2024 Film Block Descriptions

Made in Alaska Shorts #1

This lineup is a masterclass in the versatility of animation, including the world’s first birch bark stop-motion film that breathes life into ancient myths. With surreal cannabis trips, green-orange mysteries, eerie folklore, and vibrant 1970s Iran, each short brings its own style and punch. Bold, visually stunning, and totally unique, these films show just how far animation can go to surprise, move, and wow.

Made in Alaska Shorts #2

Welcome to Alaska, raw and real. This program celebrates Alaskan filmmakers doing what they do best: telling stories with grit, heart, and a sense of humor as big as the state itself. From powerful docs on Indigenous resilience and environmental battles to laugh-out-loud comedies and personal deep-dives, this lineup hits every angle of life up north. It’s Alaska’s landscapes, people, and quirks—no filters, no fluff—straight from those who live it every day. Get ready to see Alaska like only Alaskans can show you.

Animation Shorts

Fistful of Suspense

Settle in for a late-night lineup of nerve-wracking shorts where nothing is safe and no one is innocent. From unsettling motel encounters and twisted Friendsgiving feasts to ominous snow-covered stalkers and high-stakes hostage games, these films deliver all the tension and terror you crave. Join fellow thrill-seekers for a night of gasps, chills, and edge-of-your-seat suspense—if you dare.

Cinematic Variety Pack #1

Buckle up for a cinematic roller coaster that dives into gripping historical drama, dystopian survival, magical realism, and psychological suspense. From a young doctor defying the odds to stop a deadly plague, to queer couples on a dangerous journey for safety, a father-daughter duo discovering a surreal basketball court, and a woman unraveling reality itself, this block swings between intense, heartfelt, and mind-bending moments. Each film is a new twist on the track, delivering a ride packed with emotion, intrigue, and unexpected turns.

Cinematic Variety Pack #2

This dynamic block showcases everything from laugh-out-loud moments to heart-pounding adventures, including the world premiere of My Boo, a hilarious ghostly romance. Get ready for quirky tales of artful petty theft, inspiring Alaskan teens tackling wilderness challenges, friars bringing Christmas cheer to remote villages, and even a unique exploration of our bond with animals. With humor, resilience, and bold storytelling from around the world, these films promise a captivating mix of life’s most surprising and uplifting moments.

Comedy Shorts Block

Knock Knock! Who’s There? A Knight, a Valet, and a Siberian Grandma… just wait! This collection delivers every shade of comedy, from dark and twisted to hilariously blunt. A knight breaks horrific news, a valet shuts down a pompous jerk, a people-pleaser finally snaps, a teen ditches school to find herself, and a desperate comic races to write jokes under his Siberian grandma’s tough love. Bold, unpredictable, and packed with punchlines, this block promises laughs that’ll hit you where you least expect it.

Doc Shorts #1

This collection of documentary shorts dives into the grit, passion, and purpose it takes to capture stories that matter. From an Austin Paralympian’s comeback journey to a weaver preserving their culture stitch by stitch, these films explore what it means to document resilience. Each filmmaker digs deep to reveal powerful moments—Alaska Native carvers healing through tradition, seed collectors saving a burning West, and Civil Rights survivors turning trauma into hope. It’s a lineup of real lives, real struggles, and the determination to keep these voices alive, each story distinct yet bound by an unstoppable drive to endure and inspire.

Doc Shorts #2

This set of documentary shorts celebrates the bold and sometimes quirky heart of real-life storytelling, showcasing the spirit it takes to capture both the grand and intimate truths of our world. From the charming obsession of an Oz memorabilia collector to a climber's comeback as an innovator in safety gear, these films reveal how documentaries can be both deeply personal and universally resonant. Whether it’s rescuing injured birds in Chicago or exploring new paths in Canadian environmental science, each story balances the power of big ideas with the intimacy of small moments.

Family Dynamics Shorts

Dive into the wild world of family drama, where love and tension collide. These films tackle everything from awkward reunions with long-lost relatives to heartfelt snapshots of cultural roots. Whether it’s tradition that tugs at your heart or the push to break free, each story’s got its own angle on the ties that bind—or sometimes, strangle. Family: it’s complicated, chaotic, and never quite what you expect.

Female Filmmaker Showcase

Get ready to be blown away by the fierce creativity of women in film. From documentaries to thrillers, comedies to Alaskan originals, this block celebrates female storytellers in all their glory. We’ve got it all: Yazidi survival stories, surreal New York journeys, and dramas where the past comes knocking. It’s just a taste of the bold, brilliant visions women bring to the screen.

International Gems Shorts

Take a cinematic trip around the world with these international treasures. From a bold heist in Germany to a supernatural encounter in Spain, these films throw you into suspenseful, haunting, and downright weird corners of the globe. Packed with cultural flavor and unexpected twists, each story delivers a slice of life—and death—from afar.

Other Worlds Shorts

Step into realms where reality takes a backseat. These films blend sci-fi, fantasy, and survival tales, exploring fractured identities, AI therapy gone wrong, and humans facing their limits in post-apocalyptic worlds. It’s a lineup that’s mind-bending, a little creepy, and endlessly fascinating. Buckle up for a journey to the outer edges of imagination.

Strange Love Shorts

Fall headfirst into love’s chaotic maze with this mix of quirky, heartfelt, and otherworldly tales. From new crushes to last goodbyes, and even a ghostly romance or two, these films capture the awkward, bittersweet, and downright strange ways we connect. Love is weird—and this block dives right into its crazy, beautiful mess.

Spotlight Selections Shorts # 1

Get ready for a lineup that’s as bold, surprising, and unforgettable as AIFF itself. We’re bringing the heat to Bear Tooth Cinema with a knockout mix of short films that’ll hit every nerve—raw stories of survival, redemption, and self-discovery. From a musician blindsided by dark news to a West Texas welder turning scrap into stunning art, these shorts dive into everything from family scars to cultural heritage, and they do it with style. Each film’s got its own flavor, but together they pack a punch, showing off just how much range, grit, and heart this festival has to offer.

Spotlight Selections Shorts # 2

This powerhouse showcase brings some of AIFF’s boldest, funniest, and most thought-provoking short films to the screen. Ever seen a couple’s clash over a yellow dish sponge turn into a full-blown, laugh-out-loud battle of wills? Get ready. This block dives from cosmic debates on artistic dreams to raw family secrets and surprising love connections, capturing every twist and quirk in between. It’s a thrilling blend that shows off AIFF’s electric range and fearless storytelling—no topic, emotion, or surprise left untouched.

Drum Song and Native Alaskan Shorts

This powerful Bear Tooth showcase brings together the resilience, wisdom, and creativity of Alaska’s Indigenous communities as they confront the climate crisis with unwavering strength. Anchored by Drum Song: The Rhythm of Life, a documentary that seamlessly blends ancestral knowledge with modern science, this block also features shorts that explore urgent environmental issues and cultural resilience. From Princess Daazhraii Johnson’s poetic journey through the sacred connections between salmon and birch, to the Unangax̂ people's response to toxic algal blooms and shifting marine ecosystems, to a moving musical collaboration with Yo-Yo Ma aimed at fostering community healing, each film reveals the depth of Indigenous perspectives on survival and adaptation. These stories embody AIFF’s commitment to transformative storytelling, celebrating the indomitable spirit of Indigenous cultures as they adapt, resist, and redefine their future amidst profound change.