Asian World Film Festival Unveils Competition Line-up; Kyrgyzstan’s ‘Kassandra’ Set As Opening Film

EXCLUSIVE: Los Angeles-based Asian World Film Festival has announced its full competition line-up, along with key programming highlights, including Kyrgyzstan’s Kassandra, which has been set as the opening film.

Directed by Bekzat Pirmatov, Kassandra is Kyrgyzstan’s submission for the Best International Feature category of the Oscars. A blend of mysticism and psychological horror, the film follows a grieving woman who seeks the help of a healer after being attacked by an unseen presence.

The Road Not Taken, from Hong Kong filmmaker Peter Ho-sun Chan, will close the festival, while No Paradise If You Are Killed By A Woman, directed by Iraq’s Halkawt Mustafa, has been set as the Centerpiece Film. Halkawt is one of 13 filmmakers from across the lineup who will attend the festival and take part in audience Q&As.

Scheduled for November 12-19 at the Culver Theater in Los Angeles, Asian World Film Festival will screen a total of 27 official International Oscar submissions. Sixteen of these have been selected for the main competition section (see below for the full line-up). In 2025, eight films shown at AWFF made the Oscars shortlist, and two went on to earn nominations.

For this year’s edition, U.S. producer Arthur Sarkissian will serve as president of the jury, which also includes Chinese-US documentary filmmaker Mina Chow; Azerbaijan media executive Zaur Darabzada, and Malaysian actress and producer Jasmine Suraya Chin.

In total, AWFF will screen features from more than 33 nations and autonomous regions across Asia, including eight North American premieres, four U.S. premieres and one world premiere. Founded in 2015 by Kyrgyz director-producer Sadyk Sher-Niyaz, the festival is headed by Georges N. Chamchoum in the role of Executive Director.

“Asian cinema continues to redefine what filmmaking can achieve, transcending borders and illuminating the ideas, emotions and shared humanity of our time,” said Chamchoum. “This year’s festival will bring us boldly imagined, artfully told stories that entertain, move and inspire us, opening our eyes to the lives we share and to cultures beyond our own.”

Asian World Film Festival 2026 Main Competition:

Roid, dir: Mejbaur Rahman Sumon (Bangladesh)

Once Upon A Time In The Middle East, dir: Wen Muye (China)

Gondhal, dir: Santosh Davakhar (India)

No Paradise If You Are Killed By A Woman, dir: Halkawt Mustafa (Iraq) [Centerpiece]

Tell Me Everything, dir: Moshe Rosenthal (Israel)

Abel, dir: Elzat Eskendir (Kazakhstan) [U.S. Premiere]

The Fox King, dir: Ming Jin Woo (Malaysia)

Independence: Keeper Of The Prophecy, dir: Tamir Bat-Ulzii (Mongolia)

Hanging By A Wire, dir: Mohammed Ali Naqvi (Pakistan)

Citizen Osama, dir: Ahmed Hassouna (Palestine)

Filipiñana, dir: Rafael Manuel (Philippines)

Riverstone, dir: Lalith Rathnayake (Sri Lanka) [N.A. Premiere]

Other Side Of The Sun, dir: Tawfik Sabouni (Syria) [N.A. Premiere]

A Foggy Tale, dir: Yu-Hsun Chen (Taiwan)

Like A Limbless Tree, dir: Tunç Davut (Turkey) [N.A. Premiere]

Spirit Guardians: The Last Secret Of The First Emperor, dir: Nguyễn Phan Quang Bình (Vietnam)