As The Anchorage International Film Festival embarks on its 18th season, we want to thank our incredible community for all of the support we have received over the years. Anchorage, and Alaska as a whole, is a melting pot of culture and talent that is unrivaled.
Before I became involved with AIFF, I had very little idea how this festival impacted so many lives. From our local student filmmakers, to our seasoned professionals and visiting filmmakers, AIFF has become a great resource to share ideas, knowledge and network with the creative community. AIFF has always been and will continue to be an advocate for our independent film community, which has grown significantly over the past several years.
It is no secret that Alaska is a magical destination, and because of that, it brings people together in unexpected ways. In the dead of winter, AIFF offers a bright light for 10 days every season. During our festival, we are fortunate enough to welcome several filmmakers from all over the world, creating lasting memories and friendships.
As the film industry changes, it is becoming more important than ever that we support independent film, and the surrounding community. The Anchorage International Film Festival is looking forward to sharing the work of so many talented storytellers this season and for years to come.
Thank you very much for your support and patronage. Gather up your friends and families and join us for 10 days of amazing stories from around the globe while we celebrate Films Worth Freezing For.
Age of Sail (USA) Directed by: John Kahrs When Avery reluctantly rescues Lara, who has mysteriously fallen overboard from a steamship, he finds redemption and hope in his darkest hours.
Belly Flop (South Africa) Directed by: Jeremy Collins and Kelly Dillon Persistence pays off when an unashamed young girl leaning to dive is unperturbed by a talented diver who steals the spotlight. Wild Woman (USA) Directed by: Vanessa Sweet Wild Woman is an animated poem to mankind which invokes current world issues such as drone-strikes and religious persecution in a plea for empathy. Scenes transform and melt as the animator also explores her personal struggle of becoming a mother and identifying as such in our current social and political climate.
Sonder (USA) Directed by: Neth Nom For years, Finn and Natalie walked the same path. But when their time together comes to an end, Finn finds himself lost in a mysterious land. Paralyzed by the fear of moving on, he is at risk of losing himself. Through self-discovery, Finn must gather the strength to forge a new path.
Buddy Joe (France) Directed by: Julien David Not Available
The Train (USA) Directed by: Aaron Dunbar An animated tale of love, solitude, and artistic obsession. Where does Space Begin? (United Kingdom) Directed by: Katie Steed Have you ever wondered how far away space is; how far are the different things you see above your head? Join the Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomers as they ascend up through the different layers of the Earth’s atmosphere to reveal what we would see at different heights.
Carlotta's Face (Germany) Directed by: Valentin Riedl As a child, Carlotta didn’t expect the people around here to have faces. She even doesn’t recognize her own face. Years later, she learns about a rare, untreatable deficit of her brain. It was art, after all, that offered her a way to finally recognize herself. EACH AND EVERY SHADE (Kuwait) Directed by: Sarah Ibrahim What constitutes someone too dark, or not dark enough, or just light enough to pass? The color brown is one that comes with many iterations, connotations, and implications. It is a force that exists in all it's forms in this family—along with each shade's beauty and repercussions.
Emunah (USA) Directed by: Sang Hyoun Han "DOMECAKE" Artificial intelligence uses religion to dominate humanity.
For a Better Life (USA) Directed by: Yasmin Mistry Sold for $100 at the age of 5, Fekri suffers through years of abuse before his plight is discovered. After almost a year of hospitalization and therapy Fekri moves into a group home where he finds support, mentorship, and eventual forgiveness towards the family which sold him. Inseyed (USA) Directed by: Jessica Hudak A girl hears a mysterious noise and investigates, but the source isn’t an easy answer. Pour 585 (USA) Directed by: Patrick Smith In a dystopian world populated by animated wine glasses, a timid character tries to escape an important rite of passage. When he disrupts the standard pouring ritual, he discovers that individuality comes with a price. Pour 585 is a cautionary tale about the dangers of conformity that uses metaphor to illustrate the process of indoctrination
Short but sweet (Kort maar krachtig) (Netherlands) Directed by: Junaid Chundrigar Not Available Fire in Cardboard City (New Zealand) Directed by: Phil Brough When a city made from cardboard catches fire it is up to the local fire chief and his brave deputies to save Cardboard City from total destruction. war for lizards (Iran) Directed by: Hosein Mansouri Lizards are everywhere! Some of them are behind the war. Some of them are the purpose for the war.
6:1 (Russian Federation) Directed by: Sergei Ryabov Inseparable Girl and Cat are playing checkers. The cat loses over and over…