Rhode Island International Film Festival

Kicks off its 17th Season with over 200 Films
August 6th – 11th at Locations Across the State of Rhode Island

BY BRETT TREACY & GRAHAM CARTER

Screen Shot 2013-07-23 at 3.05.10 PMOn August 6, 2013, Flickers kicks-off its 17th annual Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) in Providence, RI. The week-long celebration of independent cinema and film arts is New England’s largest film festival and only Academy Award qualifying event for short films. Only 75 festivals worldwide share this distinction. In addition to film screenings, the festival will feature the return of the Rhode Island Film Forum geared to be a region- wide educational workshop on bringing film production to the Ocean State. Included are award ceremonies, filmmaker symposia, the annual ScriptBiz Screenwriting Workshop, a walking tour of film locations in Providence, and networking events.

Over 200 feature length, documentary and short films from 65 countries , and 36 states in the United States will be screened at locations throughout the state of Rhode Island. Films have been selected from a record entry base of 5,100 submissions.

RIIFF is a magnet for those who’ve made short films because it is a qualifying event for the short film category of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In 2012 three of the films that premiered at RIIFF went on to receive Academy Award nominations.

Planned festival highlights include:

Showcase of Japanese Films celebrating our Festival partnership with ShortShorts Film Festival Asia.

HALF PINT, directed by Duncan Putney, will have its premiere at the Rhode Island International Film Festival.  Ted Moller (Sparks), Chris O'Brien (Ace), Osmani Rodriguez Jr. (Half Pint), Lee Simonds (Sarg) and Jed Alvezos (Joker) on the Normandy windmill set in Middletown.
HALF PINT, directed by Duncan Putney, will have its premiere at the Rhode Island International Film Festival. Ted Moller (Sparks), Chris O’Brien (Ace), Osmani Rodriguez Jr. (Half Pint), Lee Simonds (Sarg) and Jed Alvezos (Joker) on the Normandy windmill set in Middletown. (photo courtesy of RIIFF)

The RI Film Forum, scheduled for Thursday, August 8th in collaboration with the RI Film & Television Office and the Harrington School of Communication and Media at URI. A New England Film Festival Symposium for organizers of all the regional film festivals to discuss the evolution and changing role of the Festivals within the industry.

New programming focus for the annual ScriptBizTM Screenplay Pitch Seminar with spotlight on this year’s Grand Prize Screenplay Competition winner “Betrayed,” by Alfred Thomas Catalfo of New Hampshire. This year’s seminar directed by Professor William Torgenson from St. John’s University, New York, who is a previous Grand Prize winner for “Love on the Big Screen.”

Showcase of films and cultural activities from the Province of Québec and the newly created Québec Film Festival celebrating the twenty year partnership with the Délègation du Québec, Boston and Tourism Québec.

Films from over 60 countries across the globe.

The magical DEATH OF A SHADOW by Tom Van Avermaet and Ellen De Waele, a 2012 Oscar nominated short, concerns a soldier who attempts to ransom his soul from Death and return to the girl he loves.
The magical DEATH OF A SHADOW by Tom Van Avermaet and Ellen De Waele, a 2012 Oscar nominated short, concerns a soldier who attempts to ransom his soul from Death and return to the girl he loves.

Showcase of new work from the INSAS (Institut National Supérieur des Arts du Spectacle et des Techniques de diffusion), the Graduate School of Arts of the French Community of Belgium.

Select films from New England filmmakers take the stage in partnership with the Woods Hole Film Festival, and the Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival with a guest speaker panel.

Live music programming throughout the Festival by Flickers’ artists.

Providence Location Tour with the RI Historical Society and the RI Film & Television Office.

Partnership screenings with the International Cinematographers Guild and showcase of short film winners of the Emerging Cinematographer Awards.

Expanded Youth Film Jury Screenings in collaboration with RI Foundation Equity Action to expand LGBTQ youth participation.

Additional RIIFF Summer Programming:

FLICKERS: Kids Eye TM Summer Filmmaking Camp takes place from July 8-12th. This is the original five-day filmmaking camp for kids aged 8-17. Participants shoot several short films and a promotional trailer, attend workshops taught by certified educators and movie industry professionals, and learn about screenwriting, acting for the camera, directing, makeup, camera, costuming, and special effects. The event takes place at the University of Rhode Island, Kingston campus.

Advance ticket sales for screenings and special events are available through the FLICKERS/RIIFF website www.RIFilmFest.org.

Student, group, and senior discounts are also available but only in advance. To purchase tickets or obtain more information about any aspect of RIIFF, call 401 861-4445 or email info@film-festival.org

 

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