Samsung Onyx Brings New Light to Cinematic Storytelling at the 2025 Asian World Film Festival

[Samsung Newsroom]

The 2025 Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) returned to Culver City with a constellation of films from across Asia — stories shaped by tradition, creativity and imagination. As the festival’s premier partner, Samsung Electronics brought its Onyx Cinema LED technology to the center of this celebration, offering audiences a viewing experience that honored the craft behind each film.

Now in its 11th year, AWFF continues its mission of elevating Asian filmmakers onto the global stage. This year, Samsung’s participation added something quietly meaningful: not a new layer of technology, but a new level of care in how each story meets its audience.

Filmmakers See Their Stories in a New Light

For many directors premiering work at AWFF, seeing their films on an Onyx Cinema LED screen was more than a technical upgrade, it was a moment of recognition. With traditional projection, even subtle variations in brightness, shadow or color can shift the experience away from how a film should have felt. But inside the Onyx auditoriums, filmmakers found the version of their film that most closely resembled what they created in the grading suite.

▲ “Al Chang’s short film Cindy is presented on the Samsung Onyx Cinema LED screen at AWFF.”

▲ Al Chang, director of “Cindy,” talks about the story behind his film at the Asian World Film Festival backdrop.

For Al Chang, director of the short film “Cindy,” the difference was immediate. After screening films in a wide range of theaters, he was struck by the consistency and clarity: “I’ve had short films screen in a lot of theaters, and there’s always some variation — washed-out blacks or colors that don’t translate the way we graded them. Here, it was like watching it on my own TV.”

Executive producer Kira T. Bixby, whose film “Rooftop” tells a Korean American story rooted in Los Angeles, emphasized how much the image supported the story’s emotion. “Everything really popped for us — the colors, the compositions, the details we worked so hard to craft,” she said. “Film is such a visual language, so how you’re able to see it really matters.”

“Seeing movies presented with this level of precision gives filmmakers confidence that their work is being treated with respect.”

— Asel Sherniyazova, Co-Founder and Managing Director, AWFF

The experience resonated with filmmakers from the Korean Parallel Smartphone Film Festival (KPSFF) as well — a program that empowers creators and performers, including those with disabilities, to make films using smartphones. Seeing their work on a large LED cinema screen was both unexpected and affirming.

Director Byun Seung Chae, known for her color-driven storytelling, recalled the moment the film began: “What struck me right away was how unbelievably clear the image was. The colors were beautiful, and I was amazed that a film could look that sharp on such a large screen. I turned to the person next to me and said, ‘I didn’t expect it to look this good!’”

▲ “Directors Byun Seung Chae (left) and Han Kyoung Woo join audiences inside the Onyx auditorium during the KPSFF program.”

LA-based filmmaker Zenon Samuels, who attended the festival and works extensively with nighttime visuals and neon-heavy palettes, echoed that sentiment after experiencing an Onyx screening for the first time. “The blacks are super dark, and with a film that’s so bright and colorful, the high dynamic range made the colors really pop and helped bring the energy and nighttime aesthetic to life.”

▲ “LA-based filmmaker Zenon Samuels shares their viewing experience following an Onyx auditorium screening.”

Together, these voices reflected a consistent theme: Onyx didn’t alter their films — it respected and faithfully recreated the choices behind them. For directors and performers seeing their work in this format, the experience felt both cinematic and deeply personal.

Audiences Rediscover What Cinemas Can Be With Samsung Onyx

Festivalgoers — many encountering Onyx for the first time — described a level of clarity and contrast that felt distinct from traditional projection.

New York attendees Jack Joyce and Matthew Gallopo noted how the presentation shaped their experience: “Those darker colors — and not having that graininess — kind of put you in the moment a little bit. It was cool,” Joyce said. Gallopo added, “The color certainly popped, and a lot of it was pretty crisp.”

▲ “Festival attendees, Matthew Gallopo (left) and Jack Joyce (right) talk about their impression of the Onyx screen at AWFF 2025.”

For some, the impact was emotional as much as technical.

Entertainment lawyer Jesse Weiner, who watches films professionally as part of his work, noted how the detail and richness altered the way he connected with the narrative unfolding onscreen. “Watching this film on Samsung Onyx, the picture was bright, rich… about as good as I can imagine seeing a film with that kind of quality and texture,” he added. “It looked very lifelike — almost like being immersed in the action of the film.”

▲ “Jesse Weiner, a New York–based entertainment lawyer, describes how the picture quality influenced the way he connected with the film.”

Others reflected on what experiences like this might mean for the future of theaters. As streaming, gaming and home entertainment rapidly evolve, festivalgoers were struck by how an elevated cinema environment can bring people together again.

“Innovations in the cinema industry should help audiences truly see the story, and Samsung’s Onyx screens do just that.”

— Georges N. Chamchoum, Executive Director, AWFF

Across ages, backgrounds and filmmaking experience, the audience conversations pointed to the same conclusion: cinema remains powerful — and when the screen elevates rather than competes with the storytelling, the theatrical experience becomes even more compelling.

▲ “The Culver Theater lobby buzzes with filmmakers, audiences and industry guests as AWFF 2025 unfolds.”

A Thoughtful Dialogue on the Future of Cinema

At this year’s festival, Samsung also hosted the panel discussion “Redefining the Cinema Experience with Samsung Onyx,” bringing together leading voices shaping the craft and technology of modern filmmaking. The panel featured:

• Glenn Gainor, CEO & Producer, Hollywood Ventures Group
• Steven Poster (ASC, CSC), Board Member, 6P Color; President Emeritus, International Cinematographers Guild Local 600
• Philip Holland, Director, Cinematographer, Digital Cinema Specialist & Color Scientist
• Craig German, Former C-Suite Executive, Amazon Studios and Paramount

Over the hour-long conversation, the panelists explored how advancements in HDR, color accuracy and display technology are reshaping both creative possibility and audience expectation. Much of the discussion focused on how deeper blacks, wider color gamuts and consistent presentation can reinforce cinematic emotion rather than alter it.

“We had the ability to capture [the darkest of dark and the brightest of bright] on film, but not to project it — until now.”

— Glenn Gainor, Head of Production, Hollywood Ventures Group

Gainor reflected on the shift in audience expectations as viewing environments improve across the board, noting, “Clearly, I work in the movie business, so my home system is probably pretty good. [But it’s] never going to be as good as what we just saw. This is an entirely different, immersive experience.”

▲ “Glenn Gainor (center) shares his perspective on the future of theatrical storytelling during the panel session, joined by cinematographers and experts from across the industry.”

Steven Poster spoke to how companies and the technology they develop can support — not interfere with — creative intent. “Samsung was one of the first to listen to creators with filmmaker mode — and that really mattered,” he said. “Motion interpolation destroyed suspension of disbelief, and now we can have that back.”

Holland pointed out how emissive displays strengthen emotional immersion by revealing details often lost in projection. “Because this tech can achieve such deep black, you don’t get milky shadows,” he said. “In a room like this, there were moments when you couldn’t see the edge of the frame — you felt like you were there.”

▲ “Philip Holland (far right) discusses the role of HDR and contrast in modern cinematic storytelling during the panel session.”

That depth and precision became a larger theme as the panel discussed the creative range made possible by HDR. Gainor described it as an expansion of storytelling itself: “The art of storytelling allows us to get the darkest of dark and the brightest of bright.” Poster added: “We had the ability to capture it on film, but not to project it — until now.”

▲ “Panelists discuss the evolving landscape of theatrical storytelling during ‘The Future of Cinema Experience with Samsung Onyx’ session at AWFF 2025.”

AWFF 2025: Where Art and Technology Meet

During the festival, one theme echoed across screenings, hallways and panel rooms alike: when the viewing experience respects the filmmaker’s intent, the connection between audience and story becomes stronger. That idea also shaped how AWFF leadership reflected on this year’s partnership with Samsung.

Executive Director Georges N. Chamchoum — an Emmy and multiple award-winning film director and producer — said, “AWFF has always been about cultural exchange, introducing Asian filmmakers to the world and giving their stories the visibility they deserve. Samsung’s support strengthens that mission.” He added that “innovations in the cinema industry should help audiences truly see the story, and Samsung’s Onyx screens do just that.”

Co-Founder and Managing Director Asel Sherniyazova highlighted the responsibility of presenting films with care: “A film may travel across continents before reaching our stage. Seeing it presented with this level of precision gives filmmakers confidence that their work is being treated with respect.”

▲ “Executive Director Georges N. Chamchoum (left) and Co-Founder Asel Sherniyazova photographed at AWFF 2025, marking this year’s collaboration with Samsung.” 

Samsung’s role at AWFF 2025 reaffirmed that technology can amplify the heart of a story when used with care. By helping films reach audiences exactly as their creators intended, this year’s festival offered a promising look at how cinemas can continue to inspire, connect and bring stories to life.

▲ “The Culver Theater, where the 11th Asian World Film Festival brought together filmmakers and audiences from around the world.”

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