The Arlington International Film Festival (AIFF) is an annual nonprofit film festival dedicated to promoting and increasing multicultural awareness and showcases world cinema and independent films in their original language with English subtitles. Independent film producers, directors and actors within the US and abroad are invited to participate in engaging panel discussions and Q&A sessions after the screenings. Each year the festival greets more than 2,000 movie aficionados and shows about fifty films from all over the world with an impressive lineup of premieres. The Arlington International Film Festival also includes a year-round events such as poster contest competitions (the AIFF's logo was designed by Marley Jurgensmeyer, winner of the 2012 poster contest competition), pre-festival screenings and art exhibitions with local artists and performances by musicians, singers and dancers.
History
The Arlington International Film Festival was founded in 2010 by April Ranck and Alberto Guzman, in the aim of exploring and promoting the cultural diversity through the lens of independent films in a wide range of topics and areas. Jumping from 53 submissions the first year to over 142 the following year, the festival has been a significant success and attracts many enthusiast moviegoers. Hundreds of submissions are now watched by AIFF's Selection Committee each year and many of the selected films have been nominated for Academy Awards, while others have been purchased by CNN, POV PBS and Nova. The festival was held during four consecutive years at the historic Regent Theatre in Arlington. In 2015, the festival took place at the Kendall Square Cinema, Massachusetts. In 2016, the annual festival returned to his home city in Arlington, and was held at the Capitol Theater, in Arlington, Massachusetts. The number of films submissions continues to increase with a strong participation of filmmakers as well as a growing audience. For its 10th anniversary, Arlington Int’l Film Festival, like many others, was hit by the devastating COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. There was no red carpet to walk, but instead an Online Festival was held from November 5 to November 15, 2020, in partnership with the social-media marketing company HappsNowEvent Management App and the streaming platform Xerb.tv. In lieu of in person interviews, filmmakers were invited to make an introduction prior to their film being screened and more than hundred films, documentary and narrative features including shorts plus two programs of animation shorts were screened during the 2020 year's festival. Once again, AIFF welcomed high school students. This program named: “Voices of Our Youth” wrapped up a collection of nearly 60 shorts films. In 2021, given the Covid 19 situation, with safety in mind, the Festival was still virtual for another year. But yet, AIFF was able to fulfill its mission and offered a good selection of films. On November 3, 2022, the AIFF was glad to be back at the Capital Theater to host its 12th annual Festival. From November 3, to November 5, 2023, the annual festival showcased more than 40 films, documentaries and shorts at the Capitol Theater. Some of them being chosen for a world-wide tour and nominated for Academy Award.
In 2024 the festival was sold to Jaina Cipriano, a Boston filmmaker.
In 2026 the Arlington International Film Festival rebranded to Finding Bright Film Festival.
Highlights In 2014, the "Martin Luther King Community" awarded AIFF for spreading diversity and awareness of African-American culture, In 2012, the AIFF received the Year Award from the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, and in 2013, the Mc Clennen Community Arts Award from Arlington Center for the Arts in recognition for building community, as well as the Gold Star Award from the Massachusetts Cultural CouncilMassachusetts Cultural council Gold star for its 2013 poster contest. In January 2014, in conjunction with the Visual Art Department of the Arlington High School, AIFF brought artist Winfred RembertPublic News-Winfred Rembert- Celebrating Black History Month for a 5-day residency. AIFF has also partnered with the Boston Environmental Film Festival, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Boston Irish Film Festival. In addition, AIFF worked with the filmmaker Alice Rotchild, of documentary Voices Across the Divide, which co-won the Boston Palestine Film Festival's ‘2013 Audience Award for Best Film. Two films: Botso: The Teacher from Tbilisi and Elena that were showcased at the Arlington International Festival in 2014 were among the 134 features nominated in the 'Documentary Feature' category at the 87th Academy Awards. For the 9th annual festival, AIFF launched a new award: "Audience Choice Awards, sponsored by Spy Pond Productions. These awards were named in honor of Fran Ranck Tood, who passed in the spring of 2019. He was a faithful supporter and ambassador of the AIFF.
Categories
The screenings include feature length and short films in narrative, documentary and animation categories. Showings emphasize multiculturalism. The Arlington International Film Festival is a juried festival. College and High school students are also included.
Festival awards
2023 Festival Awards Audience Choice Feature Award: "Patrick and the Whale",vimeo movie trailer a documentary directed by Mark Fletcher, Austria, 2022. Other Awards & Recognition: Best Documentary award at the Riviera International Film Festival; Best Overall Feature at The Harbor Film Festival, Grand Prize for the best Nature Documentary at the Innsbruck Nature Film Festival. Including various nominations. Audience Choice Short Award: "Seeds Of Change", a documentary written and directed by Maximilian Armstrong, 2023, USA. Other Awards & Recognition: Best Maine Film and Best Short Feature at the Maine Outdoor Film Festival Best of Festival: "To Which We Belong.". A documentary directed by Pamela Tanner Boll & Lindsay Richardson, 2021, USA. Other Awards & Recognition: Special Jury Award for Spirit of Activism at the Livable Planet Film Festival; 2021 Audience Award Sustainability cinema at the Maui Film Festival; 2022 Best Documentary at the Durango Independent Film Festival.
Best Documentary Feature : "The Palmnicken Tragedy".https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22436054/imdb A documentary directed by Andrey Proskuryakov, and produced by Anna Adamskaya and Anastasia Velskaya, 2022, Germany/Russia/Israel. USA Premiere. Best Documentary Short: "Resistance, Ancestral Spirit,". A documentary directed by Juven Arcadio Piranga Valencia, 2021, Columbia. USA Premiere.
Best Narrative Feature: "Two Lives in Pittsburg". A documentary written and directed by Brian Silverman, 2022, CA, USA. East Coast Premiere.
Best Narrative Short: "Estrellas Del Desierto (Desert lights)", directed by Katherina Harder Sacre; and produced by Francisca Urrutia, 2022, Chile. MA Premiere Other Awards & Recognition: This film received other festival awards, including at: Tribeca Film Festival; Havana Film Festival; Milwaukee International Film Festival; Festival Internacional de Curtas Metragens de São Paulo; Festival de Cine Iberoamericano de Huelva.
Best Animation Short: "Discussion Animée entre entendeurs de voix(An Animated Discussion Between Voices Hearers)", written and directed by Tristan Phil, 2023, France. East Coast Premiere. Other Awards and Recognitions: At: Festival Tous Courts d’Aix en Provence; Palm Spring International ShortFest; Côté Court Festival; Champs Elysées Film Festival; Festival du Cinéma de Douarnenez; La fête Du Court Métrage.
Best Experimental Short: "Night Owls". A short Romance Film written, produced and directed by Gabrielle Rosson, founder of GR Film, 2022 USA/MA. Boston Premiere.
Outstanding Massachusetts Filmmakers Awards: "Powering Puerto Rico".. A Short Documentary directed by Adam Fischer, 2022, MA, USA. Award Sponsored by High Output. Other Awards and Recognitions: Best of Festival, Best Director, Best Documentary Short, and Best Editing at Richmond International Film Festival. "Waiting To Continue: The Venezuelan Asylum Seekers on Martha’s Vineyard". A documentary directed by Ollie Becker, Tom Ellis, and Tim Persinko, 2023, MA, USA. Boston Premiere. Award Sponsored and Best Cinematography by RULE Camera Boston. "(de) Vice Grip". A Short Experimental directed by Padrick Sean Ritch, 2022, MA, USA. Award Sponsored by: Talamas.
STUDENTS AWARDS VOICES OF OUR YOUTH. Best of Festival: "A Lost Sense". A Sci-Fi, Drama, Comedy, directed by Cole Paul, N.Attleboro, 2023, MA, USA. Sponsored by Leslie Ellis School, Arlington MA. Best Documentary: "Ce Moment", a documentary by Cecilia Liu, 2022, St George School, China. USA Premiere. Sponsored by Urban Media Arts, Malden, MA. Best Narrative: "All The Time In the World" by Ava Shea Lorch, 2023, USA. Sponsored by Arlington Community Media, Inc., Arlington, MA. Best Animation: "Water Lullaby". A sand animated film by Piotr Kazmierczak, 2022, Poland. USA Premiere. Sponsored by Kumon, Arlington, MA. Honorable Mentions: "How Was Your Summer". A narrative by Michael Francis Dailey, Lowell High School, 2023, Ma, USA. "Fitting In". A Narrative by Mark Leschinsky Bergen County Academies, 2023, Hackensack, NJ, USA. New England Premiere. Un Sabor Mágico (A Magical Taste)". A documentary by Belen Moras, 2022, Punta del Este High School, Uruguay. USA Premiere. The Notebook". A narrative by Esabella A.K. Strickland, 2019, Vancouver, Canada. Massachusetts Premiere.
2022 Festival Awards Audience Choice Feature Award: "On this Happy Note",. a documentary directed by Tamar Tal Anati, 2021, Israel. Other Award: Award of the Israeli Film Academy. Audience Choice Short Award: "Doubt".. A Narrative directed by Gokce Pekhamarat, 2022, Turkey, US Premiere. Best of Festival: "Not a Tame Lion.". A documentary directed by Craig Bettendorf, USA, 2022, MA Premiere.
Best Documentary Feature: Honoring the Strength of Women: "How long must we wait", a documentary directed by Jaclyn O'Laughlin, 2021, Ma, USA. Best Documentary Short: "Bicentennial Bonsai: Emissaries of Peace", a documentary directed by Paul Award and Kathryn O'Sullivan, USA, 2020, New England Premiere.
Best Narrative Feature: "Klondike", a docu/drama written and directed by Maryna Er Gorbac, 2022, Ukraine, East Coast Premiere. Awards: Best International Feature Film at the Sundance Film Festival.
Best Narrative Short: "An Insured Life", a comedy directed by Jesús Martínez Nota, 2020, Spain. Other Awards: Best Comedy Film at Certamen de Cortos Visualia, Spain; Special Mention at Mediterraneo Festival Corto, Italy; Best Actress at Festival Internazionale Inventa un Film, Italy; Best Actress at CICOM, Concurso Internacional de Cortos de Murchante, Italy; Special Mention at 23rd Faludi International Film Festival, Hungary; First Jury Award at Festival de Cine de Cartagena, Spain; Best Actress at Donosskino, Festival de Cortometrajes de Donostia, Spain; Best Actress at Festival Internacional de Cortometrajes sobre Personas Mayores, Spain; Best Actress at SicilyFarm Film Festival 2020 - Film Festival Agrigento, Italy; Best Short at VII Certamen Cortos Cádiar, Spain; Best Short at 2020 Corto e a Capo, Spain; Best Actress at Festival de Cine de Comedia de Tarazona y el Moncayo, Spain; Best Actress at VI Festival de Cortos de Carabanchel, Spain; Audience Award at Festival de Cine Itinerante por El Bierzo, 38Retinas festival, Spain
Best Animation: "Navozande, le musicien (The Musician)", a short written and directed by Reza Riahi. 2020, France. Official Selections at Tribeca Film Festival; Hong Kong world international Film Festival; Sonoma International Film Festival, Saint Louis International Film Festival, Anima Brussels; Clermont Ferrand; Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film. Other Award: Best Animated Short at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Best Experimental: