A note from Kelly Moneymaker, AIFF Humanitarian Award Recipient 2024 and owner of Alaska-based Drum Song Films
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --
Dear Friends,
I'm incredibly honored to join the AIFF (Anchorage International Film Festival) Board of Directors, alongside the brilliant and inspiring Princess Daazhraii Johnson. Together, with the amazing AIFF team, we're excited to continue to create space for storytellers from across Alaska, especially from our Indigenous voices across the state, nation, and Internationally.
As we gear up to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Anchorage International Film Festival, I'm thrilled to share some exciting updates about what's ahead.
This isn't just a milestone, it's a moment to honor where we've been and reimagine where we're going. AIFF has long championed independent voices, and this year we're deepening that mission with new creative opportunities, expanded outreach, and a renewed commitment to inclusion, equity, and authentic representation.
Festival Director Adam Linkenhelt shares:
"We're so pleased to welcome two extraordinary new voices to our Board of Directors this year: Princess Daazhraii Johnson, an Alaskan Native writer, producer, and actress known for her work on HBO's True Detective: Night Country and the animated PBS Kids series Molly of Denali—and Kelly Moneymaker, last year's AIFF Humanitarian Award winner for her beautiful Alaskan-made documentary Drum Song: The Rhythm of Life. Both bring deep roots in our community and an unwavering passion for graceful storytelling that uplifts Alaska's unique culture.
And here's some of the exciting new categories we wanted to share with the Alaskan community.
iPhone Super Shorts
This brand-new category is all about scrappy, soulful, and wildly creative filmmaking. These are short scripted films or documentaries—under 6 minutes—shot entirely on an iPhone.
It's proof that you don't need a big budget to tell a bold story. Sometimes all it takes is a phone, a vision, and the courage to hit record.
As Festival Director Adam Linkenhelt puts it:
"The iPhone Super Short is about the democratization of cinema: opening the door wide for anyone with a story and a phone, no matter where they're from, what age or what they've got. It's voices from Detroit, Baltimore, the heartland of America, villages across Alaska, and places you'd never expect, all coming together."
Music Video Category
We want to create a space where musicians and filmmakers are in the same room—where musicians who've picked up a camera, filmmakers who love music, and anyone who's taken a creative risk with a music video can share their work.
If you've made a music video that's wild, personal, or just something different, we want to see it. This category is about showcasing music videos as a unique art form—where sound meets vision in ways that move, surprise, and inspire.
Come join us and share your music and film with an audience that understands why music videos are such a beautiful, powerful way to tell stories.
Native Voices Showcase
Building on the powerful success of last year's Native Voices Showcase, we're proud to continue this vital program.
This showcase creates a dedicated space for Indigenous filmmakers from diverse tribes around the globe to share their stories, challenge perceptions, and bring fresh perspectives to audiences in Alaska and beyond. It's about celebrating the rich complexity of Native experiences and giving voice to narratives that deserve to be seen and heard.
A Word from Festival Director Pat McGee
"These new categories reflect our commitment to fostering a creative environment where filmmakers and artists at every level—from local Alaskan storytellers and Native voices to international award-winning veterans—can come together. We believe in building a space where first-time filmmakers working with limited resources and seasoned professionals alike can connect, collaborate, and inspire one another. It's about creating a community where fresh voices and experienced storytellers grow side by side. That's the kind of place we're proud to cultivate here at AIFF."
We can't wait to celebrate 25 years of bold cinema with you this December. In the meantime, if you're a filmmaker, or know someone who's been quietly making something special, please consider submitting or passing the word along. We'd be honored to help bring more voices into the fold, especially those who haven't had the chance before.
Submissions are open now on Film Freeway: https://filmfreeway.com/AnchorageInternationalFilmFestival
SOURCE Drum Song Films
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