And the winner is…. The 2001 Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) has announced this year’s winners in its film competition at its annual Awards Celebration held at the Rhode Island School of Design Auditorium. This year, RIIFF received over 700 entries in competition and 65 titles out of competition. Films came from 37 countries and 32 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Of those selected for exhibition, 42 were World Premieres and 32 were United States Premieres. 206 titles were chosen as finalists and screened at this year’s RIIFF.
“Without question, RIIFF 2001 accomplished all of the goals it set out to achieve,” said Michel Coutu, CEO of Brooks Pharmacy and RIIFF/Chairman. “Thanks to our dedicated staff and volunteers, the Festival ran smoothly and professionally. We are very proud that the Festival provided a diversified yet balanced mix of film-related programming .”
According to George T. Marshall, Festival Executive Director, “RIIFF 2001 was an ambitious event that included a full-week long summer camp for kids filmmakers, a kids film festival, a morning panel discussion series, several special side-bar screenings, a festival-within-a-festival saluting homegrown talent, and presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award to acclaimed director Blake Edwards.”
The award was presented to Edwards’ wife, acclaimed Academy Award-winning actress, Julie Andrews, who flew in specially to the Festival to receive the award on behalf of her husband.
“What was really exciting for us was that more than 245 filmmakers, producers and cast members were on hand throughout the Festival to see their films and support one another. People flew in from Germany, Canada, Mexico, The Netherlands , India, Spain, Australia, Brazil, France, Ireland, England and from throughout the United States to participate in the Festival,” said Betty Galligan, Managing Director of the Film Festival. “The Festival’s international flavor was firmly established.”
Screenings took place primarily in the capitol city at the Avon Cinema, the Columbus Theatre and Cinématheque, the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Auditorium, and List Auditorium at Brown University. The Best of the Fest was screened at the Opera House Cinema in Newport. A satellite venue at the Courthouse Center for the Arts in Kingston has been running highlights of the Festival for the past year and continues that programming throughout the Fall and Winter in a series entitles “Cinema Rhode Island.”
“Thanks to the strong support of our sponsors like Brooks Pharmacy, Cox Communications, the Providence Warwick CVB, Tourisme Quebec, the Rhode Island Film & Television Office, NBC 10, OSO.com, the United States Postal Service, Citizens Bank, Brown University, the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, Johnson & Wales University, East Side Marketplace, the Catering Collaborative, Rule Broadcasting, New England Audio Visuals, All-Star Auto Rental, Barnes & Noble of Warwick, Gladworks Design, Filmfestivals.com in Paris, and so many more, the Festival was able to take a quantum leap this year as a major player in the film festival circuit,” said Galligan.
“What have been very pleasantly surprised by the buzz surrounding RIIFF. This has come our way from overseas and US film centers like California , Illinois (Chicago) and New York,” added Marshall. “Thanks to a strong presence on the internet and the award-winning site constructed by Gina DiSpirito and Adam Harvey of Gladworks Design, our Festival is well known and has a growing reputation as a filmmaker-friendly event. We think that next year’s Festival, slated for August 7-12, 2002, will be even stronger!”
The RIIFF 2002 Awards Presentation was held at the Rhode Island School of Design Auditorium in downtown Providence at Market Square.
RHODE ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2001 AWARDS BEST FEATURE / EASTMAN KODAK VISION AWARD ^ Grand Prize: The Secret [Director: Melinda Roenisch] USA, New England Premiere
BEST DIRECTOR ^ Grand Prize: ^ Dischord [Dir. Mark Wilkinson] USA, RI Premiere
First Prize ^ Being Claudine [Dir. I-Fan Quirk] USA, RI Premiere
BEST SHORT ^ Grand Prize: Cheek to Cheek [Dir. Beth Armstrong] AUSTRALIA, US Premiere
First Prize (tie): ^ Dos Mas [Dir. Leon Ssiminiani] SPAIN, New England Premiere ^ Jane [Dir. Dominic Cionciolo] USA, East Coast Premiere
BEST DOCUMENTARY ^ Grand Prize: ^ Prisoners in Paradise [Dir. Camilla Calamandrei] USA
First Prize (tie): ^ In Cane for Life [Dir. Jorge Wolney Atalla] BRAZIL, RI Premiere ^ A Time of Love and War [Dir. Sabrina Mathews] CANADA, US Premiere
BEST EDITING ^ Grand Prize: ^ Shadow Glories [Dir. Ziad Hamzeh] USA, RI Premiere
First Prize: ^ A Brief History of Cuba, in D Minor [Dir. Emily James] UK, World Premiere
BEST EXPERIMENTAL ^ Grand Prize: ^ The Sea That Thinks [Dir. Gert de Graaff]NETHERLANDS, US Premiere
First Prize: ^ Indefinable Moods [Dir. Kathy Smith] AUSTRALIA, US Premiere
DIRECTORIAL DEBUT ^ Grand Prize: ^ Morning [Director. Ami Canaan Mann] USA, East Coast Premiere First Prize:^ Liars Club [Dir. Bruce Cahco-Negrette] USA, World Premiere
BEST SCREENPLAY ^ Grand Prize: ^ Working Stiff [Director/Screenplay. Greg Joyce] USA, World Premiere
First Prize (tie): ^ Wings of Hope [Director/Screenplay Raj Basu] USA, New England Premiere ^ Mockingbird Don’t Sing [Dir. Harold Bromley-Davenport, Screenplay by Daryl Haney] USA, World Premiere
TOURISME QUéBEC BEST FOREIGN FILM ^ Grand Prize: ^ No Turning Back [Dirs. Jesus Nesbot/Julia Montejo]USA/SPAIN, East Coast Premiere ^ First Prize: ^ Games of the Heart [Dir. Céline Baril] CANADA, World Premiere
BROOKS PHARMACY POSITIVE LIFESTYLE AWARD ^ To Ease the Loss [Dir. Haley McLane] USA, World Premiere ^ Gregor’s Greatest Invention [Dir. Johannes Kiefer] GERMANY, World Premiere
PROVIDENCE FILM FESTIVAL AWARD ^ Grand Prize: ^ G-Spots? [Dir. Daniel Scott Fine] USA, RI Premiere
First Prize: ^ Machine on the Sides [Dir. Ryan Scarfuro] USA, World Premiere
The Rhode Island International Film Festival took place August 9-13, 2000 in locations throughout Providence and the state of Rhode Island. The Festival will take place next year, August 7-12, 2002.
Check out FILMTHREAT.com’s FILM FESTIVAL ARCHIVES for more fest news!
