Anchorage International Film Festival

What an absolute joy it was to be at the Anchorage Film Festival with Hearts of Stone, which also had the honour of receiving the Audience Award for Best International Short Film.

From the moment I arrived, Adam, Pat, Wesley and the entire team made me feel incredibly welcome. It’s rare to find a festival that not only takes such great care of its filmmakers through events and gatherings, but also goes the extra mile to create genuinely unforgettable experiences like hiking together on a glacier. Moments like that turn a group of strangers into something much closer to a little family, almost overnight.

There’s a real love for cinema running through the festival. You feel it in the programming, which is thoughtful and bold, but also in the audiences, who are engaged, curious, and truly present, and in the local community that shows up in such a meaningful way. Everything feels connected, from the screenings to the conversations in between, with venues that are varied but always close enough to keep that sense of togetherness alive. My fellow visiting filmmakers were also a delight, with old friends and new coming together and some even belting out a Sinatra tune at the right moment.

I stayed from the very first day to the last, and somewhere along the way it became one of those rare festival experiences you don’t quite want to end. I would come back in a heartbeat with a new film, if they’ll have me.

It still makes me smile that one of the coldest places I’ve ever been turned out to be one of the warmest I’ve ever felt.

Tom Van Avermaet – ‘Hearts of Stone’

Adam, Pat and the whole AIFF team created a thoughtful, filmmaker-focused festival experience. We were honoured to screen the International Premiere of our short doc LIAM & FRIENDS

The festival had a really strong mix of programming. A typical day starts off with a filmmaker panel in the morning, then on to a wide range of screenings across docs, comedy, drama, and music videos at venues in downtown Anchorage THEN capped off with nightly gatherings that made it easy to connect with other filmmakers.

AIFF also stands out for the way it bridges filmmakers with the local community and meaningfully highlights Indigenous storytelling. A beautiful setting, engaged audiences, and a team that clearly cares about supporting filmmakers.

Anchorage Film Festival was not just a Film festival, but the adventure of a lifetime. It truly felt filmmaker forward as we met and bonded with filmmakers from all over the world... on a glacier. Truly films (AND FRIENDS) worth freezing for! This was the world premiere of our expedition film - Ashes of the Mountain, and I could not have asked for a more intimate experience. Shoutout Pat and Adam for putting so much love into the program! See you again soon, Anchorage!

Couldn't have asked for a better start to my film's festival journey! AIFF is everything you could want a film festival to be. Despite the literal cold, it's a super warm, inviting environment filled with passionate, unpretentious filmmakers who love their craft and local audiences that celebrate it. The festival is incredibly well-organized by a fun, creative team who champion independent cinema and the artists behind it. They do this not only in words, but by generously trying to make the festival feasible for filmmakers to attend and by celebrating those who show up with incredible excursions, meals, & surprise treats. And all of this unfolds against the awe-inspiring backdrop of Alaska. From hiking epic glaciers, to scouring the skies for the Northern Lights, to bonding with fellow filmmakers while slip-sliding across town between screenings, the AIFF experience is unforgettable. Don’t hesitate to apply. It’s so worth it! I hope to be back.

I feel very grateful to have been at the Anchorage International Film Festival once again. It is a beautiful festival in a truly special place in the world: Anchorage, Alaska.

The quality of the invited films was incredibly high - so many inspiring works. But what made the experience especially meaningful were the people. The fellow filmmakers, artists, and guests were generous, open, and deeply appreciative, which led to many thoughtful and inspiring conversations.

Meeting and talking to people from Anchorage again was a real pleasure. The locals were warm, helpful, and kind hosts.

With Adam and Pat as thoughtful and committed directors, supported by a highly attentive and supportive team, the festival atmosphere felt alive, open, and genuinely welcoming.

I think it’s great when a festival chooses to accompany and support your work over time. Experiencing this kind of ongoing encouragement and trust has been especially meaningful to me.

The Anchorage International Film Festival not only celebrates film as a universal language that connects people across the globe, but also creates moments of great joy and emotional depth.

Thank you again to Adam, Pat, and the entire festival team for this wonderful experience.