Anchorage International Film Festival

The Anchorage International Film Festival (AIFF) is the largest film festival in Alaska. It was founded in 2001 in order to bring independent and international films to Anchorage, and to showcase the quality independent films made in Alaska. Our mission is to develop, promote, and sustain a film festival that supports new media and independent filmmaking in Alaska and around the world, while enriching cultural and entertainment opportunities for Alaskans. The AIFF is a cosmopolitan film festival that strives to reflect the diverse character of Anchorage by screening captivating and well-crafted independent films from all over the world. The AIFF also provides a forum for the work of independent Alaska filmmakers and opportunities to network with fellow filmmakers. In the past, several films receiving jury awards from the AIFF have gone on to win Academy Awards and awards at major film festivals, such as Hot Docs, Tribeca, Sundance, South by Southwest, the Sheffield Doc Fest, and the Seattle International Film Festival. The AIFF programmers look to program a wide variety of quality, independent films as colorful as the Northern Lights themselves, in categories of: Features, Documentaries, Shorts, Super Shorts, Animation, and films Made in Alaska. In addition to this, we also have our beloved youth and family programming and our Feature Screenplay competition. If you've been here before, you know Alaska's an intriguing place. About 40% of the population of Alaska lives in Anchorage (2019 population 293,531), a modern city with differing lifestyles and independent spirit. Situated between the striking Chugach Mountains and the stunning Cook Inlet, Anchorage is known for its outstanding natural beauty. The city is only a short drive away from glaciers, downhill ski resorts, and unparalleled cross-country skiing, hiking, and bike trails. Anchorage has a vibrant arts community, is home to two universities, and hosts the world-class Anchorage Museum. Anchorage is also a culturally and ethnically diverse city. In 2014, as many as 99 different languages were spoken by students enrolled in the Anchorage School District. The AIFF encourages filmmakers to attend our festival and experience the beauty of an Alaska winter. AIFF attracts filmmakers from all over the world, who spend ten days in Anchorage together, watching films, going on excursions in the winter wonderland and making lifelong friendships. We love to have filmmakers attend the festival so much that we happily help out with travel assistance and sometimes even some stipends. The enthusiasm, sophistication, and passion of the AIFF audience often impress visiting filmmakers, and the AIFF has received uniformly positive feedback about the care and attention visitors receive from the festival staff. We are the warmest festival in a cold climate! Our main host venue is the 400-seat Bear Tooth Theatre, a brew-pub where moviegoers are able to enjoy a drink and delicious food while watching films. A variety of other excellent exhibition venues around Anchorage host films and events during the festival. We encourage you to submit your films and come join us in December, a time when the winter weather creates a dramatic and impressive beauty all its own and where you can discover “Films Worth Freezing For.” ***COVID UPDATES*** 1. The Anchorage International Film Festival is currently planning for a hybrid festival in December 2021, with as many safe and distanced in-person screenings as permitted by local guidelines. We will post updates here, on social media, and on our website. 2. The earliest premiere date for films to be eligible to participate in AIFF 2021 has been pushed back 1 year to January 1, 2018, to help accommodate for the disruption in film production, festival screenings, and distribution during 2020-2021.