AIFF 2025: Great Opening Night With Film Burt

The Bear Tooth was full on opening night to watch Burt on opening night of the Anchorage International Film Festival tonight.                      The clip above is from a brief audio Q&A with the leading character, Burt.                                               This was a truly unique film.  The main character played himself - a 69 year old guitarist with Parkinson Disease.  His remote Steve played himself.  Though the story was fictional.                       The film makers say they filmed this in seven days for $7000.  

In the Q&A director Burke said all his previous experience let him just go with the actors/characters with different cameras and that gave him enough to edit it into an absorbing film. He also credited Burt and Steve as natural actors who made this sort of film possible.  In the clip above Burt (facing us) is talking with the man who walks into his life claiming to be his son.

It's going on 1am and I have to get up early tomorrow.  I want to say a bit more about this film.  But for now, here is a bit of the Q&A with the film's director Joe Burke.  The audio isn't as clear as I'd like, but it is understandable.  He did take pretty fast for most of the Q&A.

And the post wouldn't be complete with my mentioning Witty Youngman, who played guitar after the movie - starting out with a song Burt sang in the movie.  She had a hauntingly lovely voice that kept people in the theater much longer than normal.  

AIFF 2025: Features Through Saturday Dec. 8 - From Burt to Fucktoys

Shorts are important at a film festival.  They're often the draft first chapters of feature length films.  

But the features - the longer films - are what many (most?) filmmakers are aiming for.  So I'm going to try to highlight the features being shown at the festival.  I'll try to cover those shown at the beginning and get others later.  

Burt - Joe Burke

This is the opening night movie.  That means people at the Festival really liked it.  

Friday, Dec 5, 2025 -  7:30 PM: Opening Night Film - Beartooth

From the filmmaker's webpage: 

Burt, a 69-year-old street musician living with Parkinson’s, has his life turned upside down when Sammy, a wayward young man from New York, shows up claiming to be his son. Having always dreamed of being a father, Burt embraces Sammy and invites him to stay for the weekend at his home, where he lives with his grumpy landlord, Steve.

Inspired by the real-life of singer/songwriter Burt Berger, who stars in the film alongside actor Oliver Cooper; this movie blurs the line between reality and fiction with disarming authenticity. An instant laugh-out-loud-and-cry indie darling. The movie is a powerful love letter to Burt, his music, and the filmmaker’s own father, who also lives with Parkinson’s.

The LA Times headline for its review of the film:  "They shot the film in seven days for $7,000"

[Editorial Comment:  But the page has a pop up that requires me to agree to arbitration and a class action waiver and all their cookies.  No opt outs.  So the headline is all I'll see of the review because I can't agree to that.  Folks, be good consumers - there are millions of websites out there.  If the site opt out options are onerous, don't just agree.  Delete the page and find one that's more user friendly.]

​Here's an interview with the two film makers on YouTube

 

In The Wake Of Justice Delayed  -   Mary Katzke

Saturday, Dec 6 , 2025, Alaska Experience Theater (AKEX)  10:00 AM

From the Alaska Beacon

"A new documentary profiles two Alaska Native families as they seek justice for their murdered loved ones, diving into the generational trauma of families and communities grappling with violence, barriers within the criminal justice system and years of grief and unanswered questions.  

The new film, “In the Wake of Justice Delayed,” follows five years in the families’ search for justice – in two cases of murder of Native women, one more recent murder in Palmer in 2019 and one decades ago in Point Hope in 1985 – and a diving into the interconnected grief and impacts of violence in the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people, particularly women, in Alaska.

The documentary opens with the statement: “Native women and girls experience a murder rate 10 times higher than the national average,” by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

'Women are not just statistics. They are not just numbers,' said Alice Quannik Glenn, a journalist and podcast host from Utgiagvik featured in the film. 'They’re real people that influence the other people around them. They influence their communities. So when one of us isn’t safe, it makes us all vulnerable.'”

 

Sgt. Stubby: An Unlikely Hero — Richard Lanni

I'm not sure why this film is being shown at the festival this year.  All the reviews I've seen are dated 2018, which is much older than films are supposed to be to get into the festival.  

Saturday, Dec 6 , 2025, Alaska Experience Theater (AKEX)  3:30pm

From a Deseret News review in 2018. 

“'SGT. STUBBY: AN AMERICAN HERO' — 2 stars — Voices of Logan Lerman, Helena Bonham Carter, Gerard Depardieu, Jason Ezzell; PG (war action and some thematic elements); in general release

Based on a true story, Richard Lanni’s “Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero” follows the animated adventures of a dog that served in the U.S. Army during World War I.

For a brief moment, we see a small mutt deep in the trenches in France during March 1918, then we flash back six months to the United States, where a contingency of U.S. soldiers is training to enter World War I."

F*cktoys — Annapurna Sriram 

I'd note, from what I can tell, the film itself doesn't have an *.  

Definitely the most provocative title in the festival.  

Saturday, Dec 6 , 2025,  Museum  6:30 PM

From PurpleHour:

"The five of cups, the hanged man, and the sun—even if you don’t know how to read tarot, that’s fine, because Annapurna Sriram’s boldly titled Fucktoys tells us that the combination is plan ol’ bad luck. Our hero AP (Sriram herself) begins her journey in the middle of a huge swamp, where a tarot reader (iconic genderfluid bounce artist Big Freedia) tells her frankly, that she’s been cursed. Those teeth that have been falling out? Yeah, that’s black magic. Capitalism, of course, is her way out: the only way she can undo the magic is by gathering one thousand dollars to have the tarot reader lift the curse, involving a ritual slaughter of a baby lamb. If not, then bad, bad things will happen.

What else is AP to do but hop on her crystal blue moped, adorned with a sparkly unicorn, and begin to gather the money—a delightful fairytale-like starter to Sriram’s debut feature. . . "

IndieWire has a piece on this film titled, "Why the F*ck has Nobody Bought F*cktoys?" (*s in the original).  Basically, the answer is she hasn't gotten the right offer yet.  The last line of the article:

“I would never let a client talk down my rate,” she said. “Why would I let a distributor?”

Remaining Native — Paige Bethmann 

I've already spotlighted this on November 18.  

Saturday, Dec 6 , 2025,  Bear Tooth  12:00 pm

Drink and Be Merry — Adam Volerich

Saturday, Dec 6 , 2025,  Bear Tooth  3:00 pm

From the Tallahassee Film Festival: 

"Set at a struggling New York dive bar in the days leading up to Christmas, 2019. Its protagonist, Chet (Jefferson White), is a beleaguered bartender in a state of extended arrested development, who must balance taking care of his misanthropic, aging regulars — who have nowhere else to go, and rely on him for far more than pouring drinks — with his naive desires to muster some Christmas spirit."

I can't find much more than this on the film.  There are reports that they wrapped up filming in February of this year, so it hasn't been to many festivals yet.  I guess. This isn't a topic I enjoy watching, but there have been excellent films about alcohol addiction.  It's playing at the Bear Tooth, so someone thought it would get a good crowd. 

AIFF 2025 More Appetizers For The Anchorage International Film Festival

 At this point the Anchorage International Film Festival (AIFF) website doesn't give us much info about the films - the name of the film and filmmaker, a screenshot, the category it's in (feature or short basically), and when and where it will be shown.  There's still a few weeks to go to get more up, but in the meantime, I've just gone through the screenshots and picked some that jumped out at me.  The first set was posted here.  

This is the second set.  It's not totally random.  It's based on the visual impact on me of the screenshot, which is not insignificant for a film.  But each of us will pick different shots. Since most of the films in the festival are shorts, most of the ones so far are also shorts.  

As I'm doing this and the previous post, it does seem that the screenshots are posted more or less in the order they are showing.  So these first two posts get us through the first weekend and up to Tuesday (Chasing Fins.)

So consider this an appetizer for the festival which starts Friday December 5.  Go check out the AIFF website yourself.

Ellie - Vinny O’Brien

As I regular cyclist, I immediately saw this as someone riding a bicycle, though I realized later it could also be a motorcycle.  And he has such a determined look on his face.  And the top of his head is cut off.    And, as you read below, here's another Alaskan film maker.  

From Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival:

"'Ellie,' directed by Vinny O'Brien, is a refreshing addition to the world of independent action filmmaking. O'Brien, a former Golden Glove champion and Alaskan commercial fisherman turned filmmaker, makes his directorial and producer debut with this project.

It skillfully navigates the delicate balance between drama and action, seamlessly blending heart-wrenching moments of familial connection with adrenaline-pumping sequences, creating a captivating cinematic experience."

The plot revolves around a father on the run from ruthless foes, using games to distract his daughter from the impending danger. Unintentionally, he prepares her for the perilous journey ahead, relying on resourcefulness to protect her and strengthen their bond. The premise is a clever idea, and O'Brien executes it with finesse.

The film shines in various aspects, starting with its well-written script that explores the intricate dynamics of the father-daughter relationship. The acting is commendable, capturing the emotional nuances required for such a narrative. The cinematography adds depth to the storytelling, capturing both the tender moments and the intensity of the perilous journey. . . "

Saturday, December 6  Part of Shorts Program "Thrillers" starting at 8:30pm at Alaska Experience Theater

But I'm A Shoe -  Chen Drachman

 I've been through a number of airports in the last couple of months, so I'm guessing that influenced my decision to include this one.  And I like the style of the animation.  

From the Jewish Standard:

"After flying around the country attending back-to-back festivals and award events, Ms. Drachman was exhausted. “In my state of sleep-deprived delirium, I was conversing with myself,” she recalled.

She dubbed the two voices in her inner dialogue “Chen A” and “Chen B.”

“Chen A said, ‘I just do not have the energy to deal with air travel right now. I wish I could turn myself into a small object for the duration of the flight.’

“And Chen B was like, ‘What would you turn yourself into if you could?’

“Chen A said, ‘I think I would turn myself into a shoe — I’d split my consciousness between two shoes.’

“Chen B said, ‘Oh yeah! The TSA officer would be like, ‘Please take off your shoes,’ and I would be like, ‘But I am a shoe!’

“A few days after I got home, I wrote it down and started to think practically how I might do it,” Ms. Drachman concluded."

Okay, readers.  Your assignment is to think about how you might turn this into a movie.  Then on Saturday, December 6, at 10am you can compare your version to the filmmaker's version at Shorts Animation Program at the Museum. 

Guanaco - Mercedes Jerkovic & Martin Fisner 

This one is so bizarre that I just had to include it.  Could I make up a story that would include these characters?  Sure, but it would take a while.  

"Filmed in Ushuaia and inspired by a real event, this is a portrait of the torment of living at the end of the world. Between the majesty of the Andes and the mysterious custody of the Selknam spirits, from the island of Tierra del Fuego you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave."

Monday, December 7 at the Alaska Experience Theater in the Uncensored Shorts Block that begins at 10:30am 

Lemon  - Beth Curry

The sofa is yellow, but where is the lemon?  The camera caught this kid being a kid.  (Turns out the kid is Lemon.)  There's a fair amount about the screenwriter Beth Curry, including a long paywalled series on Medium, but not much on Lemon. There is a Lemon website, but it's mostly pictures. A brief bio of the filmmaker.  Here's a bit about the film itself. 

"We are in a time where fear seems ever-present. Lemon has been conditioned to fear the outside world. But soon, she learns to let go of that conditioning and dares to see what life has to offer. Perhaps we could all learn a thing or two from Lemon...to let go of fear and to LIVE!"

And there's a brief video trailer. 

It's showing Monday, December 8, at 5:30 pm at the Bear Tooth in the Shorts Program:  Female Filmmakers Showcase. 

 

Breaking The Tide -  Katrin York

Having grown up on the beaches of Southern California, how can I not pick this shot.  The surfboard leash is still attached to the ankle, so it's probably on the other side of the wave.  

This film is in the same program as Lemon: Monday, December 8, at 5:30 pm at the Bear Tooth in the Shorts Program:  Female Filmmakers Showcase. 

From the Hawaiian International Film Festival (the perfect festival for this film):

"On the North Shore of Oahu, siblings Jesse and Hunter are shaped by the unforgiving surf culture and their father''s relentless pressure. What begins as playful dares escalates into a dangerous rivalry, pushing them toward a life-altering reckoning with their fears, their bond, and the powerful tides that control them both."

You can see a trailer at Seed&Spark. 

Chasing Fins - Tomas Koeck

How can this shot not grab my attention?  This shark seems to be looking right at me.  

This film is part of a series Ocean State, sponsored by the Nature Conservancy and others.  From The Nature Conservancy:

"Earlier this year, Silent Flight Studios released the Ocean State pilot episode, Chasing Fins, which received enthusiastic feedback from audiences. The special, focusing on the lives and migrations of Rhode Island’s shark species and featuring the Atlantic Shark Institute, aired locally on Ocean State Media in August and is now available on PBS.org and its streaming platform.

Tomas Koeck is an award-winning filmmaker, journalist and expeditionist recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists for excellence in reporting and storytelling. Koeck has been on assignment for National Geographic, PBS Nature, Smithsonian Channel and the National Audubon Society, among others."

Anchorage International Film Festival (AIFF) 2025 Judging A Film By Its Cover

 At this point there isn’t much more to go on

The AIFF website has shifted from the one that was just sitting there with old news about the long past deadline for submitting a film, to a new shiny one with a screenshot for every film, a schedule of when they’ll be shown, and a link to getting festival passes that takes you back to the top of the page.

At this point as a blogger, I’ve got little to help me to decide which films to find out more about, other than the film screenshots, the titles, and the categories,  My favorite screenshot?  This was the first one that really grabbed me. 

I think it was the lighting at first, but also the setting and the posture of the characters,  If I had to pick one shot to represent my film, I’d pick the one that was most compelling, whether that is just the visual quality of the picture or how the scene draws the viewer to imagine a story to explain what they see.  Preferably both.  The Ladder screenshot does that.  [Dec. 17 - I reformatted parts of this to match the next post.]

The Ladder - Emilio Miguel Torres   (Feature)

 Wow.  I just looked it up and it turns out to be an Alaskan film.  From KRBD:

“Torres is an NYU film school graduate who grew up in Ketchikan. For him, it was a no-brainer to shoot his first film here. 

“One of the reasons I made this film is I think Ketchikan is one of the most beautiful places on Earth, and I think the film is a testament to the artistic community in Ketchikan,” Torres said over the phone, from his home in Arizona.

In many ways, “The Ladder” is a film about aging. It centers on Arthur, a commercial fisherman who’s getting too old to fish. Early in the film, audiences learn that Arthur’s wife died and his son lives in New York City. The aging protagonist wants his son to move back to Alaska, but they have a somewhat strained relationship.” 

It plays at 6pm on Sunday December 7 at the Museum.  

Dark Matter - Leo Berkeley

The first short I found online called Dark Matter was a film about snow boarding down almost vertical slopes.  Perfect for an Alaskan film festival, but the sound was badly edited.  A second one, in the right time period was a Malayalam film about paranormal disappearances in Kerala.  Neither had this image.  In the schedule (it plays Sunday at the Alaska Experience Theater at 3:30 pm in the International Gems program) I found the director (also writer and star) was Leo Berkeley.  From Leo Berkeley Films:

“Dark Matter

Dark Matter is a short diary film which explores the experience of living full-time in a wheelchair. Suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, I spend my days staring out the window of my apartment, my mind turning to topics from cigarette butts to quantum particles.”

This appears to be an Australian film.

The Mariana Trench - Eileen Byrne  (Feature)

This picture is just so lush.  And who are these people?  A man and his daughter?  Grand daughter?  What are they toasting?  From Cineuropa:

“A debut feature film by director Eileen Byrne, The Mariana Trench [+] is a road movie exploring profound themes such as suffering, loss and feelings of guilt. Originally from Luxembourg, Byrne graduated from Monaco’s HFF with a short film entitled Touch Me, about how being diagnosed with a breast tumour impacts the relationship between a woman and her partner which had previously been known for its intensity. Based on Jasmin Schreiber’s bestselling novel of the same name, The Mariana Trench follows the journey embarked upon by a pair of seemingly incompatible characters: Paula, played by young Swiss actress Luna Wedler (a Shooting Star of 2018) and Helmut, embodied by one of the most famous German character actors, Edgar Selge (who’s 76 years old and mostly known in Germany as Commissioner Tauber from the TV series Polizeiruf 110).”

Sunday, December 7,  8:30pm at the Alaska Experience Theater

Death In the Desert -  Anna Long 

From the Tucson   Film Festival: 

“Death comes across a wayward soul hiking in the desert, who resists moving on to the afterlife. This encounter sparks an unexpected bargain that fosters an unlikely friendship between them.”

This comment is long compared to the others I saw.  The link also has a bit of video from this short film.  It plays in the “Now for Something Different”  shorts category on Monday Dec. 8, at the E Street Theater starting at 1pm. 

Hearts of Stone - Tom van Avermaet

Before I even saw the title, I wondered if she was a statue.  And then I realized he wasn’t quite normal either.  

From noomi-rapace.com  

“In a sculpture park in the heart of a bustling metropolis, Paula (Noomi Rapace), a lonely street artist, entertains people as a living statue. She longs with an impossible love for Agatha (Jessica Baren), a stone sculpture next to her regular spot. When a festival for living statues arrives in the park, Paula is dismayed to find that Agatha has been replaced by a new, modern sculpture. After a frantic search, she finds Agatha in a group of discarded statues, ready to be taken away. Almost as a farewell, she kisses the object of her affection. Later, at the festival’s closing party, Paula meets Agatha in the flesh.”

Hearts of Stone is also in the “Now for Something Different”  shorts category on Monday Dec. 8, at the E Street Theater starting at 1pm

So this is my intro to the Anchorage International Film Festival 2025.  Somewhat random, but not really.  Based on screenshots that caught my eye.  These were only the first five.  There are a lot more than these.  Go look at the site yourself.  

Often the Festival website is a work in progress.  It always tends to start a bit late because the webmaster has to wait until the films are chosen and then assigned a time and location.  So the webmaster has to sit around and wait and then suddenly there’s a ton to do.