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.
If you watch a newscast today, listen to the radio or a podcast then you are benefiting from the work of Lowell Thomas.
Lowell Thomas was more famous than any American journalist has ever been. As the swashbuckling adventurer -- he took American audiences with him on the radio and in newsreels, establishing personality driven journalism and reporting from around the world. During the First World War, Thomas traveled to the Middle East and discovered T.E. Lawrence, making him the celebrity, 'Lawrence of Arabia'. Thomas was the role model for intrepid foreign correspondents today. His stories shaped American knowledge of the world and influenced foreign policy. His legacy came in the 1930s as he set the standard for reliable, non-partisan broadcast news. Later he managed to slip into Tibet, where he interviewed the Dalai Lama just before the Chinese invaded. His enterprising zeal led him to found Capital Cities, which eventually bought ABC before being sold itself to Disney for 17 Billion dollars .
Lowell Thomas’ journalism is the journalism today described– sometimes bitterly, sometimes reverently – as “mainstream journalism.” He was the original deep voiced omnipotent journalistic narrator: the first “voice of god.” But his journalism was not always traditional. This documentary will tell the story of its creation. Today as main stream news is brand an “enemy of the people” it is important understand how it evolved and appreciate how it underpins democratic society.
