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The Korean American Film Festival of Los Angeles began yesterday and is the first of its kind in the city that is home to the largest Korean American population in the United States.

The festival’s centerpiece program will focus on the 20th anniversary of the LA Riots also known as the LA Uprising – the act of civil unrest that perhaps most drastically shaped the identity of Korean Americans in Los Angeles. The program, which takes place tomorrow at 4pm, will feature the work of five Korean-American directors, each with their own unique perspectives on the uprising. Using cinema to examine the cultural and historical significance of the riots, KAFFLA aims to create a dialogue within the diverse Los Angeles community.

GUEST: Dave Kim, one of the featured filmmakers and founder of the Korean American Film Festival’s sister organization in New York. His film, LAR20, focuses on young artists largely from Korean American and African American communities as they reflect on race relations and the importance of art after the riots.

The 2012 KAFFLA will take place Thursday, August 9th through Saturday, August 11th, 2012, at the Korean Cultural Center, 5505 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, 90036.

Visit http://kaffny.com/kaffla for the festival program, dates, and times.