The Ann Arbor Film Festival is internationally recognized as a premiere showcase for films that are cutting-edge, experimental, bold, and beyond the mainstream. As the longest-running film festival of its kind in North America, the AAFF is steeped in a rich tradition of ground-breaking cinema. Thousands of influential filmmakers have showcased early work at the AAFF, including luminaries such as Kenneth Anger, Agnes Varda, Andy Warhohl, Yoko Ono, Gus Van Sant, Barbara Hammer, Lawrence Kasdan, and George Lucas. The AAFF is committed to supporting visionary filmmakers, promoting the art of film, and providing its audience with new films that challenge, inspire, innovate and give voice to diverse perspectives.

The AAFF is an Academy-Award qualifying film festival and presents more than $20,000 of filmmaker awards each year. In 2007 the festival received more than 2,000 submissions from 30 countries.