The Castro Theatre in San Francisco

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Hotel Whitcomb

If February is all about Chinese New Year Festivities, then March is ruled by the much anticipated San Francisco International Asian-American Film Festival. In its 28th year, the festival has become the largest of its kind in the United States. Theaters across the Bay Area will provide a rare opportunity to view the very best of Asian and Asian-American films.

The 2010 Asian American Film Festival kicks off on Thursday, March 11, and continues for eleven days screening documentaries, shorts, classics, and full-length blockbuster and independent films culled from diverse places such as India, South Korea, Cambodia, and Taiwan. Besides film screenings, the city will be buzzing with related events, including live panel discussions, music showcases, dance parties, and even happy-hour tie ins.

This year’s festival is spotlighting Filipino and Filipino-American cinema, including a retrospective on famed director Lino Brocka’s works, a showcase on classic Filipino shorts, and a documentary on the the life of beloved senator and opposition leader, Benigno Aqino Jr.

Look for the classic 1960 South Korean cult thriller, The Housemaid, which is touted by Martin Scorsese as being “One of the true classics of South Korean cinema.”

For more information and tickets, visit San Francisco International Asian-American Film Festival.

Nearby hotels include the Best Western Tomo in Japantown and the Hotel Whitcomb, which is close to the Asian Art Museum.

– Joanne Greenberg