Whether you're a devoted cinephile or just curious, there's plenty to enjoy. Each evening features a signature screening: Doc after Dark on Thursday, Friday Night Frights, and Saturday Last Laughs. New this year is the Friday Filmmakers' BBQ, a chance for the people behind the films to relax, swap stories, and enjoy some good food together.
Filmmakers will be competing for a wide range of honors, with cash awards of $2,500 each for Narrative Feature and Documentary Feature, $1,000 each for Narrative Short and Documentary Short, and $500 each for Student Short and Animated Short. The Greater Amarillo Filmmaker Award, worth $1,000, goes to the best film made by a Panhandle-area filmmaker or shot at least 50 percent in the Greater Amarillo area. The Laura W. Bush Institute for Women's Health Award and a Legacy Award, given at the discretion of the festival director and committee, round out the field.
One award is especially fitting for this year. In honor of the Route 66 Centennial, the new Visit Amarillo Route 66/Road Trippin' Award, worth $500, will go to the film that best captures the spirit of the open road or was filmed on the Mother Road itself.
Audiences get a say, too. Festivalgoers will vote for Audience Choice winners in five categories: Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, Narrative Short, Documentary Short, and Student Short. Every winner takes home a handcrafted, artisan-made AiFF Award.
Tickets range from $10 to $150. Nightly feature tickets are $10 at the venue, subject to availability, which makes them a great way to try out the festival. One-day passes ($20) cover all screenings and seminars on Friday or Saturday, and the weekend pass ($35) covers Thursday through Saturday. The $150 VIP pass includes everything, plus both receptions and the Filmmakers' BBQ. Proceeds from VIP passes help the festival host visiting filmmakers at no cost to them. Passes are held at will call, which will be at the Amarillo Museum of Art during the opening reception and then at Arts in the Sunset for the rest of the weekend.
The festival is supported by the Amarillo Film Society. For tickets, visit filmfreeway.com/AmarilloInternationalFilmFestival/tickets, and for the full schedule and selections, visit amarillofilmfestival.com. For more information, call (806) 414-2576 or email director@amarilloartinstitute.org.
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