On the late Saturday evening of July 12, AAPI creatives and talent congregated in the iconic David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center in New York City.
The New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) held its first-ever opening gala, and the community made sure to show up. Now in its 24th year, the festival, historic for reportedly being the first film festival in North America to elevate Asian filmmakers, runs from July 11 to 24.
This year’s theme, “Cinema as Disruption,” feels especially timely, as global content continues to gain recognition and reshape the industry.
It was also fitting that the festival awarded Lisa Lu, a living legend whose career embodies disruption itself, with the Vanguard and Star Asia Lifetime Achievement Awards–the first time an artist has received both at NYAFF.
Lisa Lu receives recognition for 80 years of film and television
With a body of work that spans Hollywood, Chinese cinema, and groundbreaking television, Lu became the most senior person earlier this year at age 98 to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A documentary, Lisa Lu Plays Herself, is also playing at the festival.
“She is a very important person to all Asian American actors. The work that she has done, the inspiration that she has given us, over the years cannot be described in a short amount of words,” said BD Wong when presenting the awards to Lu.
The crowd gathered around him with their phones raised high to document the renowned actor himself recounting Lu’s accolades, from starring in her first hollywood feature The Mountain Road, to continuing paving the way for Asian actors in The Last Emperor, and the well-loved The Joy Luck Club.
Veteran actor Lisa Lu celebrates her creative family throughout career
“I have been working before many of you were born, and perhaps before your parents were born,” joked Lu to the same crowd, who stood on their toes to glimpse the honoree seated in her wheelchair. “The truth about being in movies for the last 80 years is [that] the creative keeps you active and sharp. Your colleagues will challenge you to go beyond what you think is possible. Cherish your creative family so keep inspiring each other to create, be bold, and rejoice in bringing your projects to life. And you will live as long as I have, and possibly, beyond my age. Thank you.”
When Lu finished her speech, an attendee shouted “We love you Lisa!” which then led to another round of applause. Her recognition at the gala felt not only overdue, but deeply resonant with the festival’s theme.
As an artist who challenged conventions and bridged cultural worlds, Lu exemplifies the kind of bold and cross-border storytelling the New York Asian Film Festival strives to highlight.
NYAFF’s inaugural opening night gala fills the room with supportive community
The rest of the gala seemed to shimmer with the warmth of Lu’s speech, as attendees lingered to connect with one another and with celebrities who had traveled from across Asia for the festival. The air felt almost surreal, like being suspended in a moment where the past, present, and future of Asian cinema were converging.
On one end of the room stood a living legend whose decades of work had cracked open doors; on the other, rising voices, bold new storytellers, and industry powerhouses exchanging ideas, sharing laughter, and planting seeds for what is to come.
In honoring Lu, the night also became a celebration of what is possible: of how far the community has come, and how much further it intends to go.
See also: NYAFF 2025: Samuel Jamier on celebrating Asian cinema and the festival’s global reach
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