Arlington International Film Festival facts for kids
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| Location | Arlington, MA |
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| Founded | 2010 |
| Festival date | Annually, in October |
| Language | International |
| Website | http://www.aiffest.org/ |
The Arlington International Film Festival (AIFF) is a yearly event that celebrates movies from all over the world! It's a non-profit festival that aims to share different cultures through independent films. These films are often shown in their original language with English subtitles.
Filmmakers, directors, and actors from the US and other countries are invited to join in interesting discussions and Q&A sessions after the movies. Every year, over 2,000 movie lovers attend. They get to see about fifty films from many different places, including exciting new premieres.
The AIFF also hosts events throughout the year. These include poster design contests, special movie showings before the festival, and art shows featuring local artists. There are also performances by musicians, singers, and dancers.
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History of the Festival
The Arlington International Film Festival was started in 2010 by April Ranck and Alberto Guzman. Their goal was to explore and share cultural diversity through independent films. These films cover a wide range of topics.
The festival quickly became very popular. In its first year, it received 53 film submissions. The next year, that number jumped to over 142! Now, the AIFF's Selection Committee watches hundreds of films each year. Many of the chosen films have even been nominated for Academy Awards (Oscars). Some have also been bought by major TV channels like CNN and PBS.
For four years, the festival was held at the historic Regent Theatre in Arlington, Massachusetts. In 2015, it moved to the Kendall Square Cinema in Massachusetts. Then, in 2016, the festival returned to Arlington, taking place at the Capitol Theater Building. More and more filmmakers continue to submit their movies, and the audience keeps growing!
For its 10th anniversary in 2020, the AIFF, like many other events, was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Instead of an in-person event, an Online Festival was held from November 5 to November 15, 2020. This online event partnered with HappsNow and Xerb.tv. Filmmakers recorded introductions for their films instead of doing live interviews. Over 100 films were shown, including documentaries, narrative features, shorts, and animation programs. The AIFF also continued its "Voices of Our Youth" program, which showcased nearly 60 short films made by high school students.
Festival Highlights
The AIFF has received several awards for its work. In 2014, the "Martin Luther King Community" honored AIFF for promoting diversity and African-American culture.
In 2012, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce gave AIFF the Year Award. The next year, in 2013, the Arlington Center for the Arts gave them the McClennen Community Arts Award for helping to build community. They also received the Gold Star Award from the Massachusetts Cultural Council for their 2013 poster contest.
In 2014, AIFF worked with the Visual Art Department of Arlington High School. They brought artist Winfred Rembert for a 5-day visit. The festival has also teamed up with other film festivals, like the Boston Environmental Film Festival and the Boston Irish Film Festival. They've also partnered with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Two films shown at the AIFF in 2014, Botso: The Teacher from Tbilisi and Elena, were later nominated for the 'Documentary Feature' category at the 87th Academy Awards.
For its 9th annual festival, AIFF started a new award: the "Audience Choice Awards." These awards were named in honor of Fran Ranck Tood, a loyal supporter of the AIFF who passed away in 2019.
Film Categories
The films shown at the festival are divided into different categories. These include feature-length films and short films. They can be narrative (story-based), documentary (real-life stories), or animation. The festival especially focuses on movies that highlight different cultures. The Arlington International Film Festival is a "juried" festival, meaning a panel of judges selects the winners. Films made by college and high school students are also included.
Festival Awards
2020 Festival Awards
- Best of Festival: "The place that makes us" by Karla Murthy (USA). Karla Murthy is an Emmy Award-nominated producer.
- Best Documentary Feature: "Sockeye Salmon. Red Fish" by Dmitriy Shpilenok and Vladislav Grishin (Russian Federation).
- Best Narrative Feature: "Omar and Us" by Maryna Er Gorbach and Mehmet Bahadir Er (Turkey).
- Best of Documentary Short: "Marked" by Henry Ogunjimi (Nigeria).
- Best Animation Short: "Mother And Milk" by Ami Lindholm (Finland).
- Best Experimental Short: "Floating World-Life" 1.0 by Dénes Ruzsa and Fruzsina Spitzer (Hungary).
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FILMS AWARDS: "VOICES OF OUR YOUTH"
- Best of Festival: "Sanctuary" by L-J Shen Filerman (Arlington, MA, USA).
- Best Documentary: "The Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative" by Grace Bright and Grace Joo (Troy Athens, Michigan, USA).
- Best Sci-Fi/Animation Documentary: "Zoe" by Marta Krunić (Croatia).
- Best Experimental: "Unmasked" by Sophia Quigley (Raw Ats Works, Lynn MA, US).
- Best Narrative: "Rita" by Will Nordstrom (Palisades, California, US).
- Best Narrative-Experimental: "Dimitto" by Riley Foulk, Jago Gould, J rea, Chloe Rodriguez, Gabriel Zakaib (Light house Studio, Charlottesville, VA, US).
2019 Festival Awards
- The Audience Choice Awards for Best Feature: "Danseur" Directed and Produced by Scott Gormley (New York City, USA).
- Best of Festival Feature & Academy Award Nominee: "American Mirror: Intimations of Mortality" Directed by Arthur Balder (USA).
- Best of Festival Festival Short: "Lifeboat" Nominated for the Oscar for Best Short Documentary. Directed by Skye Fitzgerald (Germany).
- Best Documentary Feature: "The Last American Colony" by Bestor Cram and Mike Majoros (USA).
- Best of Narrative Feature: "Thicker than Blood" by Anthony L. Williams (USA).
- Best of Narrative Short: "Facing Mecca" Directed by Jan-Eric Mack (Switzerland).
- Best of Animation Short: "Los Emigrantes" Directed by Andrés Llugany (Argentina).
- Best Experimental Short: "Wamin (The Apple)" By Katherine Nequado (Canada).
Students Division Awards:
- Best of Festival: "Social Cinema" by Carolina Sánchez (Spain).
- Best Short Documentary: "Changing the narrative" by Christian Means, Deonte Johnson, JaQuavion Gaines, Juliani Robinson (Light House Studio, Charlottesville, VA, USA).
- Best Short Narrative: "A Wake-Up Call" By Alex Dekelbaum (Dallas, USA).
- Best Short Animation: "Margo" by Amelia Maxham, Libby Slaughter, Ben Clark, Summers Worthington, Johnny Krosby-Groner, Jhael J. Rasheed, Victoria Stiefvater, Conrad Heins, Nicholas Tennery, Jago Gould (Light House Studio, Charlottesville, VA, USA).
- Best Short Experimental: "Discoveries: Awakening" by Noah Semeria (Chicago, Illinois, USA).
2018 Festival Awards
- Best of Festival Feature: "Skidrow Marathon" Directed by Mark Hayes & Gabrielle Hayes (USA). This film received 18 awards from 12 different film festivals.
- Best of Festival Documentary short: "Are you Volleyball?" Directed by Mohammad Bakhshi (Iran). This documentary won 21 awards.
- Best Narrative Feature: "Die Best E Aller Welten" (The Best of All Worlds). Directed by Adrian Goiginger. This film is based on true events.
- Best Short Narrative: "Violin" Directed, produced and written by Konstantin Fam (Russia). This film is the final part of a trilogy about Holocaust history.
- Best Short Animation: "Good Boy" Directed by Rachel Beltran (USA).
- Best historical Documentary: "Crows of the Desert" Directed, produced and written by Marta Houske (USA). This documentary received 12 awards and 4 nominations.
Students Division Awards:
- Best of Festival: "Violence in Baltimore" Produced and directed by Emerson students (Baltimore, MD, Wide Angle Youth Media).
- Best Short Documentary: "Needles and Threats" Produced and directed by Emerson students (NYC, Maysles Documentary Center).
- Best Short Experimental: "Irony" Produced and directed by Perth Modern School & Curtin University student: Radheya Jegatheva (Australia).
- Best Short Animation: "Trejur" (pronounced: Treasure). Produced and directed by Emerson student: Thomas Kim (Concord MA).
2017 Festival Awards
- Best of Festival: "Chasing Trane" John Scheinfeld: Director (USA). This film is about John Coltrane, a famous musician. It features interviews with Bill Clinton, Carlos Santana, and Denzel Washington.
- Best Narrative Feature: "You Have a Nice Flight" Jimmy Dinh: Director (USA). This film received 8 Awards, 21 Official Selections, and 17 Nominations.
- Best Documentary Feature: "A Courtship" Amy Khon: Director (USA).
- Best of Festival Short Film: "Sisak" Faraz Ansari: Director (India).
- Best Narrative Short Film: "Fist of People" Dong-ki An: Director (South Korea).
- Best Documentary Short Film: "Phil’s Camino" Annie O'Neil: Director (USA). This documentary won 16 out of 25 festivals and was submitted for an Oscar Nomination at the 89th Academy Awards.
- Best Animation Short Film: "Au Revoir Balthazar" Rafael Sommerhalder: Director (Switzerland).
Students Division Awards:
- Best of Festival Short Film: "A Roll Call" Ben Reingold: Director (Sharon, MA).
- Best Narrative Short Films: "Rosa" Roni Rolsgrove: Director (Boston, MA, ICA).
- Best Documentary Short Film: "After Freddie Gray, What Now?" Victor Able, Tayvon Cole, Katia Crawford, William Mitchell, Niajea Randolph, and Kailah Hall: Directors (Baltimore, MD).
- Best Animation Short Film: "Washed Away" Madysen Yamamoto and Marina Kyle: Directors (San Francisco, CA).
2016 Festival Awards
- Best of Festival: "East LA Interchange" Betsy Kalin: Director (USA).
- Best Narrative Feature: "Climas" Enrica Pérez: Director (Peru).
- Best Documentary Feature: "Jiàoliàn [coach]" Esteban Argüello: Director.
- Best Documentary Short Film: "The time of the Luthiers" Jorge Guerrero: Director (Spain).
- Best Narrative Short Film: "EDÉN Hostel" Gonzaga Manso: Director (Spain).
- Best Animation Short Film: "The Day of the Bleeding Gums" Dimitar Dimitrov-Animiter: Director (Bulgaria).
HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION AWARDS:
- Best of Festival: "Attached At the Soul" William Leon: Writer/Director (USA, CA).
- Best Documentary Short: "Todo tiene su tiempo/ Everything Has Its Time" Marylys Merida: Director (USA, MA).
- Best Narrative Short: "Teach Me Fish" Asa Minter: Director (USA, MA).
- Best Experimental Short: "I don't need U" Alyssa Peguero: Director (USA, MA).
2015 Festival Awards
- Best of Festival: "Gabo: The Creation of Garcia Marquez" produced by Justin Webster (France).
- Best Narrative Feature: "How Not To Disappear Completely" produced by Stuart J. Parkins, Director (U.K.).
- Best Documentary Short Film: "A Chance To Dress" Produced by Alice Dungan Bouvrie (USA).
- Best Fiction Short Film: "Kresnik: The Lore of Fire" produced by David SIPOŠ (Slovenia).
- Best Animated Short Film: "Bendito Machine" produced by Jossie MALIS, Director (Spain).
HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION AWARDS:
- Best of Festival: "Jordan" Katie Russel, Director (Raw Art Works, MA).
- Best Experimental: "Inhibited" Alexia Salingaros, Director (TX).
- Best Animation: "Luminosity" Alexia Salingaros, Director (TX).
- Best Documentary: "Picking up the Pieces" Joshua Tebeau, Director (Poland).
- Best Narrative: "Queen" Arvonne Patterson, Director (MA).
2014 Festival Awards
- Best of Festival: "Elena" directed by Petra Costa (Brazil).
- Best Documentary: "Botso: The Teacher from Tbilisi" directed by Tom Walters.
- Best Narrative: "The Forgotten Kingdom" directed by Andrew Mudge.
- Best Narrative Short: "The Man Who Fed His Shadow" directed by Mario Garefo.
- Best Documentary Short: "Not Anymore" directed by Matthew VanDyke.
2013 Festival Awards
- Best Documentary: "The Iran Job" directed by Till Schauder.
- Best Narrative: Clandestine Childhood directed by Benjamín Ávila.
- Best Short: Baghdad Messi, directed by Shahim Omar Kalifa.
Best Documentary - High School Division Awards:
- La Lucha, directed by Tessa Tracy and Sophia Santos.
Best Narrative - High School Division Award:
- The Shingles, directed by Malcolm DC.
2012 Festival Awards
- Best of Festival: All Me: The Life and Time of Winfred Rembert directed by Vivian Ducat.
- Best Documentary: Racing the Rez, directed by Brian Truglio.
- Best Narrative: Consent, directed by Ron Farrar Brown.
Best of Festival & Best Documentary -High School Division Awards:
- La joie de vivre, directed by Jeremy Vassiliou.
Best Narrative - High School Division Award:
- Molineux, directed by Jacob Sussman.
Best Animation - High School Division Awards:
- In Your Heart, directed by Raymond Caplin.
Best Experimental - High School Division Award:
- The Crown of life directed by Real Junior Leblanc.
2011 Festival Awards
- Best of Festival: Zero Percent, directed by Tim Skousen.
- Best Documentary: We still live here directed by Anne Makepeace.
- Best Narrative: Fuerteventura, directed by Mattias Sandström.
- Best Short Film - High School Division Award: Nowhere Now Here, directed by Gaby Bruce.
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