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With a decade of experience working together and a long list of directing credits spanning film and TV, Pat McGee and Adam Linkenhelt know the film festival world.
The duo is also familiar with Anchorage. Two of their feature documentaries have been shown at the Anchorage International Film Festival, and McGee has been on the juries judging films in previous years.
The two new directors of AIFF believe that experience will help them lead the festival, which kicks off its 24th year this weekend.
“We’ve been to so many different film festivals, and we talk about what works and what we’re excited about,” McGee said.
Linkenhelt said they hope to create a space for everybody. That includes blocks of films dedicated to Native voices, a female filmmaker showcase and multiple Made in Alaska programs. The duo said they received a record number of submissions and ended up with well over 100 total films, from narrative and documentary features to short films.
“We look at all this amazing talent that Anchorage has, that’s a third of it,” McGee added. “Another third of it is the visiting filmmakers that have really been doing amazing independent films. ... And then we have a bucket of first-time filmmakers. It’s bringing them together and finding this cool space where the people of Anchorage can have a celebration of film.”
While the festival has plenty of local flavor, there are also multiple highly decorated films from Outside creators.
The festival kicks off Friday at 7:30 p.m. with opening-night feature “Bob Trevino Likes It.” Starring Barbie Ferreira, French Stewart and John Leguizamo, the narrative feature won both the Grand Jury Award and Audience Award at South By Southwest.
“That film is about chosen family,” McGee said. “It’s a true story about (director) Tracie Laymon’s life trying to find her biological dad. It’s going to be a real heartfelt presentation and she’s coming up.”
The festival starts in full on Saturday, with a pair of feature documentaries at Bear Tooth Theatrepub, a pod of films by first-time directors at Alaska Experience Theater and a full day of films at the Anchorage Museum.
“Porcelain War,” which earned the 2024 Sundance Festival Grand Jury Prize, is among the films playing at the museum. The documentary follows three artists who stay behind in Ukraine after the Russian invasion of that country.
“Unearth” joins “Champions of the Golden Valley” as the two documentaries at the Bear Tooth on Saturday. Brothers Dune and Aube Strickland, from Palmer, are co-directors of “Unearth” along with John Hunter Nolan. The film premiered at DOC NYC and counts Erin Brockovich as an executive producer. The film features the Strickland brothers and sisters Christina and AlexAnna Salmon as they work to halt the proposed Pebble mine in the Bristol Bay region.
“It’s truly an underdog story about the little guys fighting big corporate money and actually getting a small victory, which is actually a massive victory,” McGee said.
Another documentary on tap for Saturday is “Ultimate Citizens,” which follows school counselor Jamshid Khajavi as he uses Ultimate Frisbee to connect with Seattle’s immigrant students.
The festival’s first weekend also includes several blocks of short films. On Saturday, International Gems and Made in Alaska films will be showcased. Sunday features Documentary Shorts, Strange Love Stories and Fistful of Suspense Shorts.
Saturday closes with “Midwinter,” and director Ryan Balas will be participating in a Q&A at the screening. The film follows two sisters — one experiencing a romantic weekend and the other navigating family and illness.
Sunday’s films also include “76 Days Adrift,” which is directed by Joe Wein with Ang Lee as an executive producer. Based on the bestselling book, it documents the miraculous journey of Steven Callahan, who spent 76 days on an inflatable raft after his boat sank from a collision with a whale. Wein will be in town for the festival and participate in a Q&A.
More films will be screened Monday, most notably “The Way We Speak,” which stars Patrick Fabian, best known for his work on “Better Call Saul.”
Another feature of the festival will be Coffee Talk Panels, which cover everything from acting in indie films to licensing music.
“Those are welcome to anyone that’s bought a ticket to the festival, any screening,” Linkenhelt said. “Just show up at 9 a.m. and hang out with these filmmakers. It’s an informal panel.”
The new co-directors, who are based in California, said they’re excited to facilitate more opportunities for filmmakers and film fans to come together.
“Independent filmmakers, this is their chance to show their work and be celebrated,” McGee said.
Ticketing is separate for each group of short films or individual screening, so check the festival’s website at anchoragefilmfestival.org for full details on ticketing and pricing.