2006 film fest bigger--and better--than ever: hosted in Anchorage, this event is sure to draw crowds.

This month, Alaskans with a passion for film have the chance to indulge in some unusual big-screen fare, thanks to the 2006 Anchorage International Film Festival-now in its sixth year. Organizers say the selection of entries from which they choose is larger this year, offering works by filmmakers seeking to please the iconoclast as well as the traditional movie-lover.

"The program has increased," said Tony Sheppard, founder and programming department head for AIFE "The festival runs 10 days. We get about 600 submissions and we break it down into categories." This year's categories include the Feature, which must run a minimum of 55 minutes; the Short, from 10 to 55 minutes; the Super Short, running under 10 minutes; Animation; Feature Documentary, more than 30 minutes; and the Short Documentary, under 30 minutes. Filmmakers this year hail from Israel, Ireland and other international locations, offering attendees a special chance to see films that wouldn't normally reach the Anchorage market.

The festival this year runs from Dec. 1 to Dec. 10, and will show at the Bear Tooth Theatre Pub & Grill, the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, the Alaska Experience Theater, Bernie's Bungalow Lounge and the Fireweed Theatre. Sheppard, who has been in the film and media industry for years, said the festival was born out of a desire to promote creative filmmaking and a hunger for the fun of watching them.

"It came out of inspiration for wanting some fun film to indulge in," he said. "I don't see a lot of creativity as far as fictional narrative." The festival increasingly has prompted younger would-be filmmakers to take a step into the industry, Sheppard said. With the advent of digital and desktop publishing, and the less expensive availability of the tools, it has brought a younger generation into the fold.

With that said, the festival's submissions can be very unusual. Many submissions are extremely short in duration, some with very specific messages and some very ambiguous. That is art.

"It's a different part of the industry," he said. There are offerings that have been screened at Cannes or the Sundance Film Festival and there are films making their debut here.

Sheppard said organizers have certain goals for the direction of the festival, first in making it a name among filmmakers-even someday prompting attendance from mainstream celebrities-and also preserving the creativity and artistic nature. The festival is part of AMIPA--the Alaska Moving Images Preservation Association, which has the mission to collect, preserve, catalog and provide public access to Alaska's sound and moving image material, and to encourage the ongoing documentation of Alaskans and Alaska events of historical importance.

Over the years, the festival has found local support. Walsh Sheppard Flynn--an advertising, marketing and public relations firm in Anchorage--which has family ties to Sheppard, has backed its work, and the festival has managed to pay its bills each year, Sheppard said. There also are others organizations that have helped as well.

"GCI has been a big supporter for this," Sheppard said. Others providing funds are Clear Channel Communications, KAKM Channel 7 PBS and KSKA FM 91.1. Beyond that, he said, the organization has been blessed with a great group of volunteers and organizers comprising its staff. The result, he said, has been a perfect melding of art and industry.

For more information about the festival, play dates, showtimes and venue locations, check online at www.anchorage filmfestival.org/2006.