10 things to know about the 10th Anchorage International Film Festival

The 10th annual Anchorage International Film Festival kicks off this Thursday, Dec. 2 with a pre-festival reception and continues through Dec. 16. Founded in 2001 by now-board vice president Tony Sheppard, who was looking for a way to channel his creative energy, the festival has grown from a shoestring operation to a two-week affair that in 2009 saw attendance hit 9,000 -- and even makes enough money to pay a few part-time employees. This year, as the festival celebrates its 10th birthday, there are 186 films on the schedule, plus workshops, parties and other events for film fanatics.

I sat down (well, over e-mail) with Sheppard and with another Anchorage resident who knows the festival as well as anyone, blogger Steve Aufrecht, to get some insider information on the festival. Aufrecht started covering AIFF on his blog, What Do I Know?, back in 2007, and he's offered the most comprehensive coverage of the festival every year since. I asked Aufrecht and Sheppard to share some perspective on this year's festival. Here's what I learned:

1. Today's Anchorage International Film Festival looks a lot like the one Sheppard envisioned back in 2001.

"I imagined a mini Sundance," he said. "Lots of great indy films and lots of filmmakers, fun events and parties." Sheppard has three priorities for AIFF: First, show fantastic films. Second, have filmmakers on hand to give presentations and hold question and answer sessions. Third, make sure the festival is operated and presented to the greatest degree possible. "We still have to improve on number three," Sheppard admitted; "however, the operations and presentations do get better each year."