Anchorage International Film Festival (AIFF) 2009 Starts December 4

The Anchorage International  Film Festival starts in a couple of weeks.  I'll be blogging it again, though this time I'm starting a little bit sooner so I can be a bit more prepared than last time.  (Maybe being prepared isn't an advantage here, not sure.) As we get into the festival, that will be my main focus here.


In any case, prior to the start I'm going to try to highlight the films in competition.  Basically, these are the films that have been selected, from among those submitted, to be eligible for prizes.  There are various categories of films and I wrote about that last year.  So if you want to know the difference between official selections, special selections, in competition,  as well as how movies are chosen,  you can go to What Do the Film Categories Mean?

I know there are lots of people out there who are barely aware - or not even that much - that the Festival is happening.  They really don't know what's playing and won't look at the schedule.  But there might be a film that would interest them - because it takes place in India ("One Day in Cochin" for example) or because it's about a topic of interest ("Son of the Sunshine" is about Tourettes and "East Planet" is a Japanese science fiction movie.)  I'll try to come up with some lists that people could scan quickly to see if there is something of special interest.

I'm also working to get up a post for each category, listing the films in competition.  These are the films from which the winners will be selected.

There are also some changes in venue.  Fireweed is no longer in the mix.  But new, not even finished theaters for the Alaska Experience in the Ship Creek Center (the old Post Office Mall) will be venues.  The Bear Tooth will be the center of action, and the Museum, Out North, and the Marston Theater at Loussac Library will also be used. 

You can go explore the Festival website on your own if you're so inclined.  There are also still plenty of chances to volunteer.  Don't be intimidated by the forms, this is just people doing things.