55+ Films I watched at AIFF 2024
I had the unique opportunity to work up in Anchorage, Alaska just before the holidays with the AIFF 2024 team, joining old friends, while making new ones. It was chilly, but nothing I wasn’t used to with Canadian winters. The view of the mountains surrounding the city was breath-taking.
I was primarily covering the festival (video, photo and social media) but I also moderated two Q & As - the Female Filmmakers Showcase block and another with director and DP of The Empathizer. My favorite experience was getting to join the excursions hosted by Greatland Adventures, in particular the hike on the Matanuska Glacier, one of the largest, most accessible glaciers.
I’ve never watched this many films in this time period, but it was so inspiring - the diversity, the talent, the stories. Here is the list of films I watched at the 24th Anchorage International Film Festival 2024.
Feature Films:
Bob Trevino Likes It, Directed by Tracie Laymon - Narrative Feature
Unearth, Directed by John Hunter Nolan, Auberin Strickland, Dunedin Strickland - Documentary Feature
Champions of the Golden Valley, Directed by Ben Sturgulewski - Documentary Feature
Ultimate Citizens, Directed by Francine Strickwerda - Documentary Feature
Porcelain War, Directed by Brendan Bellomo, Slava Leontyev - Documentary Feature
Midwinter, Directed by Ryan Balas - Narrative Feature
76 Days Adrift, Directed by Joe Wein - Documentary Feature
Life's a Bitch, Directed by Xavier Seron - Narrative Feature
Battersea, Directed by T.J. Sandella - Narrative Feature
The Empathizer, Directed by Fred Le - Documentary Feature
The Way We Speak, Directed by Ian Ebright - Narrative Feature
Uphill, Directed by Adam Boyer - Narrative Feature
Short Films:
13. Demon Box (Presented by Alaska Jewish Museum), Directed by Sean Wainsteim - Narrative Short
14. Bear Guardians, Directed by Mariah Wilson - Documentary Short
BLOCK: Strange Love Shorts
15. The Understudy
16. Allergic to Love
17. Tacenda
18. Church Camp
19.The Ghost
20. Eat Surf Love
21. Things I Made My roommate do
BLOCK: Fistful of Suspense Shorts
22. Adjoining
23. The Bougie Man
24. Shark in the Dark
25. Stigmata
26. Betty Bites Back
27. Pay Back
28. Endzgiving
BLOCK: Spotlights Selection Shorts #1
29. Ripple
30. Mecanica
31. Why Dogs Howl
32. Esperance to Fremantle
33. The River
34. Revenge of the Language Master 1757B
35. Black Silk
BLOCK: Cinematic Variety Pack #1
36. Nena
37. Neither Donkey Nor Horse
38. Buckets
39. Safety State
40. Seafoam
BLOCK: Documentary Shorts #2
41. The Collector
42. Tentsítewahkwe
43. Designed by Disaster
44. Broken Flight*
45. Signal Fire: Towards Reconciliation*
BLOCK: Female Filmmaker showcase shorts
46. Vessel
47. Derive
48. Yazidi Women: From Victims to Survivors
49. The Icefield: An Expedition Memoir
50. Sunflower Girl
51. Julian
After the Festival I was able to watch a few others (the filmmakers shared their work with me).
52. The Yellow Sponge is the Dish Sponge, Directed by Michele Noble - Narrative Short
53. A Beginners Guide to Giving Up, Directed by Jeremy Pion-Berlin - Narrative Short
54. Syncing Sinking, Directed by Estevan Padilla - Narrative Short
55. You First, Directed by Eliza Shin - Narrative Short
56. These moms are cooler than me, Directed by Andrew Bourne - Musical Narrative Short
57. Drum Song, Directed by Kelly Moneymaker - Documentary Feature
Filmmaker group photo at Anchorage Downtown Viewpoint, on Day 1’s excursion.
Filmmakers hiking the Matanuska Glacier
Filmmakers at the Anchorage Museum in front of the step and repeat.
Me speaking with Fred (director) and Bret (DP) of The Empathizer.
Me with filmmakers Leila (Vessel) Holly (Sunflower Girl) and Caroline (The Icefield).
Me with actor Patrick Fabian (The Way We Speak) on his birthday at the Alaska Experience Theater.
Me holding a mic attempting to speak French to the director of the film Life’s a Bitch.
Selfie with director Michele Noble (The Yellow Sponge is the Dish Sponge) and Holly Kaplan (Sunflower Girl)
Selfie with director Ian Ebright (The Way We Speak).
Selfie with Greg Taylor (a filmmaker) and director Tracie Laymon (Bob Trevino Likes It)
Filmmakers group photo at the Whale Gate at the Alaska Native Heritage Center.
