Programs
Three areas
of work.
Programs are what we do consistently. Projects are the named initiatives beneath them, and events are the moments they meet an audience.
Bringing South Asian American visual art into museums and public space.
We work with museums, galleries and civic venues to present contemporary, traditional and experimental work by South Asian American artists — and to build the programming that makes an exhibition more than a room of objects. Artist conversations, guided community tours, school visits and workshops turn a show into an encounter. Wherever we can, these programs are free.
Platforms for filmmakers whose stories are not otherwise told.
Film carries a culture further than almost any other form. Through screenings, premieres, festival programming and support for independent filmmakers, we create the occasions where those films meet an audience — and where the people who made them meet each other.
Hollywood International Film Festival
Cinema without borders.
The Hollywood International Film Festival is organized by Hummingbird Art and Culture Foundation Ltd. as a major expression of the Foundation’s commitment to cinema, creativity and cultural exchange. Conceived as a competitive international platform, it brings filmmakers, artists, industry professionals and audiences together to discover original work and engage with new perspectives in world cinema.
The festival honors filmmakers, authors and other artists who use words and images to communicate ideas, preserve experiences and connect people across cultures. Through it, the Foundation extends its Film & Storytelling program from individual screenings and premieres into an international festival environment focused on discovery, recognition, education and professional connection.
What the festival presents
- Feature films and short films
- Documentaries and nonfiction storytelling
- Series, episodic work and digital formats
- Independent, international and experimental cinema
- Filmmaker conversations and audience discussions
- Industry panels and educational workshops
- Awards recognizing achievement across filmmaking disciplines
“Cinema has the power to cross borders before people do. HIFF was envisioned as a place where original voices can be discovered, filmmakers can meet as collaborators and audiences can encounter stories that expand the way we see one another.”
Umar John, Founder & President of HIFF
Gatherings where a community sees itself, and everyone is welcome.
Festivals, performances, honors and public conversations across the D.C.–Maryland region. This is our longest-running work and the foundation of everything else — the celebrations, recognition programs and community evenings through which we have built our audience since 2017.
Every program needs partners
Venues, funders, educators, volunteers and artists. If any of this is your work too, we would like to hear from you.