For the uninitiated, CAAMFest (run by the Center for Asian American Media) is one of the Bay Area's longest-running film festivals dedicated to Asian and Asian American storytelling. It's the kind of cultural institution that actually earns its keep — no massive public subsidy drama, just a community-driven festival that brings compelling, underrepresented narratives to local theaters.

This year's standout appears to be a film exploring the network of Indian tech executives and entrepreneurs who've quietly shaped Silicon Valley into what it is today. Love it or hate it, the story of immigrant-driven innovation is fundamentally an American story — people showing up, taking risks, building things, and creating enormous wealth without asking permission from a government committee. That's the kind of narrative we don't hear enough about in a city that increasingly treats entrepreneurship like a dirty word.

CAAMFest has always been good at finding stories that cut against the grain of mainstream media narratives, and a documentary about the power networks behind some of tech's biggest companies fits right in. Whether you're a film nerd or just curious about the real human dynamics driving the industry that funds half this city's tax base, it's worth a look.

The festival runs across multiple venues in San Francisco, and tickets are generally affordable — a refreshing change from the $300-a-plate fundraiser galas that seem to dominate SF's cultural calendar.

Bottom line: CAAMFest continues to punch above its weight. In a city drowning in festivals that cost taxpayers a fortune and deliver questionable returns, this one keeps it lean, keeps it interesting, and keeps telling stories that matter. Go see something that challenges you this weekend.