63rd Ann Arbor Film Festival celebrates the freedom to experiment in film

This story is part of a series about arts and culture in Washtenaw County. It is made possible by the Ann Arbor Art Center, the Ann Arbor Summer Festival, Destination Ann Arbor, Larry and Lucie Nisson, and the University Musical Society.

The 63rd Ann Arbor Film Festival (AAFF) will take place March 25-30, with a strong focus on experimental cinema and emerging talent, including work from student filmmakers across the globe. AAFF Executive Director Leslie Raymond says the freedom to experiment remains central to the festival’s identity, as seen in the 112 films in competition this year.

"It’s a lot of great new work," Raymond says.

This year’s festival will showcase eight feature-length films in competition, as well as 14 short film program blocks throughout the week. Festival attendees can also enjoy nine special presentations, notably including "50 Years of De-Evolution: The Restored Films of Devo (1976-1984)," which showcases restored and never-before-seen footage of the famous new wave band. That program will be followed by a conversation with Devo members Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald V. Casale, as well as archivist Peter Conheim. 

Raymond says the festival's spirit continues to stem from the creativity of the competition submissions, many of which come from students.

"Having luminary examples from previous festivals, like Andy Warhol, George Lucas, and Yoko Ono, when you’re younger in your career could play a role in your career rising," Raymond says. "Some of the student filmmakers that we show don’t always stay making experimental films. But because we’re an experimental film festival, students really have the freedom to experiment."

Raymond says local partnerships and collaborations have also helped AAFF grow to its current scale. She highlights an ongoing partnership with the University of Michigan (U-M) Arts Initiative, a project funded by the U-M President’s Office, since 2019. She also cites a new partnership with Ann Arbor's recently opened Uplift LGBTQ+ bar, where festival-goers can attend an afterparty for AAFF's Out Night program block, which focuses on films with LGBTQ+ themes.

"We’ve had our Out Night program for 24 years. It’s part of our fabric as a festival," Raymond says. "We always want to open space to celebrate a variety of voices when it comes to our programming."

This year’s AAFF competition winners will be announced March 30. To see a full schedule of festival events or to purchase tickets, visit AAFF's website.

"Film is a time-based experience, and a festival completes the loop between artists and the audience," Raymond says. "To have a dialogue about the film with other audience members or the filmmakers, it’s a crucial part of what we as a film festival do."

Rylee Barnsdale is a Michigan native and longtime Washtenaw County resident. She wants to use her journalistic experience from her time at Eastern Michigan University writing for the Eastern Echo to tell the stories of Washtenaw County residents that need to be heard.

Photo courtesy of AAFF.