If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and films imitate life, then film is the most flattering and beautiful form of art.
The Ann Arbor Film Festival strives to recognize this fact every year, bringing artwork from all over the world into one place to display it to those who can appreciate the independent and experimental styles of film.
The Ann Arbor Film Festival will arrive March 27 and stay until April 1 at the Michigan Theatre in Ann Arbor.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the six-day celebration will offer over 200 films to festivalgoers. However, not only will it offer original independent and experimental films, it gives their audience members the opportunity to attend panels, artist talks, historical retrospective programs and after parties each night of the festival.
Established in 1963, the Ann Arbor Film Festival has been internationally recognized as one of the most prestigious and cultured film festivals in the world.
They value and respect all types of films and treasure ideals such as “respecting the audience and filmmaker experience,” “striving for quality and integrity,” “supporting creative risk-taking and experimentation” and the belief in the “importance of art.”
The “Opening Night Reception” at 6 p.m. on March 27, offers an open bar, a
special AAFF beer, hors d’oeuvres and several different DJs as well as the screening at 8:15 p.m.
The line-up for the opening night screening includes a wide selection of short films ranging from experimental to documentary to animation style, none of them exceeding 25 minutes.
Following the opening night, the next five days involve screenings that begin at 12:30 p.m. each day and run until 11 p.m. at night when the AAFF After Party will begin.
Each after party will take place at a different location. The weekend screenings will begin at 11 a.m. and run until 11 p.m.
Each day at the AAFF will include showings of the films that are apart of their competition and on the final day, April 1, they will announce the winners and screen select winning movies.
Some of the special programs that will be a part of the film festival are a screening of the music videos involved in the AAFF competition, a Student Film Showcase and an artist talk with Leighton Pierce, a Sundance Film Festival award winner.
The AAFF is also featuring a few “midnight screenings” that will show at 11:59 p.m. and family-friendly films that will screen on the weekend.
The more awaited films this year include “Out Night with Barbara Hammer”, a celebration of LGBTQ films throughout history starring Barbara Hammer herself, an award-winning short film director.
Herself and fellow filmmaker Tina Takemoto, who also worked on the collection, with be in attendance for the screening and a Q-and-A session on March 28.
The excitement continues with “Bruce Baillie Retrospective 1 and 2,” screenings of several of Baillie’s shorts.
Baillie founded the San Francisco Avant Garde film movement, and his art is featured in the Library of Congress. Baillie will be in attendance for the screening and some onstage conversation with the audience on March 29.
For general admission to the “Opening Night Reception,” tickets are $50. For single screenings, tickets are $10, and for the Festival Pass, it is $95. However, for students there are discounted prices.
For opening night as a student, tickets run at $40, for single screenings, $7, and for a Festival Pass the price is $80. Those who are interested in purchasing “Weekend Only Passes,” tickets are $55 for general admission, $45 for students.
The AAFF is also selling copies of short film collections on DVD, the most recent available being the 48th annual Film Festival.
For more information on the Ann Arbor Film Festival, visit their website at www.aafilmfest.org, or contact them at info@aafilmfest.org.