Flickers names award winners from 20th annual festival

THE RHODE ISLAND International Film Festival released its awards list this week.
THE RHODE ISLAND International Film Festival released its awards list this week.

PROVIDENCE – The Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival announced on Aug. 14 the award winners from its 20th annual festival.
Award winners were announced at the annual awards ceremony held at The Metcalf Auditorium in the Rhode Island School of Design Museum downtown.
According to RIIFF’s news release, the winners of “Best Narrative Short,” “Best Animation Short,” and “Best Documentary Short” will receive the special honor of earning the festival’s nomination for Academy Award consideration.
“The Dogcatcher” directed by Daria Woszek of Poland won “Best Narrative Short.” The dark comedy tells the story of a mysterious man who kidnaps dogs and then returns them to their owners for the cash reward and heroic recognition.
“Best Animated Short” was awarded to “To Build a Fire” directed by Fx Goby from France. The adaptation of famous author Jack London’s short story of the same name tells the tragic tale of a trapper and his dog trying to survive the elements in the Yukon Territory.
The film “Frame 394” directed by Rich Williamson won “Best Documentary Short.” Set against the current narrative of the Black Lives Matter movement, the documentary follows a young Toronto native skilled in image stabilization who becomes involved with one of America’s most high-profile police involved shootings as he attempts to find the real story.
“Best Feature” was awarded to “Last Days of Summer” directed by Aaron Harvey, a film about a middle-aged man bored with his marriage whose life is upended when a young woman and her seemingly abusive husband become his neighbors.
“Filmmaker of the Future Award” is given to a filmmaker whose exciting vision inspires others about the potential to produce compelling and successful films in the future. Sam Yates, director of “The Hope Rooms,” was given the honor for this year.
The Flickers’ Producer’s Circle Award is presented to members of the community who have actively supported and promoted Flickers’ mission to promote the film arts in Rhode Island and throughout New England.
Winners of the Producer’s Circle Award were:

  • Judy Shoemaker, WLNE ABC6
  • Herb Weiss, economic and cultural affairs officer, city of Pawtucket
  • Lizzie Araujo Haller, of the Providence Department of Art, Culture & Tourism
  • The R.I. Department of Environmental Management, represented by Janet Coit, Mary Kay and Robert Paquette.

The 2016 Special Awards were presented to actress Karen Allen for “Creative Vision,” producer David Permut for “RI Film & Television Office Dreammaker,” and Lukas Hassell of New York received the “Flickers’ Screenplay Competition Award” for his piece, “Galapagos.”
The “George D. Gannett LGBTQ Inspiration Award” went to Richard Corso and Don Laliberte of Providence.
The festival ran from Aug. 9 to 14 with venues located all across the state, from Newport to Woonsocket, with Providence serving as the hub for the film-centric activities.

“Thanks to Steven Feinberg, the Rhode Island Film & Television Office, Kristen Adamo at the Providence/Warwick CVB, and Stephanie Fortunato with the city of Providence, we knocked the ball out of the park, raising the bar for the future and next year’s 21st anniversary edition of the festival,” George T. Marshall, RIIFF’s executive director, said in a statement. “We hosted over 250 international filmmakers who experienced true Rhode Island hospitality.”
The next edition of the Rhode Island International Film Festival will be held Aug. 8-13, 2017.

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