WASHINGTON, DC.- The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center will debut “Visions & Voices,” a new public programming initiative celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. The initiative presents programs across film, performance and storytelling.

The inaugural program, “Visions & Voices: Stories on the Screen,” is a three-day film festival taking place Thursday, May 7, through Saturday, May 9, at the Warner Bros. Theater in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. The festival is also part of the Smithsonian’s commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The program brings together documentary and narrative films that explore the histories, cultural contributions and lived experiences of AANHPI communities that continue to shape American history.

All screenings are free and open to the public. Accessibility services, including ASL interpretation, live captioning and assistive listening devices, will be provided. Advance registration is strongly encouraged via Eventbrite.

Highlights include Waterman – Duke: Ambassador of Aloha, which chronicles the life and legacy of Duke Kahanamoku, and A Tale of Three Chinatowns, which examines the histories and transformations of Chinatowns in Washington, D.C., Chicago and Boston. Nurse Unseen spotlights the essential role of Filipino and Filipino American nurses in the U.S. health-care system. Guided tours of Asian Pacific American Center’s current exhibition, “How Can You Forget Me: Filipino American Stories,” will be offered in conjunction with the screening.

A family-friendly film program features the animated classic Lilo & Stitch, the Academy Award-winning short Bao and The Queen’s Flowers. The festival will close with A Nice Indian Boy.

All screenings except the family program will be followed by conversations with filmmakers, producers and cast members, offering audiences an opportunity to engage directly with the creative voices behind the work. Confirmed participants include:

• Isaac Halasima (director, Waterman)
• Billy Pratt (associate producer, Waterman)
• Penny Lee (executive producer, producer, editor, A Tale of Three Chinatowns)
• Lisa Mao (executive producer, director, writer, A Tale of Three Chinatowns)
• Michele Josue (director, Nurse Unseen)
• Carlo Velayo (producer, Nurse Unseen)
• Roshan Sethi (director, A Nice Indian Boy)
• Karan Soni (lead actor, A Nice Indian Boy)
• Sunita Mani (supporting actress, A Nice Indian Boy)

“Visions & Voices: Stories on the Screen” received funding from the Smithsonian’s “Our Shared Future: 250,” a Smithsonian-wide initiative supported by private philanthropy and created to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary and advance the Smithsonian vision for the next 250 years.