The 2023 Asian American Film Lab 72 Hour Shootout — The Only Competition of Its Kind in the Country

The Film Lab is gearing up for the 2023 72 Hour Shootout filmmaking competition which is designed to promote gender and ethnic diversity in media and empower emerging female filmmakers and filmmakers of color.

This is the only competition like it in the country and the 72 Hour Shootout itself is a TM of the Film Lab. This year, the competition opens on June 8 at 8 p.m. EST with the announcement of the theme and the filmmakers have 72 hours within which to make their films. The top 10 will enjoy a world premiere in late July or early August at the Asian American International Film Festival in NYC.

This year’s Shootout will address racial trauma — the collective trauma caused by repeated microaggressions, unconscious bias and other forms of racism trauma caused by racism.

The filmmakers will be challenged to motivate broad audiences to positive, constructive social change and awareness and to make mainstream audiences aware of this trauma without causing further trauma, e.g., by the sharing of graphic images of upsetting racist acts and/or violence.

The idea is for the films to show the scope of the problem and suggest solutions without desensitizing or causing further emotional harm.