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.
Manilla High - Life in Company of Death Directed by: Anders Palm Olesen Country of Origin: Denmark The short documentary, Manila High - Life in Company With Death, portrays four gravediggers from Pasay City Cemetery and their work constructing “Duterte Compound”, a new government-funded grave-complex for the victims of Tokhang. The gravediggers, who live on and in the cemetery’s graves, are breathing the same smog of fear creeping throughout the slums: These graves they are building could end up being their own. They’ve all lost close friends in the past year of Duterte’s ‘War on Drugs’... in the slums, everyone is a suspected drug addict.
LIFEBOAT Directed by: Skye Fitzgerald Country of Origin: USA LIFEBOAT showcases the crisis of refugees desperate enough to risk their lives in rubber boats leaving Libya in the middle of the night and pushing off into the unknown, despite a high probability of drowning.
True Love, True Crime, and an American Bus Directed by: Nicholas Coles Country of Origin: USA True crime and true love collide on a rundown tour bus in this film about an eccentric couple and their quest to preserve Los Angeles history one crime scene at a time.
My Dead Dad's Porno Tapes Directed by: Charlie Tyrell Country of Origin: Canada Filmmaker Charlie Tyrell seeks to better understand his emotionally distant late-father through the personal belongings he left behind... including a stack of VHS dirty movies. Narrated by David Wain.
A Garbage Story Directed by: Oliver Bernier Country of Origin: USA Meet Nick DiMola, a bonafide trash connoisseur. He loves his job and he loves garbage. Over 30 years in the garbage business, he has collected a museum’s worth of old and rare items, most of it from the estates of dead people. With every piece of trash that he saves from the landfill, a piece of history lives on.
War and Cheese Directed by: Ben Garfield Country of Origin: United Kingdom “I heard destiny calling… I was going to be a cheesemaker.” When Oleg Sirota discovered his native Russia was banning all Western cheese imports, he quit his IT job in Moscow, sold his house and cars, took out a $100k loan and set about building a cheese factory in the snowy wilderness. “Russian Parmesan” was born.