OUR HISTORY

1980

AIFF Founded in St. John’s, NL

1981

First screenings at LSPU Hall in St. John’s, NL. Controversy surrounds the choice to screen the NFB film “Not a Love Story” during the festival but cooler heads prevail and the film was not banned and the screenings went on without a hitch.

1982

(AIFF relocates from St. John’s, NL to Halifax, NS).

1991

 (National Film Board building on Barrington St. destroyed in fire – Atlantic Film Festival went on [Built in 1891; 1907 it became the first permanent movie house in Halifax and dubbed the Nickel Theatre; associated with the film industry for over 80 years and in late 1960s it became home to NFB of Canada’s Halifax office).

1992

 (After fire of 1991, AIFF changes its statement of purpose; from “organization dedicated to promoting the local film industry” to its truer, broader purpose: a festival – a public celebration of film and video arts in Atlantic Canada).

1993

(Gordon Parsons, founder of Wormwood’s Theatre [the first cinema art house in the region], one-time Executive Director of AIFF, and general voice for cinema in Atlantic Canada, passes away. / ScreenScene (film and television for young people; a festival for, by and about kids) is introduced.)

1998

 (Inception of “Strategic Partners”, now “FIN Partners” – first international co-production was focused on Germany)

1999

 (Introduction of the “Canadian Filmmaker Initiative” (CFI). The program provided 10 emerging short filmmakers a chance to attend the festival, expenses paid by AIFF).

2002

(Addition of a new children’s festival – ViewFinders: International Film Festival for Youth, a 5-day event.)

2003

After months of preparation, in the last few moments of confirming films with distributors out of Toronto, the power goes out in major centers up and down the East Coast and across Canada -- Hurricane Juan had hit the Atlantic. Opening Night Gala: The Event by Thom Fitzgerald (ensemble cast, mention?) 

2004

(Addition of a new documentary program: Inspired – an Atlantic Documentary Directors’ Training Opportunity. Focusing on documentary films and the idea of inspiration; music docs, docs on challenging topics such as Tibet struggle and kidnappings perpetrated by the FLQ in Quebec, etc.) 

2005

25 Years of AIFF!

2008

(Telefilm Canada Gala movie: “Adoration” by Atom Egoyan

2009

Opening Gala movie: Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day

2010

AIFF turns 30! Canadian Gala movie: “Incendies” by Denis Villeneuve

2014

Opening Night Gala movie: “Elephant Song” / Closing Gala: “Maps to the Stars” by Cronenberg)

2015

35 Years of AIFF!  Opening Night Gala movie: “Hyena Road”

2016

First year introducing FIN…worth noting? / Opening Night Gala movie: “Maudie” / Atlantic Gala: “Weirdos” by Bruce McDonald)

2017

Opening Night Gala movie: “Long Time Running”

2025

45 Years of AIFF!