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."

More Water Pictures

 Not sure why keeping this up-to-date is getting so difficult.  It's hard to blog while driving from SF to LA.  And then there were a bunch of followups on the repair work at my mom's house.  

But despite the rain last Tuesday night, the morning had cloudy sunshine.  

And walking along the boardwalk in Cambria  was spectacular.  

The rain that was predicted hadn't arrived yet.  

There was a steady supply of waves roaring toward the shore. If you ever consider a stopover between LA and SF, I highly recommend a hotel along Moonstone beach.  It's off the main highway and the Boardwalk offers magnificent, life affirming views and sounds.  

The birds were enjoying it too.  And part of my delay was me remembering how I used to play around with my photos before putting them up, and so I dabbled with Photopea - a free online program that is very close to photoshop.

But we had to move along to get to LA before five to turn in the rental car.  But we did have sun most of the way.  Everything was significantly greener than when we'd driven up this way.  

We stopped in Santa Barbara to test the reciprocity between the Anchorage Museum and the Santa Barbara museum of art.  Key areas of downtown maintain a Mexican like architectural style. Below is the city hall.

And here's a nearby city parking garage, where parking was free for the first 75 minutes.  Since we didn't have too much time, that was perfect.  

Then on back to LA where we dropped off the car and found a good vegan restaurant.  In LA it was threatening to rain again and but the storm held off for another day, and then we got lots and lots of rain.  But we haven't seen any flooding except for the normal rush of water going down the hill the house is own.  Had to rescue trash cans that floated down the street.  

We did have a Persian dinner the other night with lamb shanks. When I stray from the basically veggie and fish, it should be really worth it.  And it was.  Looking forward to being back in Anchorage soon.  

Elephant Seals Beach Near Cambria, California

Happy New Year to you all.  May it be a better year for all.  And may you all have find peace within if not without.  

What with adventures and projects with our SF grandkids and other other friends here, I've not gotten these pictures up.  But this was such an amazing time, watching the Elephant Seals lying on the beach, in the water, and occasionally moving around.  So enjoy the pictures and short videos.

I don't usually put up so many pictures in one post.  I really did edit out most of the pictures I took.  The videos are very short and at the end.  And here's a link to the Friends of Elephant Seals website that will tell you more about the seals and good times to visit.

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Some LA/Venice/Santa Monica Views

We're at my mom's house in LA. The bike still gets me around and things are in decent shape. Here are a few photos.

Venice Beach at Rose.

Santa Monica is doubling the bike path along the beach so there will be separate space for pedestrians and bikes

Pelicans at Santa Monica Pier.


















When you bike, you get to see signs like this.  We're going to see if we can get in tomorrow.

This is at a Persian ice cream shop in Westwood.

Back at the beach, this is a view looking north toward Santa Monica from the Venice Pier.











Looking south now from the pier.

SF 2: Beaches, Flowers, A Bridge

Part of yesterday's wanderings included the old Sutro Baths where Geary meets the ocean.  This is actually a National Park Service National Recreation Area with an interesting history that I'll let interested parties check out here.

The walk down to the beach area was filled with blooming flowers, birds, and bees.











This seems to be a coastal bush lupine.  The pollinator appears to be a Bombus vosnesenskii or yellow-faced bumblebee.

Part of what remains of the bath, including the two egrets.  

And here's what it looks like in the ocean - which was at high tide when we were there.  

 

Then we wandered some more and got to a point west of the Golden Gate bridge near Baker's Beach.  

From the National Park Service, again:

"Battery Chamberlin holds the last 6-inch "disappearing gun" of its type on the west coast. Built near Baker Beach in 1904, Battery Chamberlin was constructed to accommodate the lighter, stronger, more powerful coastal defense artillery developed in the late nineteenth century."

The trail from the beach to the Golden Gate bridge had lots of stairs.

It was a short, but wonderful time with the grandkids, and in San Francisco.  But it's raining today, time to get back to better weather in Anchorage.  

A note on the state of affairs.  My son, at age four, did not have the word "homeless" in his vocabulary.  But his four year old son uses that word all the time.