no proprietary technology stack, software platform, or AI/ML infrastructure disclosed; operations are event-driven and rely on venue partnerships, online ticketing at sdaff.org, and grassroots marketing across Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and an email newsletter. Its primary assets are curatorial (programming expertise under Artistic Director Brian Hu), relational (filmmaker and international festival connections including Cannes, TIFF, Venice, Busan, and Tribeca), and reputational (26 years of continuous festival operation).

Revenue is diversified across five streams: ticket sales ($12-$35 per individual screening, festival passes starting at $215), recurring membership fees, tax-deductible individual donations (including a Sustaining Donor Program), corporate sponsorships for the festival and events, and an annual Awards Gala that functions as the signature fundraiser. Pricing includes a $2 General Admission discount for students, seniors, and San Diego Public Library cardholders, and free admission for high-school-aged youth and younger. The organization does not publish revenue figures, and as a private nonprofit has no parent company, institutional investors, or subsidiaries.

Name

Pacific Arts Movement

Legal name

Pacific Arts Movement

Website

https://pacarts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pacific Arts Movement is a San Diego 501(c)(3) nonprofit that produces the San Diego Asian Film Festival (150+ films from 30+ countries annually) and the Spring Showcase of Asian Cinema, serving San Diego County audiences and the AAPI community through festival programming, filmmaker engagement, and youth education via the Reel Voices documentary program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Festival and Media Arts Programming

NAICS

Other Performing Arts Companies (71119), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGABAM

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Theater, Broadway & Performing Arts

SECONDARYBPAGAHAJ

Media Arts & Film/Photography Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAJAJAF

Visual Arts & Media Arts Programs (Art Club, Photography, Film)

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/K–12 Extracurriculars & Athletics (School-Run)

Keywords

• Asian film festival
• Media arts nonprofit
• Film screening events
• Cultural arts programming
• Community film education

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

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 and festival passes at the San Diego Asian Film Festival and Spring Showcase events.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, including a Sustaining Donor Program for recurring support.
3. Membership Program: Annual membership program providing benefits and access to Pac Arts events and community.
4. Gala and Event Sponsorships: Annual Awards Gala serves as signature fundraising event with sponsorship opportunities for corporate partners.
5. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship packages for film festivals and events from local and national businesses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Pacific Arts Movement (Pac Arts) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit media arts organization that produces and presents the San Diego Asian Film Festival (SDAFF) and related year-round film programming, educational programs, and community events that showcase Asian and Asian American cinema and filmmakers.

Product overview

Pacific Arts Movement operates as a nonprofit media arts organization presenting a portfolio of film festival and education programs. The core offerings include the San Diego Asian Film Festival (SDAFF) — the largest showcase of Asian cinema on the West Coast — and the Spring Showcase of Asian Cinema, both spanning multiple venues across San Diego County. Supporting programs include Chew the Scene (a culinary-themed festival launch event), the Reel Voices documentary filmmaking program for high school students, Internships for developing creatives, and School Partnerships. The organization also hosts an annual Awards Gala as its signature fundraising event.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• San Diego Asian Film Festival (SDAFF): The largest showcase of Asian cinema on the West Coast, presented annually by Pacific Arts Movement
• Spring Showcase of Asian Cinema
• Chew the Scene
• Reel Voices

Products and services

• San Diego Asian Film Festival (SDAFF)

Quantifiable outcome

• 26th annual festival edition demonstrates sustained community engagement and organizational longevity
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Dallas Asian Film Festival: Regional AAPI film festival presenting Asian cinema to Dallas-Fort Worth audiences. Comparable as a regional-scale Asian film festival with similar educational and community programming components.
• Austin Asian American Film Festival: Smaller-scale regional AAPI film festival serving Texas audiences with Asian and Asian American cinema programming. Comparable in festival model and educational mission though operating in a different region with a smaller programming footprint than SDAFF.

Direct peers

• Hawaii International Film Festival: Long-running fall film festival presenting Asia-Pacific cinema alongside Pacific Islander programming. Peer based on 40+ year legacy of showcasing Asian and Asian American cinema through multiple venues with educational and cultural programming components.
• Center for Asian American Media (CAAM): Bay Area nonprofit that produces CAAMFest, the largest Asian American film festival in San Francisco. Directly comparable as an AAPI media-arts nonprofit presenting a flagship annual film festival alongside year-round education and community programming.
• Visual Communications: LA-based nonprofit media arts organization that produces the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. Peer based on shared AAPI media-arts nonprofit mission, annual festival platform, and educational/community programming for emerging Asian American filmmakers.
• New York Asian Film Festival: Annual showcase of contemporary Asian cinema held in New York. Comparable as a regional AAPI film festival with curated international programming, filmmaker Q&As, and theatrical venue partnerships serving a major metropolitan Asian American audience.
• Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival: Canadian festival dedicated to Asian and Asian diaspora cinema with year-round programming. Comparable as a North American AAPI film festival operating a multi-venue annual showcase plus education and community engagement components.

Broad incumbents

• Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center: National AAPI cultural institution presenting programming in media arts, film, and storytelling. Comparable as an AAPI cultural/arts presenter at a larger institutional scale, with year-round programming that intersects Pacific Arts Movement's media arts mission.

Emerging players

• CAAMFest (presented by Center for Asian American Media): Spring-summer festival presented by CAAM. Closely overlaps with SDAFF in mission, programming, and education components, and competes for filmmakers and audience attention from the same Asian American cinema ecosystem.
• Asian American Film Centre: AAPI-focused cinema organization developing educational and exhibition initiatives. Comparable in mission and Asian American media-arts focus, though operating at a smaller scale than Pacific Arts Movement's annual festival platform.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCLUZN-m3Uv-EcQRWTDfzGig
• Facebookfacebook.com/PacArtsMovement
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pacific-arts-movement
• Instagraminstagram.com/pacartsmovement

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 Pacific Arts Movement