American Indian Film Festival (AIFF)
The world's oldest and largest film festival dedicated to Indigenous American cinema, held annually in November in San Francisco, celebrating Native American and Indigenous filmmaking from across North America.
Overview
The American Indian Film Festival (AIFF) is the world's oldest and largest film festival dedicated to Indigenous American cinema. Founded in 1975 in San Francisco, the festival presents films by and about Native Americans and Indigenous peoples of North America, celebrating Indigenous storytelling traditions and providing a critical platform for Indigenous filmmakers.
AIFF was founded at a time when Native American voices were almost entirely absent from mainstream American cinema, except as stereotyped supporting characters in Western genre films. The festival created an alternative space for authentic Indigenous representation and has maintained this mission for five decades.
The festival's San Francisco location reflects the Bay Area's significant Native American community and the city's tradition of supporting minority and alternative cultural institutions. AIFF has been instrumental in building the professional infrastructure for Indigenous filmmaking in the United States.
Key Sections
- Feature Film Competition -- films by or about Native Americans competing for jury prizes
- Short Film Competition -- Native American short films
- Documentary Competition -- nonfiction films about Indigenous peoples and issues
- Student Films -- films by Native American student filmmakers
- Special Screenings -- retrospectives and tributes to Indigenous filmmakers
What Filmmakers Should Know
AIFF accepts open submissions. Films must be by or about Native American and Indigenous North American peoples. The festival is the primary destination for Indigenous filmmakers seeking recognition from an Indigenous-focused audience and for non-Indigenous filmmakers whose work engages seriously with Indigenous subjects.
The festival's long history means it has established relationships with Indigenous film organizations, funding bodies, and educational institutions that support Native American filmmakers.
Major Awards
- Best Film -- jury prize
- Best Documentary
- Best Short Film
- Audience Award
- Student Film Award
Festival History
AIFF was founded in 1975 by Michael Smith and has operated continuously since then, making it one of the longest-running specialty film festivals in the United States. The festival's 50-year history documents the evolution of Indigenous American filmmaking from near-invisibility to a recognized artistic tradition.
See Also
For Indigenous filmmaking, see Independent Filmmaking Strategies. For festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy.
