When organizers of the Ann Arbor Film Festival engineered the Endangered Species fundraising campaign, it wasn't an amber alert designed to gouge sentimental old hippies in the pocketbook. It was a bona fide, crisis-level stopgap measure to keep the 46-year-old institution alive and out of the clutches of those who would seek to sanitize its progressive programming.

The oldest festival of its kind in North America, the Ann Arbor Film Festival was there when burgeoning filmmakers like George Lucas and Ken Burns were looking to showcase their early work. It also provided an arena for experimentalists like Andy Warhol and Yoko Ono to preview cutting-edge creations. But when the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs yanked a significant chunk of the festival’s funding last year, following what it deemed (according to a statement from state representative Fran Amos earlier this year) "deviance from what is considered favorable," the fest began its perilous march of faith, ignoring the Council's pronouncements and kissing off more than $14,000 of much-needed support.

Luckily, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences stepped in with a $10,000 donation and the show rolled on. But the battle is hardly over. In March the festival, in conjunction with the ACLU of Michigan, filed suit against the State of Michigan for violating its First Amendment rights. While this may seem like grandstanding to some, the struggle to make independent and experimental film available to interested audiences beyond the realms of the underground is a challenge. If a Goliath like the Ann Arbor Film Festival goes down, it will represent a serious blow to the national and international alternative film communities at large.

"Independent film is important because it showcases numerous voices, perspectives, and opinions in the world," AAFF executive director Christen McArdle told MOLI yesterday. "With the increase of commercialism and mainstream media, I think the public is beginning to understand the importance of supporting more independent and alternative filmmakers. This festival showcases the most groundbreaking and pioneering filmmakers. We take risks in our programming."

The call for 2008 festival submissions is on until November 15 (the final postmark date). Visit the AAFF website for more information on how to submit for the March 25-30 event, as well as how to help with the Endangered Species  fundraising campaign. Once you've viewed the cool video promoting the effort, be sure to hit YouTube for the "director's commentary" version. Besides being cute as hell, it also features great snippets from past festival favorites mingled with what appears to be vintage veterinarian-school training films.

Finally, don't miss the opportunity to view Boobie Girl, by Brooke Keesling, which is currently up on the AAFF site too. Among the "controversial content" that brought down the ruling from MCACA, it's essentially the animated tale of a stick-figure girl who wishes she had big breasts, magically gets them, and then must bear the trouble they bring.

It's hot stuff ... if you're in third grade. They must not get out much in Lansing.

Wendy Case is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Arts & Entertainment.