Anchorage International Film Festival to Commemorate 25th Anniversary with Glacier Trek and Additional Events

      The Anchorage International Film Festival has announced it will mark its 25th anniversary this year with a glacier hike for filmmakers, a bonfire under the Northern Lights, and several new award categories — including one dedicated to shorts filmed on an iPhone.

      “This isn’t just a festival — it’s an adventure,” remarked festival director and filmmaker Pat McGee. “We’ve created an environment where creativity and nature intersect, allowing filmmakers to not only showcase their work but also engage in an unforgettable experience. There’s nothing comparable to AIFF anywhere else in the world.”

      The newly introduced award categories encompass Best Sports Documentary, Best Music Documentary, Native Voices Award, Best Music Video, Best Original TV Pilot (both scripted and unscripted), along with Best iPhone Short. Submissions are currently being accepted through FilmFreeway, and the event is scheduled for December 5 – 14.

      The festival will take place across four venues in Anchorage, with the well-loved Bear Tooth Theatre serving as the main venue.

      In 2024, AIFF presented 115 films from 32 countries, welcomed over 100 filmmakers, and featured immersive activities including a Native Heritage sightseeing tour, a Northern Lights bonfire, and in-depth Q&As. "Porcelain War," which won AIFF’s Outstanding Documentary Director award, was later nominated for the Academy Awards.

      “The energy we experienced last year was incredible,” stated festival director Adam Linkenhelt. “With sold-out audiences and filmmakers connecting over frozen lakes and warm fires, it reminded us why independent cinema is important. For our 25th anniversary, we’re elevating every aspect.”

      Tracie Laymon, director of SXSW Winner Bob Trevino Likes It, mentioned in a video for the 25th anniversary that she has attended approximately 100 festivals and that an outing from last year’s event was “the best activity I’ve participated in at any festival.” (You can view the full video above.)

      The glacier tour is supported by Greatland Adventures and the Alaska Native Heritage Center, which also offer excursions like the Hunt for the Northern Lights and Alaska Heritage Center free for all filmmakers attending the festival.

      The festival promotes Alaskan and Indigenous voices by “providing a platform for untold stories that resonate with originality and reflect the vibrant cultural essence of the North.”

      The new award categories join existing ones such as Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Explorer’s Achievement Award, and the Real World Impact Award, among others.

      For further details, visit www.anchoragefilmfestival.org.

      Main image: Filmmakers of the Anchorage International Film Festival on a festival-sponsored hike on the Matanuska Glacier. Photo by Michael Goodman.