What can I say ? We make great movies .

Happy Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! My favorite month of the year, but that could be personal bias showing. Anyway, I hope we’re all finding great ways to celebrate. I kicked off this month with a giant bowl of lamb biryani — it’s what my ancestors would have wanted.

But just in case you’re at a loss for exactly how to start this month off right, I have a wonderful, carefully curated list of movies for you to dive into. All of them were directed by incredible AAPI filmmakers who you definitely should be keeping an eye on right now. Some are bigger award winners, some are more indie, but all of them deserve a watch.

1.Past Lives— dir. Celine Song

2.Pop Aye— dir. Kirsten Tan

3.The Reluctant Fundamentalist— dir. Mira Nair

4.Every Day in Kaimuki— dir. Alika Maikau

5.The Wedding Banquet— dir. Andrew Ahn

6.Saving Face— dir. Alice Wu

7.Elemental— dir. Peter Sohn

8.Minari— dir. Lee Isaac Chung

9.Girlfight— dir. Karyn Kusama

10.Nomadland— dir. Chloé Zhao

11.The Farewell— dir. Lulu Wang

12.Everything Everywhere All At Once— dir. Daniel Kwan

13.Turning Red— dir. Domee Shi

And that’s all I had! Join me next time for British Asian Heritage Month, when I pressure you into watching Gurinder Chadha’s entire filmography. Did I miss any of your fave AAPI-led movies? LMK down below.

Graphic celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, featuring various symbols like stars and palm trees

Two people are having a conversation in a park. One, with a short hairstyle, wears a casual shirt. The other has their back to the camera

A man interacts with a large elephant under neon lights, creating a dramatic scene

Two men sit in the backseat of a car, one looking contemplative out the window. The scene suggests a storyline or character moment from a movie or TV show

Person skateboarding down a city street at night with bright lights in the background

Two women sit on a bed in a cozy room, looking concerned. One wears a plaid jacket, and the other a gray sweater, suggesting a tense moment

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Animated characters Ember, a fire figure, and Wade, a water figure, stand facing each other against a vibrant cityscape in "Elemental."

Two men outdoors, one in a plaid shirt and cap pointing to the sky, the other observing with a thoughtful pose, set against a natural background

A man coaches a young boxer in a gym. She wears a protective helmet and a tank top, looking focused. He supports her with hands on her shoulders

Two people share a warm moment beside a van in a desert setting, with one gently touching the other's head, creating a sense of companionship

Two people look concerned in a scene from a TV show or movie. One has long, dark hair and the other has short hair

Person with pink hair wearing an ornate, embellished suit walks confidently through falling confetti indoors

Four animated kids strike playful poses on a city street, expressing excitement and joy

Illustration of diverse dishes being shared, labeled "BuzzFeed Celebrates APAHM: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month."