Anchorage International Film Festival Celebrates 25 Years with Unique Experiences and New Awards
The Anchorage International Film Festival (AIFF) is marking its 25th anniversary this year with an exciting lineup of activities, including a glacier hike for filmmakers, a Northern Lights bonfire, and several new award categories, notably for shorts shot on an iPhone.
“This isn’t just a festival — it’s an expedition,” said festival director and filmmaker Pat McGee. “We’ve built a space where the creative and natural worlds collide, where filmmakers not only share their work but live an experience they’ll never forget. There’s nothing like AIFF anywhere else on Earth.”
New award categories include Best Sports Documentary, Best Music Documentary, Native Voices Award, Best Music Video, Best Original TV Pilot (Scripted or Unscripted), and Best iPhone Short. Submissions are now open via FilmFreeway, with the event scheduled for December 5 – 14.
The festival will take place across four venues in Anchorage, with the iconic Bear Tooth Theatre serving as the main stage.
The Anchorage International Film Festival at 25
In 2024, AIFF screened 115 films from 32 countries and welcomed over 100 filmmakers. The festival featured immersive experiences such as a Native Heritage sightseeing tour. Last year, the documentary Porcelain War received the Outstanding Documentary Director prize and was later shortlisted for the Academy Awards.
“The energy we saw last year was electric,” said festival director Adam Linkenhelt. “Sold-out crowds and filmmaker bonding over frozen lakes and warm fires reminded us why independent cinema matters.”
The glacier tour is supported by Greatland Adventures and the Alaska Native Heritage Center, which also offers free excursions for filmmakers. AIFF continues to champion Alaskan and Indigenous voices by promoting untold stories that reflect the rich cultural heartbeat of the North.
For more information, visit www.anchoragefilmfestival.org.
Main image: Anchorage International Film Festival filmmakers on a festival-sponsored hike on the Matanuska Glacier. Photo by Michael Goodman.
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Photo credit www.moviemaker.com
