The San Diego Asian Film Festival returns November 5 through 14, 2026, with more than 190 films from over 35 countries in more than 40 languages. It is the festival’s 27th edition, and it opens with In Waves, an animated SoCal romance between a skateboarder and a surfer based on AJ Dungo’s graphic novel.
Pacific Arts Movement (Pac Arts) presents the festival across seven venues, mostly in La Jolla, Mission Valley, Balboa Park and downtown. Weekday 4 p.m. screenings are free, and so is admission for anyone high school age or younger. Here is what is posted so far, from the festival’s own site as of October 12, 2026.
The quick version
| When | Thursday, November 5, through Saturday, November 14, 2026 |
| Where | Seven venues around San Diego, including UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley, AMC UTC, the San Diego Natural History Museum and MCASD in La Jolla |
| Films | 190-plus, from 35-plus countries |
| Opening Night | In Waves, Thursday, Nov. 5, 7 p.m., San Diego Natural History Museum |
| Centerpiece | Via Negativa, Sunday, Nov. 8, 5:15 p.m., UltraStar Mission Valley |
| Closing Night | Ba’s Book, Saturday, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m., UltraStar Mission Valley |
| Tickets | $15 general admission ($12 Pac Arts members) |
| Free | Weekday 4 p.m. films, and youth high school age and younger at the door |
| Official site | sdaff.org/2026 |
The three big nights
Opening Night: In Waves
Directed by Phuong Mai Nguyen, In Waves is a 91-minute animated feature with Stephanie Hsu and Will Sharpe voicing the leads. It adapts AJ Dungo’s graphic novel about a skateboarder and a surfer falling for each other in Southern California. It screens Thursday, November 5, at 7 p.m. at the San Diego Natural History Museum in Balboa Park. Opening Night tickets are $40 ($37 for members).
Centerpiece: Via Negativa
Hannah Peterson directs Young Mazino as a broken priest who breaks every vow he makes. The cast also includes MiMi Ryder, Jee Young Han, Mamoudou Athie, Tony Hale, Zoë Winters and Keith Kupferer. It runs 97 minutes and plays Sunday, November 8, at 5:15 p.m. at UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley. Centerpiece tickets are $20 ($17 for members).
Closing Night: Ba’s Book
A father writes a memoir, and his daughter answers with a film. Ashley Da-Lê Duong directs this 103-minute documentary, which closes the festival Saturday, November 14, at 7:30 p.m. at UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley. Closing Night tickets are $40 ($37 for members).
Programs worth circling
- Shorts Animation: Entropic Tide (Saturday, Nov. 7), guest curated by Netflix story artist Grey Rui Han.
- Taiwan Film Showcase, free for UC San Diego students, faculty and staff with ID (except at UltraStar Cinemas).
- Shorts for Shorties, Saturday, Nov. 14, at 11 a.m., free for kids and youth.
- Reel Voices and For Youth, two more program strands listed on the festival site, with details on each program page.
- Free Films at 4. Every 4 p.m. screening on festival weekdays is free.
Tickets and passes
| Ticket | General | Pac Arts member |
|---|---|---|
| Regular screening | $15 | $12 |
| Opening Night | $40 | $37 |
| Centerpiece | $20 | $17 |
| Closing Night | $40 | $37 |
| Festival 6-Pack | $75 | Not listed |
| All-Fest Pass | $325 | $215 |
- 6-Packs work for any general admission screening, but not Opening, Centerpiece or Closing Night.
- The All-Fest Pass gets front-of-line access to all films, events and receptions.
- Discounts: students, seniors and San Diego Public Library cardholders get $2 off general admission at the door with ID.
- Kids and teens: high school age and younger get in free, at the door only. Children under 12 need an adult.
- Groups: $12 a ticket with a 10-ticket minimum per screening, arranged through info@sdaff.org.
The venues
- UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley, 7510 Hazard Center Drive, San Diego
- AMC UTC, La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego
- San Diego Natural History Museum, 1788 El Prado, Balboa Park
- Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, 700 Prospect Street, La Jolla
- Suraj Israni Center for Cinematic Arts at UC San Diego, 9605 Scholars Drive North, La Jolla
- UC San Diego Park and Market, 1100 Market Street, downtown
- University of San Diego, Warren Auditorium, 5998 Alcalá Park
A tip for planning: check each film’s page for its venue before you buy. La Jolla and Mission Valley are a freeway drive apart, so a double feature at two venues takes some timing.
Still to come
The festival has not posted parking or transit details on its venues page. Pac Arts’ own event page also lists a “Chew the Scene” launch party with San Diego AAPI chefs, with the time still TBA. The 824 Journal will update this guide as more details are released.
Sources
- San Diego Asian Film Festival 2026, official site
- SDAFF 2026 tickets and passes
- SDAFF 2026 venues
- In Waves film page
- Via Negativa film page
- Ba’s Book film page
- Pacific Arts Movement: 27th San Diego Asian Film Festival
Featured photo: Captain-tucker via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
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