Film festival promises windfall for R.I. businesses

Last year, the Rhode Island International Film Festival drew nearly 24,000 people to its screenings and other events, including 232 filmmakers who booked more than 2,000 room nights at local hotels, dined at local restaurants and visited local attractions.
On Aug. 7, the festival returns to the city, with 275 films from 70 countries to be screened over six days and nights. And given the event’s success in its 10 previous years, and Rhode Island’s growing involvement in the film industry, enthusiasm ran high when this year’s festival schedule was unveiled at the Providence Performing Arts Center last Wednesday.
The event, after all, attracts “top international film talent” to Rhode Island, its organizers noted. And previous festival attendees have gone on to direct projects in the state.
Film and TV productions – from Disney’s “Underdog”; to the gritty Showtime series “Brotherhood,” now shooting on location in Providence; to “27 Dresses” – have been pumping money into the state’s economy, employing hundreds of people, and fueling the growth of small businesses devoted to everything from casting to providing cars for movies.
This is also the largest and only Academy Awards-qualifying festival in New England, and at last year’s event, there were 29 world premieres and 19 U.S. premieres.
The festival’s organizers say the event’s impact will only continue to grow. This year, 2 million people are expected to attend the 600 film festivals that take place in the United States, and the people they draw to the host communities do much more than watch movies. Along with hotels, they spend money on restaurants, bars, car and bike rentals, shopping and more.
The festival opening gala, to be held at PPAC, will further make that connection by featuring a “taste of Providence,” with catering by Blaze, Nick’s On Broadway, the Pinelli-Marra Group, India, Jessie’s at Atwells and other local businesses.
The organizers also have engaged FilmBuzz, an entertainment market research firm focused exclusively on independent motion pictures, to help them better understand their market.
The festival circuit, FilmBuzz has found, is an industry unto itself, attracting a highly educated, well-informed audience that is likelier to go see movies than the average person. Independent film festival attendees are also older and more affluent than typical moviegoers.
A survey of last year’s audiences showed 56 percent of audience members had a household income of $50,000 or higher, 47 percent had a four-year college degree or more, and another 41 percent had at least some college education.
In addition, 73 percent said they planned to dine out during the festival, 25 percent went to bars or other night spots, 20 percent said they would go to the theater, and 11 percent would go to local museums.
Sponsors this year include NBC, Sony, Clear Channel, Amtrak, the Sundance Channel, Borders and Harpoon Brewery, as well as, locally, Providence Place, Providence Monthly, Motif Magazine, the University of Rhode Island and Roger Williams University.
In addition, this year the festival is affiliated with the Providence Latin American Film Festival and the Providence Jewish Film Festival, broadening the scope of the audience.
The festival also has some special “themes” this year, including “Preserving Our Past” – with an emphasis on supporting the restoration of the Columbus Theatre; “Dare to Dream,” an exploration of creativity; “The Future is Today,” a partnership with the Sierra Club and Save The Bay to raise ecological awareness, and “Where Is Your Heart At?” looking at personal ethics and social responsibility. •