"Confronting and combatting deeply-rooted stigmas, particularly within the LGBTQ+ and AAPI communities is challenging, but crucial. Acclaimed filmmaker Timothy Guion Smith masterfully approaches such generational and cultural complexities of living with HIV/AIDS while being Filipino in his trailblazing short film, “Next of Kin,” which follows his captivating performance after a painful rejection alongside Joan Almedilla as his also HIV positive mother.

Elevated with his heartfelt portrayal, Timothy’s poignant narrative offers a brief, but tender and nuanced look into the dynamics that come with navigating these layered identities, and the discussions it takes to battle their associated prejudices.
 

Timothy’s pioneering film was met with a tremendously overwhelming response at San Francisco’s CAAMFest 2024, and we had the amazing opportunity to chat with him on what the impact of “Next of Kin” means for the future of intersectional queer AAPI cinema, for overcoming stigmas, and for its significance in encouraging such constructive cultural conversations."