San Diego Asian Film Festival 2026: dates, ticket prices and the free screenings

3 min read Checked November 2, 2026 Report a correction

Nov. 5–14, 2026, mostly at UltraStar Mission Valley (Green Line to Hazard Center). Tickets are $15; opening and closing nights are $40. Every 4 p.m. weekday screening is free, and high schoolers and younger get in free at the door.

Dates: Nov 5–14
Ticket: $15
Free: 4 p.m.
All-Fest Pass: $325

The short version

The 27th San Diego Asian Film Festival runs Nov. 5–14, 2026, with more than 190 films.
General admission is $15 ($12 for Pac Arts members); opening and closing nights are $40, centerpiece films $20.
All 4 p.m. weekday screenings are free, and they're at UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley, Nov. 9–13.
High school-aged youth and younger get into every screening free, at the door only.
Opening night is In Waves at the San Diego Natural History Museum on Nov. 5; closing night is Ba's Book on Nov. 14.

Pacific Arts Movement's San Diego Asian Film Festival runs Nov. 5–14, 2026, with more than 190 films. Most screenings are at UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley in Hazard Center, with opening night at the San Diego Natural History Museum in Balboa Park and a weekend at AMC UTC 14.

Ticket	General	Pac Arts member
Regular screening	$15	$12
Centerpiece film	$20	$17
Opening or closing night	$40	$37
Festival 6-Pack (regular screenings)	$75	—
All-Fest Pass	$325	$215

Regular screening
General
$15
Pac Arts member
$12
Centerpiece film
General
$20
Pac Arts member
$17
Opening or closing night
General
$40
Pac Arts member
$37
Festival 6-Pack (regular screenings)
General
$75
Pac Arts member
—
All-Fest Pass
General
$325
Pac Arts member
$215

From sdaff.org/2026/tickets. Checked Nov. 2, 2026.

Students, seniors and library cardholders get $2 off a regular ticket bought at the door with ID. All ticket and pass sales are final.

The big nights

Film	When	Where	Price
In Waves (opening night)	Thu, Nov. 5, 7 p.m.	San Diego Natural History Museum	$40
Via Negativa (centerpiece)	Sun, Nov. 8, 5:15 p.m.	UltraStar Mission Valley	$20
A Girl Unknown (centerpiece)	Wed, Nov. 11, 7:30 p.m.	UltraStar Mission Valley	$20
Ba's Book (closing night)	Sat, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m.	UltraStar Mission Valley	$40

In Waves (opening night)
When
Thu, Nov. 5, 7 p.m.
Where
San Diego Natural History Museum
Price
$40
Via Negativa (centerpiece)
When
Sun, Nov. 8, 5:15 p.m.
Where
UltraStar Mission Valley
Price
$20
A Girl Unknown (centerpiece)
When
Wed, Nov. 11, 7:30 p.m.
Where
UltraStar Mission Valley
Price
$20
Ba's Book (closing night)
When
Sat, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m.
Where
UltraStar Mission Valley
Price
$40

From the festival schedule, checked Nov. 2, 2026. In Waves is a SoCal surf-skate romance from AJ Dungo's graphic novel; Dungo is scheduled for a Q&A.

Getting there by trolley

MTS says to take the Green Line to Hazard Center for UltraStar Mission Valley, and the Blue Line to the UC San Diego (UTC) station for AMC UTC 14. The Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla is served by bus Route 30. Check what the trolley costs now.

Is this still right?

We last checked this tip against its sources on November 2, 2026, and we re-research every tip on a schedule. Things in San Diego change, sometimes overnight.

Event dates, times and prices are set by the organizers and can change or sell out. Confirm with the organizer's own page before you plan around them.

This is general information, not legal, financial, tax, medical or safety advice.

SOURCES

Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.

Primary27th San Diego Asian Film Festival
Pacific Arts Movement · checked 2026-11-02
Nov. 5–14 dates; opening film In Waves, closing film Ba's Book.
PrimaryTickets
Pacific Arts Movement · checked 2026-11-02
All prices; $2 door discount; youth free at the door; rush line; sales final.
PrimaryFree Screenings
Pacific Arts Movement · checked 2026-11-02
Free 4 p.m. weekday films; family programs; Hoop Like This free Nov. 12.
PrimarySchedule
Pacific Arts Movement · checked 2026-11-02
Big-night times and venues; 4 p.m. free shows at UltraStar Nov. 9–13.
PrimaryVenues
Pacific Arts Movement · checked 2026-11-02
Venue addresses.
PrimarySan Diego Asian Film Festival (rider info)
San Diego MTS · checked 2026-11-02
Green Line to Hazard Center; Blue Line to UC San Diego station; Route 30 to MCASD.
Background27th annual San Diego Asian Film Festival (event listing)
KPBS · checked 2026-11-02
190+ films; tickets free to $40.

Coming up where this tip helps

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