2019 FLICKERS' VORTEX SCI-FI, FANTASY &
HORROR FILM FESTIVAL

ANNOUNCES THE WINNERS FOR THE 20th ANNUAL EVENT

65 films from across the globe vied for adjudicated genre awards

• READ THE AWARDS NEWS RELEASE

PROVIDENCE, RI –A phantasmagoric symphony of international genre films were given there due with the wrap of the 20th Annual Flickers’ Vortex Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Film Festival through adjudicated awards. The Festival celebrated and showcased imagination and creativity in filmmaking and included eleven (11) World and U.S. Premieres. In all, 65 films were selected from over 3,000 genre submissions, representing 15 countries and presented at 19 locations. This year’s Festival was planned, developed and curated by Shawn Drywa, Vortex Program Director and creator of the annual genre Festival with Shawn Quirk, RIIFF Program Director.

This year's Festival included a return of its popular “H.P. Lovecraft Walking Tour” over a four-day period presented in collaboration with the RI Historical Society and the Brown University Film Forum (BUFF), a Free Screening of the silent classic, “Nosferatu” with live musical accompaniment by the David Tessier Band, free in-school programs, an expanded Campus Connections series that brings free Festival programming to area Colleges and Universities, five free Forums that look behind-the-scenes at creating genre films in the Ocean State, special programming in the RI PBS series, “doubleFEATURE,” and the “Gods & Goddesses” Halloween Wrap Party at the Rooftop at the Providence G.

The 2019 festival included screenings in Providence at the new Acoustic Java Café & Microcinema, Providence College, Johnson and Wales University at two locations, Brown University, Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI, the Rhode Island Historical Society, the Museum of Work and Culture in Woonsocket, RI, the Tiverton Public Library, the North Kingstown Free Public Library, the Warwick Public Library, Lincoln Public Library, West Warwick Public Library, North Scituate Public Library, Greenville Public Library, and the Rooftop of the Providence G. A special episode of the Flickers’ series “doubleFEATURE” will air on RI PBS.

Special screenings, not open to the general public, took place at the Beacon Charter School in Woonsocket, Westerly High School, and the Jacqueline M. Walsh School for the Performing Arts in Pawtucket.

The full schedule for this year’s Festival can be found here: http://www.rifilmfest.org and http://prog.tsharp.xyz/en/riiff/19/date/all

"It's an amazing achievement that we are celebrating our 20th anniversary this year. Our decision in 2015 to expand our programming to sc-fi and fantasy films, along with our horror film entries, has allowed us to create an incredible showcase of truly unique films” said Shawn Drywa, Vortex Program Director.

“Vortex has always prided itself on showcasing the best genre films from the independent film community and this year was no exception. From Spain to Iran and France to the UK, these films represent the vanguard of genre filmmaking from across the globe, and showcase a rising generation of filmmakers, who are redefining genre films for the next generation of cinephiles."

“We are proud to see that this sidebar to RIIFF has become an important cultural event for the State and an international draw for filmmakers and audiences. This year saw over a dozen filmmakers, cast and crew coming from the United Kingdom, Canada and from throughout the United States,” he added.

“From our ongoing educational outreach with area colleges and universities, free library and museum screenings, high school-based programs, to a master class on filmmaking and conversations on the film industry with noted leaders, this year's Vortex Film Festival laid the foundation for an even more expanded event next year” noted Shawn Quirk, RIIFF’s Program Director.

Winners of the 2019 Festival Awards:

BEST DIRECTOR:

GRAND PRIZE:

Fran Cassonova – “Something In The Darkness” | Spain, 2017

BEST FANTASY SHORT FILM:

GRAND PRIZE:

“A Purgatory Story” | Directed by: Tom Albanese | UNITED STATES, 2019

 

FIRST PRIZE:

“Acide” | Directed by: Just Philippot | France, 2018

BEST HORROR SHORT FILM:

GRAND PRIZE:

“Madame” | Directed by: Garth Jennings | France, 2018

 

FIRST PRIZE:

“The Mime” | Directed by: Dan Allen| United Kingdom, 2019

BEST SCI-FI FEATURE FILM:

GRAND PRIZE:

“Volition” | Directed by: Tony Dean Smith | Canada, 2019

FIRST PRIZE:

“Falter” | Directed by: Peter Meining and Harriet Maria Meining| Germany, 2018

 

Tied with:
“Zwart” | Directed by: Tommie Geraedts | Netherlands, 2019

BEST SCI-FI SHORT FILM:

GRAND PRIZE:

“The Last Well” | Directed by: Filip Filkovic | Croatia and France, 2018

FIRST PRIZE:

“Eternity” | Directed by: Anna Sobolevksa| Ukraine, 2018

BEST ANIMATION:

GRAND PRIZE:

“Wild Love” | Directed by: Paul Autric, Quentin Camus, Maryka Laudet, Léa Georges, Zoé Sottiaux, and Corentin Yvergniaux| France, 2018

 

FIRST PRIZE:

“They Hunt” | Directed by: Rhys Byfield| United States, 2018

BEST FEATURE HORROR FILM:

GRAND PRIZE:

“Star Light” | Directed by: Lee Cummings and Mitchell Altieri | United States, 2019

FIRST PRIZE:

“Artik” | Directed by: Tom Botchii Skowronski | United States, 2019

DIRECTORIAL DISCOVERY AWARD:

Jesse Mittelstadt | “Flyby” | United States, 2019

H.P. LOVECRAFT AWARD:

“Backwoods” | Directed by: Ryan Mackfall | United Kingdom, 2018

This year’s Vortex programming is sponsored by the Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival Rhode Island Film & Television Office, The Providence Tourism Council, ACT/Providence, Cox Media, WLNE ABC6, Eurochannel, RISCA, Brown University Film Forum (BUFF), WSBE RI PBS, Providence College, Johnson and Wales University, Acoustic Java, Narragansett Brewing Company, the Rooftop at the Providence G, the RI Historical Society, the RWU School of Humanities, Arts and Education, RWU Department of Communication, Graphic Design and Web Development, THE RWU HAWK'S HERALD, The RWU Inter-Residence Hall Association (IRHA) and the RWU American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA).

The next edition of the Flickers' Vortex Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Festival will take place October 17-25, 2020.

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Sponsors for 2019:

The Department of Theatre, Dance, and Film at Providence College.

Johnson & Wales College of

Arts & Sciences

©2019 Rhode Island International Film Festival®. All Rights Reserved.