This was originally posted in 2009 and then redone in 2015 and there have been minor changes since, but it's time to redo it.
A lot of people don't even know what questions they should be asking. So I'm listing them out here (with the answers) to help you find out what's happening at the Anchorage International Film Festival and how to take advantage of all the great films that will be in town Dec. 6-16, 2019.
Below are links to posts with general information about the Anchorage International Film Festival.
Q: Where's the official Anchorage International Film Festival website? https://aiff.sites.goelevent.com It's now hosted by GOELevent which is described by Website Outlook as:
Below are links to posts with general information about the Anchorage International Film Festival.
Q: Where's the official Anchorage International Film Festival website? https://aiff.sites.goelevent.com It's now hosted by GOELevent which is described by Website Outlook as:
Elevent is the first user-friendly, modern ticketing platform made for film festivals, zoos, national parks, museums, and other complex event organizers. Our cloud-based platform can be deployed and maintained with minimal effort, with an emphasis on ease of use & design. Built to withstand high demand, it's powerful enough to support the toughest ticketing scenarios.This is a big change from last year's independent website linked to Festival Genius.
Q: What do all the categories mean? Basically there are different film categories -
- Based on Length - Features tend to be over 55 minutes, Shorts are less than that. Previous festivals have had a Super Short category, but not this year.
- Based on Content - Fictional films are Narratives and films that tell a true story, faithfully, are Documentaries.
- Animated - are films that are drawn or painted, either by hand or computer
- Alaskana - are films with an Alaska theme, setting, or film maker. These films might also be in one of the other categories too.
- Children's - films particularly appropriate for children
- 'Selected' - all films submitted to the festival and some of them are selected to be in the festival by the programmers
Q: What films are the best films this year?
We won't really know until we see them. We used to have a category called Films in Competition. These were films that the programmers identified as the best in their category. This year the process has been different and all the 'selected' films are in competition to be chosen for the Golden Oosiker awards. Of course, individual programmers have favorites among the films they've seen, but they often don't agree with each other.
Q: Short films are grouped together into 'programs.' How do I find which short films are playing together in the same of program?
I'll try to get those listed here before the festival starts, but you can also check on your own on the festival website. Opening Night will be a shorts program. Here's a link to the overview for that program.
Q: Short films are grouped together into 'programs.' How do I find which short films are playing together in the same of program?
I'll try to get those listed here before the festival starts, but you can also check on your own on the festival website. Opening Night will be a shorts program. Here's a link to the overview for that program.
Where will the films be shown?
Bear Tooth, is the biggest venue, and where opening night will be. It will play a smaller role in the festival than in past years.
Alaska Experience Theater
333 W 4th Ave #207, Anchorage, AK 99501 (907) 272-9076
There is a large and a small theater there
Anchorage Museum
625 C Street
The Theater is is off the old 6th Avenue which may be the easiest way to get in. But you may have to go through the main entrance of the museum.
Bear Tooth, is the biggest venue, and where opening night will be. It will play a smaller role in the festival than in past years.
1230 West 27th Avenue (West of Spenard Road) - 907.276.4200
Alaska Experience Theater
333 W 4th Ave #207, Anchorage, AK 99501 (907) 272-9076
There is a large and a small theater there
Anchorage Museum
625 C Street
The Theater is is off the old 6th Avenue which may be the easiest way to get in. But you may have to go through the main entrance of the museum.
Marston Theater (Loussac Library) Family Programming on
Saturday Dec.7, 11 am
3600 Denali St.
Q: What other events are there?
Workshops - some specifically for young film makers. These are chances to interact with film makers and learn some aspect of the movie craft and industry.
3600 Denali St.
Q: What other events are there?
Workshops - some specifically for young film makers. These are chances to interact with film makers and learn some aspect of the movie craft and industry.
Five Day Film Royal - A contest where local film makers are given five days to create a short film using a number of prompts. The completed films will be shown at the Bear Tooth on Saturday night at 10:30pm.
Q: What are your criteria for a good movie? When I made my picks for the 2008 best films, at the end of the post I outlined my criteria. The link takes you to that post, scroll down to second part. I also did a post in 2012 on what I thought makes a good documentary.
Q: Should I buy a pass or just buy tickets as I go?
Tickets are still only $10 per film. "All films passes" are only $99. So, if you go to eleven films, the pass is cheaper. But there are other benefits to the pass. You also get priority seating with your pass. That means you go into the theater first at the Bear Tooth. NOTE: You do have to get a ticket (free when you show your pass) for each film at the door and only a certain number of seats are held for pass holders.
And if you have a pass, you'll go see more films because you'll think "I've paid for them. I should go and get my money's worth."
All Films passes get you into Workshops, and discounts for a few extra events, like the opening night film (which is actually $30 a ticket) and the awards. These extra events also have food.
Another option is to volunteer and get a pass to a movie.
You can buy tickets at the venues. You can also get advanced tickets at the venues.
You can also buy them online. Tickets are already available.
Q: What about family films?
Kids A Bonanza - Saturday, December 7, at 11am at Loussac Library - in the Marston Auditorium.. This is a free event. This will include various shorts appropriate for kids.
Q: Any free events?
Yes, there are. Besides the family films (right above), Made in Alaska, and two of the workshops.
Q: What are your criteria for a good movie? When I made my picks for the 2008 best films, at the end of the post I outlined my criteria. The link takes you to that post, scroll down to second part. I also did a post in 2012 on what I thought makes a good documentary.
Q: Should I buy a pass or just buy tickets as I go?
Tickets are still only $10 per film. "All films passes" are only $99. So, if you go to eleven films, the pass is cheaper. But there are other benefits to the pass. You also get priority seating with your pass. That means you go into the theater first at the Bear Tooth. NOTE: You do have to get a ticket (free when you show your pass) for each film at the door and only a certain number of seats are held for pass holders.
And if you have a pass, you'll go see more films because you'll think "I've paid for them. I should go and get my money's worth."
All Films passes get you into Workshops, and discounts for a few extra events, like the opening night film (which is actually $30 a ticket) and the awards. These extra events also have food.
Another option is to volunteer and get a pass to a movie.
You can buy tickets at the venues. You can also get advanced tickets at the venues.
You can also buy them online. Tickets are already available.
Q: What about family films?
Kids A Bonanza - Saturday, December 7, at 11am at Loussac Library - in the Marston Auditorium.. This is a free event. This will include various shorts appropriate for kids.
Q: Any free events?
Yes, there are. Besides the family films (right above), Made in Alaska, and two of the workshops.
Q: Who Are You Anyways? - who's paying you to do this? does your brother have a film in competition? What is your connection to the festival? From an earlier post here's my Disclosure:
I sort of accidentally blogged about the 2007 festival and the AIFF people liked what I did and asked if I would be the official blogger in 2008. They promised me I could say what I wanted, but I decided it was better to blog on my own and then if I write something that upsets one of the film makers, the Festival isn't responsible.
I probably won't say anything terrible about a film, but I did rant about one film in the past that I thought was exploiting its subject as well as boorishly demeaning a whole country. I mentioned in an earlier post that if I sound a little promotional at times, it's only because I like films and I like the kinds of quirky films that show up at festivals, so I want as many people to know about the festival as possible so the festival will continue. Will I fudge on what I write to get people out? No way. There are plenty of people in Anchorage who like films. They're my main target - to get them out of the house in the dark December chill when inertia tugs heavily if they even think about leaving the house. But if others who normally don't go out to films hear about a movie on a topic they're into, that's good too.
I did a post a couple of years ago for Film Festival Skeptics who might be sitting on the fence and need to be given reasons to go and strategies to make it work.
Q: How Does One Keep Track of What's Happening at the Festival?
Things are much easier this year. There are no film playing at the same time. No terrible choices to make. But then, no films will play twice either - except maybe a few shorts that are in more than one program.
Because there are no overlaps, the printed and online schedules are much easier to follow.
I'll be blogging the film festival every day.
The Golevent website is good. You can look at the whole schedule here or you can check it day by day here.
There should also be printed programs in the Anchorage Press you can pick up around town as well and go to the Festival Webpage.
My blog will update every day. My Anchorage International Film Festival (AIFF 2019) tab on top will have an overview of what's happening each day.
Q: Are there other Alaskan Film Festivals?
There are some events called 'festival' that I know of in Anchorage, but they aren't major film events like this one. There is another organization, that puts Alaska in its name and used to rent a postal box in Alaska, but has no other connection that we can find to Alaska. You can read about that at Comparing the ANCHORAGE and ALASKA International Film Festivals - Real Festival? Scam?
There have been other festivals over the years. I need to find out which ones are still happening and what new ones have arisen. If you know, email me. (see upper right column).
My blog will update every day. My Anchorage International Film Festival (AIFF 2019) tab on top will have an overview of what's happening each day.
Q: Are there other Alaskan Film Festivals?
There are some events called 'festival' that I know of in Anchorage, but they aren't major film events like this one. There is another organization, that puts Alaska in its name and used to rent a postal box in Alaska, but has no other connection that we can find to Alaska. You can read about that at Comparing the ANCHORAGE and ALASKA International Film Festivals - Real Festival? Scam?
There have been other festivals over the years. I need to find out which ones are still happening and what new ones have arisen. If you know, email me. (see upper right column).
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