The Anchorage International Film Festival has announced the official program for its 24th edition, taking place from Dec. 6-15 in Anchorage, Alaska.

This year’s festival is the first program curated by newly appointed festival directors Pat McGee and Adam Linkenhelt. With both sharing a background as filmmakers themselves, they have committed to elevating the quality of films showcased at the festival and enhancing the experience for visiting filmmakers and the local community.

The 10-day festival features over 100 films, with a particular emphasis on independent films that are nearing the end of their festival run and are vying for one final screening push before the Oscars shortlist is announced.

“Our festival represents the last opportunity for some of these remarkable independent films to be discovered before the shortlist is released,” McGee said. “We’re raising the bar this year, and as we see the caliber of films elevate, we could very well be calling the Anchorage International Film Festival ‘The Icy Road to the Oscars.’”

SXSW best narrative feature and audience award winner Bob Trevino Likes It will be the opening night screening, with director Tracie Laymon in attendance.

Other highlights include The Way We Speak starring Patrick Fabian (Better Call Saul), with both Fabian and director Ian Ebright expected to be in attendance. Sundance Feature Documentary Grand Jury Prize Winner Porcelain War will also be featured, with directors Brendan Bellomo and Slava Leontyev in attendance. Set amid the backdrop of Ukraine, Porcelain Warfollows artists who remain behind during wartime, defying the destruction around them with resilience and beauty.

More notable films include the Belgian comedy Life’s a Bitch by director Xavier Seron, who will also be present, and Queen of the Ring, the inspirational true story of Mildred Burke, the first million-dollar female athlete in history, directed by Ash Avildsen and starring Josh Lucas and Emily Bett Rickards.

First-time feature directors T.J. Sandella (Battersea) and Adam Boyer (Uphill), who grew up and filmed his debut feature just outside of Anchorage, will screen their films at the festival as well. Seasoned independent filmmaker Ryan Balas, whose latest narrative Midwinter marks his 25th independent feature in the past decade, will also be there.

AIFF also features Alaskan experiences for visiting filmmakers, including Northern Lights excursions, glacier hikes, and for the bold, a polar bear plunge – all in the spirit of AIFF’s signature theme: Films Worth Freezing For.

“We’re excited to host a celebration of cinema like no other, where filmmakers can not only screen their work but experience the beauty of Alaska,” said Linkenhelt. “AIFF is a bucket-list destination for many, and we’re making sure it’s an experience to remember.”

Tickets for AIFF24 screenings will be available online here beginning on Nov. 6th at 9:00 a.m. AKD.

See the feature documentary slate below.

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Anchorage International Film Festival Feature Documentary Slate

Champions of the Golden Valley, directed by Alaskan filmmaker Ben Sturgulewski. Set in the mountain villages of Bamyan, Afghanistan, the film explores the unifying power of skiing among rival ethnic groups. Ben Sturgulewski will be in attendance at the festival.

Drum Song: The Rhythm of Life, directed by Kelly Moneymaker. This Alaskan-made documentary tells a socio-political story from an Indigenous perspective, exploring the climate crisis through the eyes of Alaska’s Indigenous peoples. The film highlights the blend of ancestral knowledge and modern science to adapt to the changing environment, while also addressing the broader global movement for Indigenous rights, food sovereignty, and self-governance.

Unearth, an Alaskan-made documentary about the fight to protect Bristol Bay from becoming North America’s largest open-pit copper mine. Filmmakers Dunedin Strickland, Auberin Strickland, and John Hunter Nolan will be present for this important screening.

So Surreal: Behind the Masks, directed by Joanne Robertson and Neil Diamond, unveils the connection between Surrealist art and Yupʼik and Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw ceremonial masks, and the quest to return some of these masks back home to their origins.

Diving into Darkness, directed by Nays Baghai, chronicles cave diving icon Jill Heinerth’s breathtaking journey into the planet’s deepest depths, with both Heinerth and Baghai in attendance.

Main Image: A still from Bob Trevino Likes It courtesy of AIFF