PROVIDENCE – George T. Marshall, the founder and CEO of the Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival who has brought independent filmmakers together to share their art on the screen, died Tuesday after a long illness.
R.I. Film & Television Office Executive Director Steven Feinberg confirmed Marshall’s death to Providence Business News. Marshall was 68.
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According to his bio posted on the University of Rhode Island Harrington School of Communication and Media’s webpage, Marshall originally founded G.T. Marshall Communications, a multi-faceted agency specializing in creative advertising, video and film production, and collateral projects. From 1986 through 2000, Marshall, URI said, created, produced, and hosted the fine arts informational television program, “Between Takes,” a program that earned national acclaim. He also earned five New England Emmy Awards, four national Telly awards and three national Communicator Awards for Excellence as a film producer, writer and director, the university said.
But Marshall’s signature mark on the local film community is forming Flickers in 1981, originally as The Newport Film Society, and created the local international film festival. According to the festival’s website, Flickers is one of only a few such festivals in New England accepting works of any type – dramatic, documentary, experimental and animation – on any subject matter and in any genre.
In 2002, Flickers was recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by making the Rhode Island International Film Festival as a qualifying festival for the Oscars’ Short Films category, according to the website.
Feinberg in a statement described Marshall as a “kind gentle man who loved the arts, his family and friends” and also considered the late Flickers’ founder as “a brother.” Additional information regarding service arrangements to follow in the days ahead, Feinberg said. Marshall also served as a film professor at Roger Williams University, Feinberg said.
(UPDATED to include George T. Marshall’s age.)
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
