Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) is back in Providence, this summer, and is celebrating its 28th anniversary. Since its inception, in 1997, the annual festival has been a haven for independent filmmakers throughout the world. It takes place every year in Providence and Newport, as well as satellite locations throughout the state, drawing 45,000 people annually, along with a strong filmmaker presence. The festival attracts major industry talent and celebrities who attend and participate in conversations about various aspects of filmmaking. In 1998, the RIIFF hosted the world premiere of the Farrelly brothers’ film, There’s Something About Mary. In 2001, Blake Edwards, acclaimed director of The Pink Panther movies, among many Hollywood films, received the Festival Lifetime Achievement Award, which was accepted by his wife, actress/ singer, Julie Andrews. Ernest Borgnine received the same award in 2009, and actor Paul Sorvino in 2011.
Over the years, the RIIFF has screened 6,720 independent films and videos, presented 1,621 World/North American premieres, featured over 1,350 entries that were locally produced, and hosted 4,582 filmmakers and crew. Hundreds of thousands of film lovers, in-person and online, have enjoyed the Rhode Island International Film Festival and its programming.
RIIFF is cited as the largest film festival in New England and recognized as one of the Top Ten Regional Events, having been selected as a qualifying festival for the Live Action, Documentary and Animation Short Film Academy Awards, through its affiliation with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. It is also a BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) and Canadian Screen Awards (Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television)-qualifying Festival. There are only ten film festivals worldwide that share this distinction.
The RIIFF is a showcase for international features, documentaries, and shorts. They also feature filmmaking workshops, meet-and-greet events, and even world premieres of independent films from around the world. The RIIFF also incorporate gala celebrations, host VIP guests, and offer industry seminars, educational programs, cultural outreach, a Providence Backlot Walking Tour, an HP Lovecraft Literary Tour, Filmmaker Conversations with Q&A’s, plus award ceremonies that are woven into a weeklong extravaganza, designed for all who love the world of cinema.
Sidebar events for the festival include several other film festivals, including the RI International Horror Film Festival and the Vortex Sci-Fi and Fantasy Film Festival. The festival has also been a host for Oscar Night America in Rhode Island since 2010, an event now called the Red Carpet Experience: Providence.
The festival is produced by Flickers, the Newport Film/Video Society & Arts Collaborative, a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization created in 1981 which supports and promotes the film arts in Rhode Island and throughout New England. The festival was founded by the late George T. Marshall, who was also the founder of the Flickers Arts Collaborative.
Besides the incredible entertainment value, there are countless networking opportunities that advance and enhance careers, and create a supportive and encouraging environment for the most inquisitive creators and lovers of film.
The Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) will be held throughout the state beginning on August 6, and lasting through August 11. Everyone is welcome to attend. Seating at all performances is available on a first-come first-serve basis. No late seating. It’s recommended that filmgoers arrive at the theater thirty minutes prior to a screening.
Visit the website info@film-festival.org for specifics events and times, or call 401-861-4445.
