Confidants - Close friends Anthony Quinn and Providence Mayor Vincent Cianci, JR. share a moment during the Latin Film Fest VIP party. Legendary filmmaker Fernando Birri stands behind. Photo by Anka Theroux. Mayor Cianci discusses the emergence of Providence as a major city with Anka Theroux. Photo by Bob Zampini.

Pouring over Providence, Rhode Island's extensive media kit with Mayor Vincent Cianci, Jr. takes awhile. Jam-packed with hundreds of features and profiles of the city by major publications ranging from the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal to Food & Wine and Film & Video, this 4-inch thick book is a response to Providence's stunning advancement. And in the realm of filmmaking and the arts, the raves are unanimous: Moviemaker magazine named Providence in the "Top 10 U.S. Cities for Independent Filmmaking"; Swing magazine called the city the "Best Place to be an Artist"; and Money singled out Providence in their "Top 5 Most Livable Cities in the United States."

On the arts front, Providence is the first American city to use fiscal incentives to attract artists to its downtown area (the 10-block "art zone", Mayor Cianci's brainchild), with a law passed in 1996: any artist, writer, or composer who takes up residence in downtown Providence, pays no state income tax on any art-generated earnings (including out-of-state sales and performances). "You can't get more artist-friendly than no taxes," says Cianci.

Providence's dynamic ambience-the canals, dramatic waterfront, and historic architecture, delivers the rich visual character that filmmakers love. To sweeten the pot, the City drafted legislation calling for a 25% tax credit for filmmakers/producers shooting in Rhode Island with budgets in the $300,000 to $5 million range. The law passed, and this seductive incentive, together with the support of the Providence Film Commission (which Cianci spearheaded in 1995), is fueling the film market in Providence.

Cianci also credits the surge in productions here to the city's facilitating permit process, union-friendly prices, and overall less red tape than one encounters in many cities. "We've made our city user-friendly. We want productions that take place here to run as smoothly as possible. We want people to enjoy the experience."
How's that for a radical concept! Any experienced filmmaker knows of the nightmares associated with the bureaucracy of securing location permits in various cities. It's clearly an issue of vision, and the Mayor's seems to stem from an energetic charisma, trust in his instincts, and an appetite for risk:
"Successful cities need to have mayors who are risk-takers and entrepreneurs. It's about empowering people," says Cianci.