2019 Film Festival Award Winners Announced on Sunday, August 11th

Flickers' 37th Anniversary Celebration Concludes, Screening 321 Amazing Films from Across the Globe

• Read this year's Online Program Book

• Download the Full List of Winners

• See the Full Festival Program on Zone

Photo by Mike Braca

Providence, R.I. • Aug. 11, 2019 —Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) proudly announced the Award Winners for its 37th Anniversary Celebration of Flickers, on Sunday, August 11, 2019. The Annual Awards Ceremony was held at The Metcalf Auditorium, RISD Museum in downtown Providence, RI. This year’s Festival ran from August 6-11 and ended with another record-breaking year. Venues were located across the state of Rhode Island – from Jamestown, Foster, North Scituate, Cranston Narragansett, North Kingstown, Woonsocket to Warwick -- with the capital city Providence serving as the hub for the film-centric activities.

The Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF), a major destination on the Festival circuit and recognized by the Academy as a Qualifying Festival in all short film categories, welcomes stellar filmmaking talents from all over the world to beautiful Providence, Rhode Island—one of America’s oldest and most beloved cities. This year 347 filmmakers, their cast and crew came to the Festival from across the globe including The Republic of Taiwan, India, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Peru, Canada, Spain and France.

RIIFF embraces both filmmakers and screenwriters with the sort of warm-hearted spirit that fosters longlasting friendships, sparks exciting creative projects, and inspires artists to return again and again. Last year, nine films from the Festival went on to receive Academy Award nominations, including three that premiered on Opening Night. The World Premiere of Chris Overton’s “THE SILENT CHILD” took place at RIIFF in 2017, received the Festival’s Grand Prize and Academy nomination, and went on to receive the coveted Oscar® (https://vimeo.com/262490275). It's little wonder that Chris Gore's Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide praises RIIFF as "the kind of intimate festival experience that will change your life."

The 2019 Festival was dedicated to the memories of two important individuals whose support and encouragement helped shape this organization: Ross Feinberg and Diana Drywa.

According to Lawrence J. Andrade Flickers Board Member, “Ross Feinberg was a champion of our PBS series, ‘doubleFEATURE,” and father of Steven Feinberg, the Executive Director of the RI Film and Television Office. Diana Drywa was the mother of Michael Drywa, Esq. our Board President, and Shawn Drywa, the founder and returning director of our Vortex Festival. Both were educators. Both had a passion for life and learning that touched countless lives during the course of their careers.”

"Thanks to Steven Feinberg, the Rhode Island Film & Television Office; Kristen Adamo at the Providence/Warwick CVB; Claire Collins at IMCS; Nina Stark, The Champlin Foundation, Sophie Sithamma, Swissnex Boston; Michael Vallee, the French Consulate of Boston; Marie-Jose and Laurence Gagnon, Quebec Delegation; Tom Oyer, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; Don Curtin and Kelly Johnston, Channel 6; Ashley Erling, The Rhode Show; Daniel Schwartz, The Vets; Ed Mastriano, Cox Media; Caitlin Isles and Dr. J. Scott Oberacker, Johnson and Wales University; Fr. Kenneth Gumbert, Providence College; Brendan Chipley Roane, The Rooftop at the Providence G; Jonathan Arruda, The Dean Hotel; Greg Nawrocki, Hotel Providence Todd Trebour, RISCA; Pamela Kimel, RISD Museum, Milo Macphail, AS220; Ruth Clegg, Art League Rhode Island; short film distributors, Katie McCullough and Ian Bignell, Festival Formula; writer, Chris Sparling; director, Eric Latek; actor, Michael Grando and legendary actress Marlyn Mason, we hit a home run this year, further raising the bar for the future and next year’s edition of the Festival,” said George T. Marshall, Flickers’ Executive Director. "It was a true pleasure to host 347 international filmmakers, cast and crew who experienced true Rhode Island hospitality.”

Steven Feinberg, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Film & TV Office, said "Glorious is the word which best conjures the week that was the 2019 Rhode Island International Film Festival. From the spectacular opening night of packed guests and a variety of cinematic delicacies at The Vets to hundreds of international filmmakers hugging out their new friendships at the emotional awards ceremony at the RISD Museum Metcalf Auditorium, this festival is truly one the globe's greatest treasures. On behalf of the State of a Rhode Island and our local film community, I want to congratulate Executive Director George T. Marshall for his perseverance and vision and Shawn Quirk for his tasteful programming along with the professional staff of volunteers and supporters who make the Rhode Island International Film Festival world-renowned, and a home for film exploration with heart. "

Director Feinberg continued, "Two years ago, the world premiere of "Silent Child" happened right here in Providence and that short film went on to win the Academy Award. I would not be surprised if one of the esteemed movies from this year's festival went on to win Oscar gold too because there is an undeniable truth----The Rhode Island International Film Festival makes dreams come true."

“This year, we received an incredible number of inspiring and thought-provoking international films. The talent of the filmmakers who shared their work with us was inspiring and simply blew us away. Storytelling through the film medium has shown us that we are witnessing a truly global Renaissance in the cinematic arts, and it is a distinct honor to be able to share these groundbreaking films with our audiences,” added Shawn Quirk, RIIFF’s Program Director.

FLICKERS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization that supports and promotes the film arts in Rhode Island and throughout New England. Over the past two decades, its production, the Rhode Island International Film Festival, has screened 5,426 independent films and videos out of 68,337 entries, presented 1,322 World/North American premieres, featured over 1,100 entries that were locally produced, and hosted 4,193 filmmakers and crew. Since its inception, over 453,000 film lovers have enjoyed the Rhode Island International Film Festival and its programming, not including those in New England watching its weekly broadcast and cable programming series, doubleFEATURE.

Over its six-day run, the Festival screened 321 films that included 93 World/United States Premieres from 51 countries including Denmark, Israel, Bosnia, Albania, Hungary, Australia, Iceland, Iran, Spain, Mexico, India, Italy, France, Ecuador and 34 states in the US. Some of the talent connected to this year’s Festival Karen Allen (“Animal House,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark”), Tony Romo (American football television analyst and retired quarterback), Richard Kind (“Mad About You,” “Spin City,” “A Bug’s Life,” “Toy Story 3”), Olympia Dukakis (“Moonstruck,” “Working Girl,” “Steel Magnolias”), Valerie Perrine (“Superman The Movie,” “Slaughterhouse-Five”), Sherilyn Fenn (“Twin Peaks”), Franco Nero (“Camelot,” “Django”), Lance Guest (“The Last Starfighter”), Justin Bartha (“National Treasure”), Mandy Moore (“Tangled,” ”A Walk to Remember”), Robbie Fairchild (Broadway actor/dancer, Tony Award Nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Musical), Whoopi Goldberg (“The Color Purple,” “Sister Act,” “The View”), Laura Linney (“Congo,” “The Truman Show,” “Mystic River”), Austin Pendleton (”Catch 22,” “What’s Up, Doc?” “Amistad”), Tom Skerritt (“Alien,” “Top Gun,” “Steel Magnolias”), William Fichtner (“Invasion,” “Prison Break,” “The Dark Knight,” “Independence Day: Resurgence”), Noam Chomsky (American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, social critic, and political activist), Tom Brokaw (American television journalist and author, best known for being the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News for 22 years), Quincy Jones (American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and film producer. His career spans over 60 years in the entertainment industry with a record 80 Grammy Award nominations), Michael Keaton (“Beetlejuice,” “Tim Burton’s Batman,” “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance”), Angie Dickinson (“Police Woman,” “Rio Bravo,” “Ocean’s 11”), David Arquette (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), Stacy Keach (“The Heart is a Lonely Hunter,” “Conduct Unbecoming.” “The Bourne Legacy”), Loni Anderson (“WKRP in Cincinnati”), Richard Donner (Director of such films as “Superman,” “The Omen,” “The Goonies,” “Lethal Weapon”), Howard Hesseman (“WKRP in Cincinnati”), Chevy Chase (“Saturday Night Live,” “Fletch,” “National Lampoon’s Vacation”), Blythe Danner (“Meet the Parents,” “Will and Grace,” “1776”), Dustin Hoffman (“The Graduate,” “Midnight Cowboy,” “Little Big Man”), Marlyn Mason (“Longstreet,” “The Trouble With Girls”), Edward Asner (“The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Lou Grant”), Diane Ladd (“Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” “Wild at Heart,” “Primary Colors”), Lainie Kazan (“My Favorite Year,” “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”), Armistead Maupin (author, “Tales of the City”), Senta Berger (“The Quiller Memorandum,” “Cast a Giant Shadow,” “The Victors”), Jonas Mekas (known as "the godfather of American avant-garde cinema", Andrew Van Wyngarden (American musician. and lead vocalist, guitar player and songwriter for the band MGMT), Malcolm Gladwell (Canadian journalist, author, and public speaker), and Cheri Oteri (“Saturday Night Live”). The films for this year's Festival were selected from a record entry base of 6,941 submissions.

RIIFF is proud to be one of 10 Festivals in the world that is an Academy Award qualifier in the Live Action, Animation and Documentary Short categories and a qualifier with the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). With vanguard programming that seeks to showcase new voices in independent filmmaking from across the globe, RIIFF serves as an exceptional platform from which to launch exciting careers for artists who deserve to be discovered. Ten films that have premiered at RIIFF have won Academy Awards with a total of 66 nominated, and many have gained distribution with the likes of HBO, Showtime, PBS, Netflix and IFC. A wide range of competitive categories—including Comedy, Drama, Horror, Children’s, LGBTQ, Documentary, Webisodes, Music Videos, Pilots, Science Fiction, and Animated films—RIIFF offers entrants and audience members a veritable buffet of great stories, surprises, and narrative formats. There’s even a screenplay and teleplay competition, designed to give talented screenwriters some well-deserved industry credibility. At RIIFF, there’s no shortage of ways to get noticed and participate.

THE 2019 GRAND PRIZE SHORT FILM WINNERS:

The winners of RIIFF's Live Action, Animation and Documentary Short Grand Prizes hold a special honor: they become the Festival’s nominees for Academy Award consideration.

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT
GRAND Prize: (RIIFF’s Official Academy Nomination)
“A SISTER” (Une Soeur) | Directed by: Delphine Girard, Belgium, 2018

“A Sister (Une Soeur),” tells the story of an emergency services dispatcher, who finds her professionalism put to the test when she receives a call from a woman in a desperate situation.

BEST SHORT ANIMATION
GRAND Prize:(RIIFF’s Official Academy Nomination)
“ROUGHHOUSE” | Directed by: Jonathan Hodgson, France, United Kingdom, 2018

“Roughhouse” is an animation that tells the story of three friends who embark on a new adventure in a strange town, but when a manipulative new member joins their gang, their loyalty is torn apart with terrifying consequences.

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY
GRAND Prize: (RIIFF’s Official Academy Nomination)

“A LA DERIVA” (ADRIFT) | Directed by: Paula Cury Melo, Dominican Republic, 2019

“A La Deriva (Adrift)” is a documentary shot in the Dominican Republic where sexual education almost nonexistent, teen pregnancy rates are staggeringly high, and abortion is illegal in all circumstances. Adrift seeks to expose layers of social issues including disregard for women's rights, toxic masculinity, domestic violence, and a political system coerced by religion. But even as they face tremendous adversity, expecting mothers as young as 14 reveal a fierce determination and a collective hope for a better future.

INDUSTRY AWARD WINNERS & SPECIAL FESTIVAL FOCUS:

GEORGE D. GANNETT LGBTQ INSPIRATION AWARD

• Presented to the Rev. Nancy H. Soukup, RWU Multifaith Minister. The Award is presented annually in celebration of the LGBTQ community, recognizing excellence in writing, directing, acting, music, dance, design and creativity in the world of film arts. Named in honor of former Flickers' Board member, George Draper Gannett, who helped steer the organization towards its multi-tiered arts focus and community outreach.

RI FILM & TELEVISION OFFICE DREAMMAKER AWARD
? Cheri Oteri, Actress/Comedian (“Saturday Night Live”)

RIIFF SCREENPLAY COMPETITION AWARD

• Presented to Rammy Park from Brooklyn, NY for her screenplay “MONITOR CITY,” a Greek tragedy in a futuristic sci-fi setting.

THE 2019 FLICKERS’ PRODUCER’S CIRCLE AWARD

Presented annually to members of the community who have actively worked to support and promote the mission of the Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival. This year’s recipients include:

• Eugene Lee, Scenic Designer
• Nicholas A. Mattiello, Speaker of the House, Rhode Island
• Max Porter and Ru Kuwahata, Animators
• Joe Rossi, Makeup Design and Special Effects
• Daniel Schwartz, General Manager, The Vets
• Teamsters Local 251, Film and TV Production
• Rose Weaver, Actress

THE COMPLETE LIST OF 2019 FESTIVAL AWARDS FOLLOWS:

BEST SHORT FILM

GRAND Prize: (RIIFF’s Official Academy Nomination)

“A SISTER” (Une Soeur)| Directed by: Delphine Girard, Belgium, 2018

JUDGE’S COMMENTS: This film has really stayed with me long after its conclusion. The
performances were pitch perfect and the film was seamlessly shot and edited, so that
we lose ourselves in its world. A suspenseful, timely, and perfectly structured short.

FIRST PRIZE:

“MUM’S HAIRPINS” | Directed by: Tatiana Fedorovskaya, Germany, Russian Federation, Ukraine,
2019

Tied With:

“THE NEIGHBOR’S WINDOW” | Directed by: Marshall Curry, United States, 2018

BEST SHORT ANIMATION

GRAND Prize: (RIIFF’s Official Academy Nomination)

“ROUGHHOUSE” | Directed by: Jonathan Hodgson, France, United Kingdom, 2018

JUDGE’S COMMENTS: A wonderful hand-drawn animation with a fascinating story and
characters, that feels lifelike and tangible.

FIRST PRIZE:

“TIMMY AND THE DREAM KILLERS” | Directed by: Jeremy Berkowitz and Esteban Melean, United
States, 2019

Tied With:

“MY MOON” | Directed by: Eusong Lee, United States, 2018

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY

GRAND Prize: (RIIFF’s Official Academy Nomination)

“A LA DERIVA” (ADRIFT) | Directed by: Paula Cury Melo, Dominican Republic, 2019

JUDGE’S COMMENTS: A film that offers us an intimate and sincere perspective of the
Dominican Republic. One that is both apt and poignant.

FIRST PRIZE:

“ALL ON A MARDI GRAS DAY” | Directed by: Michal Pietrzyk, United States, 2019

Tied With:

“ST. LOUIS SUPERMAN” | Directed by: Smriti Mundhra and Sami Khan, United States, 2019

BEST FEATURE

GRAND Prize:

“A SON OF MAN” | Directed by: Jaimaicanoproblem and Pablo Aguero, Ecuador, France, 2018

JUDGE’S COMMENT: A revolutionary film that awakens our deepest desires of exploring the great unknown.

FIRST PRIZE:

“BUCK RUN” | Directed by: Nick Frangione, United States, 2019

Tied With:

“TEVYE’S DAUGHTERS” | Directed by: Vladimir Lert, Ukraine, 2019

BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY

GRAND Prize:

“HAVANA ON HIGH”| Directed by: Pedro Ruiz, Canada, Cuba, 2018

JUDGE’S COMMENT: Brilliantly photographed, this film chronicles a unique community of Havana roof dwellers who value the sublime among all other things.

FIRST PRIZE:

“CHASING THE PRESENT” | Directed by: Mark Waters, United States, India, Indonesia, Nepal,
Netherlands, Peru, United Kingdom, 2019

Tied With:

“BANA CONGO OYEZ” | Directed by: Natacha Ikoli, USA, Congo, 2019

FILMMAKER OF THE FUTURE AWARD

Presented to a filmmaker whose vision excites audiences and judges alike about the potential to produce compelling and successful films in the future.

“LOWLAND KIDS” | Directed by: Sandra Winther, United States, 2018

BEST ACTOR

LEWIS PULLMAN, “Lefty/Righty” Directed by: Max Walker-Silverman, United States, 2019

JUDGE’S COMMENT: Edgy, and subtle performance that is at once compelling and
revealing. Lewis Pullman is a talent that we will be seeing more of in the future.

FIRST Prize:
ADETOKUMBOH M’CORMACK, “The German King” Directed by: Adetokumboh M’Cormack,
United States, 2019

BEST ACTRESS

ANNA MAGUIRE, “Constellations” Directed by: Anna Maguire, United Kingdom, 2018

JUDGE’S COMMENT: An amazing talent who is also a multi-hyphenate. From writing,
directing and starring in her own films, she is an actress with range imbuing her
compelling performances with nuance and credibility

FIRST Prize
CHLOE BERK, “Summer Fridays” Directed by: Blair Baker, United States, 2019

BEST COMEDY SHORT

GRAND Prize:

“CLAM DOG” | Directed by: Jeannie Nguyen, United States, 2019

FIRST PRIZE:

“BEHAVE KIDS” | Directed by: Tripp Crosby, United States, 2018

Tied With:

“A SARI FOR PALLAVI”| Directed by: Kate Chamuris, United States, 2018

BEST EXPERIMENTAL

GRAND Prize:

“GRANDS CANONS” | Directed by: Alain Biet, France, 2018

FIRST PRIZE:

“THE SPECTACLE” | Directed by: Ivo Neefjes, Belgium, 2018

Tied With:

“PER TUTTA LA VITA” | Directed by: Roberto Catani, France, Italy, 2018

BEST DIRECTOR

GRAND Prize:

MARILYN COOK |”Strong Woman Wanted” | Canada, 2019

FIRST PRIZE:

MATTHIEU MAUNIER-ROSSI | “Three Blades” | France. Haiti, 2019

Tied With:

VLAD KOZLOV | “The Killers” | United States, 2018

THE MARLYN MASON AWARD
New voices, new perspectives by women in film

GRAND Prize:
NAOMI MARK | “How to Bee,” | Canada, 2018

FIRST Prize:
MELANIE CHARBONNEAU | “Lunar Orbit Rendezvous” | Canada, 2018

DIRECTORIAL DISCOVERY AWARD

GRAND Prize Feature:

JAMES PUCKETT, Director, “Delta Crossing” | United States, 2018

GRAND Prize Short:

ANDREW FUCHS, Director, “Hey Stranger” | United States, 2019

Tied With:

NATASYA POPOV, Director, “Pickle Man” | United States, 2018

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

GRAND Prize:

KANAME ONOYAMA, “Homesick” | Directed by: Koya Kamura, Japan, 2019

FIRST PRIZE:

JAKOB STARK, “RIAFN” | Directed by: Hannes Lang, Germany, Italy, 2019

RIIFF NEW ENGLAND DIRECTOR'S AWARD
GRAND Prize:
“GUTTERBUG” | Directed by: Andrew Gibson, United States, 2018

FIRST Prize
“THE SOUND OF A WILD SNAIL EATING” | Directed by: Elisabeth Tova Bailey, United States, 2019

SOLDIERS AND SACRIFICE AWARD:
Celebrating Stories That Commemorate America’s Heroes
GRAND PRIZE:
“SIXTH OF JUNE” | Directed by: Henry Roosevelt, France, United States, 2019

RIIFF DIRECTOR'S CHOICE AWARD
“LONDON ARABIA” | Directed by: Daniel Jewel | United Kingdom, 2019

Tied With
“GOING ATTRACTIONS: THE DEFINITIVE STORY OF THE MOVIE PALACE” | Directed by April Wright | United States, 2019

HEARTS, MINDS, SOULS AWARD
Celebrating Films that Reflect the Jewish Experience.
GRAND Prize:
“CHILDREN OF THE INQUISITION” | Directed by: Joe Lovett, Brazil, Spain, United States, 2019

FIRST Prize:
“DAVE GRUSIN: NOT ENOUGH TIME” | Directed by: Barbara Bentree | United States, 2019

Tied with:
“SHEHITA” | Directed by: Dean Gold, Canada, 2018

BEST EDITING
GRAND Prize:
NOLAN JENNINGS, Editor, “MOTEL” | Directed by: Eric Ogden, United States, 2019

FIRST Prize:
WITOLD CHOMINSKI, Editor, “A HOLE IN THE HEAD” | Directed by: Piotr Subbotko, Poland, 2018

Tied With:
NAAMAN BISHARA, Editor, “OSLO” | Directed by: Shady Srour, Israel, 2019

BEST SCREENPLAY
GRAND Prize:
“TWIST” | Written by: Aly Migliori, Directed by: Aly Migliori, United States, 2019

FIRST Prize:
“SOMETIMES I THINK ABOUT DYING” | Written By: Stefanie Abel Horowitz, Katy Wright-Mead, and
Kevin Armento, Directed by: Stefanie Abel Horowitz, United States, 2018

Tied With:
“DOWN” | Written By: Garry Crystal, Directed by: Garry Crystal, United Kingdom, 2018

FLICKERS’ AMBASSADOR AWARD
Presented to an individual who inspires and empowers communication and cultural
understanding.
NICOLAS GREINACHER, Director, “Ayaneh,” Switzerland, 2019

FLICKERS’ INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Given annually to films or filmmakers who inspire social change and community outreach and
strive to better the world in which we live.
GRAND Prize:
“THE DEPORTED” | Directed by: Pat McGee, Guatemala, USA, 2019

FIRST Prize:
“AND THE BRAVE SHALL RISE” | Directed by: Adam Schactler, United States, 2019

FLICKERS INTERNATIONAL VISION AWARD:
Breaking down international cultural barriers through film
GRAND PRIZE:
“JUST ME AND YOU” | Directed by: Sandrine Brodeur-Desrosiers, Canada, Mexico, 2019

FIRST Prize
“INFERNO” | Directed by: Patrick Fileti, Mexico, 2018

Tied With:
“THE WAY HOME” | Directed by: Yiran Zhou, United States, 2019

PRIX DU CINEMA SUISSE

GRAND Prize:
“CRONOFOBIA” | Directed by: Francesco Rizzi, Switzerland, 2018

FIRST Prize:
“WASTELAND” | Directed by: Antoine Flahaut, Switzerland, 2018

Tied With
“SELFIES” | Directed by: Claudius Gentinetta, Switzerland, 2018

PROVIDENCE FILM FESTIVAL AWARD
Presented annually to a New England director whose work brings cinematic excellence to an
international audience.
GRAND Prize:
“THE CRAFT: RHODE ISLAND” | Directed by: Dave Ricci, United States, 2019

FIRST Prize:
“PROVIDENCE LOST” | Directed by: Oscar d'Angeac, United States, 2019

Tied With:
“DIVINE PROVIDENCE: THE REBIRTH OF AN AMERICAN CITY” | Directed by: Salvatore Mancini,
United States, 2019

ALTERNATIVE SPIRIT AWARD (LGBTQ) SHORT
GRAND Prize:
“BLACK HAT” | Directed by: Sarah Smith XXXI, United States, 2018

FIRST Prize:
“JAY” | Directed by: Szu-Wei Chen, Taiwan, United States, 2019

Tied with:
“THE ORPHAN” | Directed by: Carolina Markowicz, Brazil, 2018

ALTERNATIVE SPIRIT AWARD (DOCUMENTARY)
GRAND Prize:
“UNTIL PORN DO US PART” | Directed by: Jorge Pelicano, Germany, Portugal, 2018

FIRST Prize:
“QUEEN OF LAPA” | Directed by: Carolina Monnerat and Theodore Collatos, Brazil, 2019

KIDSEYE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS
Presented to a film that resonates with the filmmaker within both children and adults alike.

BEST CHILDREN’S ANIMATION
GRAND Prize:
“BOLERO STATION” | Directed by: Rolf Broennimann, Switzerland, 2018

FIRST Prize:
“GUAXAMA” | Directed by: Nara Normande, Brazil, France, 2018

Tied with:
“LULU DOTAWAY” | Directed by: Snobar Avani, Denmark, 2019

 

LIVE ACTION Short
GRAND Prize:
“MARIA CAMILA’S GIFT” | Directed by: Andrés Molano Moncada, Colombia, 2019

FIRST Prize:
“MAHALIA MELTS IN THE RAIN” | Directed by: Emilie Mannerin and Carmine Pierre-Dufour, Canada, 2018

Tied With:
“COWBOY” | Directed by: Frederic Zeimet, Luxembourg, 2018

 

LIVE ACTION Feature
GRAND Prize:
“PARADISE HOTEL” | Directed by: Daniel Rehder Normand, Peru, 2019

GREEN PLANET AWARD
Celebrating the vision of man's shared humanity and achieving sustainability on our planet.
GRAND Prize:
“KARUN” | Directed by: Mohammad Ehsani, Iran, 2018

FIRST Prize
“SUSTAINABLE NATION” | Directed By: Micah Smith, India, Israel, United States, Uganda, 2019

VORTEX SCI-FI & FANTASY AWARD
GRAND Prize:
“CAMINHOS MAGNETYKOS” (Magnetick Pathways) | Directed by: Edgar Pera, Portugal, 2018

FIRST Prize
“AUGGIE” | Directed by: Matt Kane, United States, 2018

VORTEX SCI-FI & FANTASY AWARD – SHORT FILM
GRAND Prize:
“STORM” | Directed By: Will Kindrick, United Premiere, 2019

FIRST Prize:
“EVIE” | Directed By: Miranda Howard-Williams, United Kingdom, 2018

Tied With:
“INCANDESCENT” | Directed By: Alfred Thomas Catalfo, United States, 2019

BREAKING BOUNDARIES
Films that celebrate the endurance of the human spirit and resilience in the face of injustice.
GRAND Prize:
“FAMILY” | Directed by: Catherine Cosme, Belgium, France, 2018

FIRST Prize:
“ONCE IN A HUNDRED YEARS: THE LIFE & LEGACY OF MARIAN ANDERSON” |Directed by: Bill Nicoletti, United States, 2019

Tied With:
“THE LITTLE GODDESS” | Directed by: Gauri Adelkar, India, 2018

BEST STUDENT FILM AWARD
COLLEGE
GRAND Prize:
“THE MOTIONS” Directed by: Frank Donnangelo, United States, 2018

FIRST Prize:
“STREET FLAME” | Directed by: Katherine Propper, United States, 2019

HIGH SCHOOL
GRAND Prize:
“AT THE BARN” | Directed by: Maia Young-Ondrasek, United States, 2019

FIRST Prize:
“MIRRORCIDE” | Directed by: Mara Cracaleanu, Romania, 2017

Tied With:

“A BROKEN STAR” | Directed by: Ejun Hong, Republic of Korea, 2019

BEST MUSICAL
GRAND:
“IN THIS LIFE” | Directed by: Bat-Sheva Guez | United States, 2019

FIRST Prize
“MARRIAGE MATERIAL, THE MUSICAL!” | Directed by: Oran Zegman, United States, 2018

BEST MUSIC VIDEO
GRAND PRIZE
“SNOW ABOVE THE EARTH” (Requiem For The Tunes Unplayed) | Directed by: Ilya Belov, Russian Federation, 2019

FIRST Prize
“PUSH THE POINT” | Directed by: Bryan Burton, United States, 2019

BEST TELEVISION PILOT
GRAND:
“RAMDAM” Directed by: Zangro, France, 2017

FIRST Prize
“MULLIGAN” Directed by: Steve Parys, United States, 2018

Tied With:
“THE NEW HOMESMITHS: THE WILD DRIVE LIFE” | Directed by: Rebecca Blumhagen, United States, 2019

________________________

FLICKERS' YOUTH FILM JURY AWARDS

Awards were presented by Estarlyn Hiraldo, RIIFF Youth Film Jury Program Manager, and the 2019
Youth Film Jury members.

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT

GRAND PRIZE:
“UNFORGETTABLE MEMORY OF A FRIEND” | Directed by: Wissam CHARAF, France, 2018

FIRST Prize:
“SOMETIMES I THINK ABOUT DYING” | Directed by: Stefanie Abel Horowitz, United States, 2018

Tied With:
“IN YOUR PLACE” | Directed by: Giuseppe Carleo, Italy, 2018

BEST ANIMATION

GRAND PRIZE:
“SISTER” | Directed by: Siqi Song, United States, 2018

FIRST Prize:
“COMO Y PORQUE SE HA ESFUMADO DON JOSE - HOW AND WHY DON JOSE DISSIPATED”
| Directed by: Moshe Ben-Avraham, Israel, Spain, 2018

Tied With:
“MY MOON” | Directed by: Eusong Lee, United States, 2018

BEST FEATURE FILM

GRAND PRIZE:
“PARADISE HOTEL” | Directed by: Daniel Rehder Normand, Peru, 2019

FIRST Prize:
“ICE CREAM IN THE CUPBOARD” | Directed by: Drew Pollins, United States, 2018

BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY

GRAND PRIZE:
“HOW TO BEE” | Directed by Naomi Mark, Canada, 2018

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT:

GRAND PRIZE:
“A LA DERIVA” (ADRIFT) | Directed by: Paula Cury Melo, Dominican Republic, 2019

FIRST Prize:
“VALERIE” | Directed by: Stacey Souther, United States, 2019

BEST LGBTQ FILM

GRAND PRIZE:
“JAY” | Directed by: Szu-Wei Chen, Taiwan, United States, 2019

FIRST Prize:
“NEXT LEVEL SHIT” | Directed by: Gary Jaffe, United States, 2019

Tied With:
“AYANEH” | Directed by: Nicolas Greinacher, Switzerland, 2019

________________________

Viola M. Marshall Audience Choice Awards

MOST POPULAR

"Divine Providence: The Rebirth of an American City" | Directed by: Salvatore Mancini | United States, 2019

BEST FEATURE FILM

"Ice Cream in the Cupboard" | Directed by: Drew Pollins | United States, 2018

BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY

"My Beautiful Stutter" | Directed by: Ryan Gielen | United States, 2018

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM

"The Guy: The Brian Donahue Story" | Directed by: E.J. McCleavy Fisher | United States, 2019

BEST ANIMATION SHORT FILM

"Mind My Mind" | Directed by: Floor Adams | The Netherlands, 2019

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

"Stand Up" | Directed by: Pierre Le Gall and Sarah Malléon | France, Martinique, 2018

BEST LGBTQ

"Next Level Shit" | Directed by: Gary Jaffe | United States, 2018

________________________

FALL 2019 ROVING EYE AWARD WINNERS

(April /November 2019)

BEST OF FESTIVAL

"Children of the Inquisition" | Directed by: Joseph Lovett | United States | 2019

BEST DOCUMENTARY:

Grand Prize:

"Dave Grusin Not Enough Time" | Directed by: Barbara Bentree | United States | 2019

BEST ANIMATION:

Grand Prize:

"Moon Drops" | Directed by: Yoram Ever-Hadani | Israel | 2018

BEST NARRATIVE SHORT FILM:

Grand Prize:

"Lily" | Directed by: Adrienne Gruben | United States | 2019

• Click here for a listing of the 2019 Screenplay winners

• Click here for a listing of the 2019 Roving Eye Film Festival Awards

SPONSORS FOR THE 2019 FESTIVAL INCLUDED: The Rhode Island Film & Television Office, WLNE ABC6, IMCS (Integrated Micro-Chromatography Systems, Inc), Eurochannel, Edge Media, WSBE RI PBS, The Rhode Island Foundation, RISD Museum, Unifrance, Dominion Diagnostics, The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA), Sony, IMDb.com, Withoutabox.com, Rule Boston Camera, The Providence Chamber of Commerce, COX Media, Consulat de France á Boston, Swissnex Boston, The Vets, the Providence Tourism Council, Roger Williams University, Johnson and Wales University, Providence College, Just Ellen's Catering and Event Planning, Nico Bella’s Family Restaurant, Trinity Brewhouse, The Stable, Knead Doughnuts, Scialo Bros, Seven Stars Bakery, Central Avenue Bakery, Sugar Mama's Sweets and Treats, Augusta St. Kitchen, and Sweet Althea's, Geoff's Superlative Sandwiches, The Greatfull Bread Sandwich Shop, Narragansett Creamery, Vineyard Road Wines, Granny Squibb's Iced Tea, Empire Soda, Blount Fine Foods, Hartford Flavor Co., Mendon Wines & More, Willie's Superbrew, Not Just Snacks, Not Your Average Joe’s, Ocean State Sandwich Company, Newport Vineyards and Winery, The Rhode Island Brewer's Guild, Narragansett Beer, Beer on Earth, Revival Brew Co., Whaler's Brewery, New Harvest Coffee, Seaside Pharmacy, Hotel Providence, the Dean Hotel, the Graduate Providence, newenglandfilm,com, the City of Providence and the Department of Arts, Culture + Tourism, the Providence Warwick Convention and Visitor's Bureau and special support by the Rooftop of the Providence G.

THE FLICKERS’ BACKSTORY & MISSION:

The mission of the 37 year-old Flickers Arts Collaborative is to serve as a creative partner in the arts by uniting various media and arts disciplines that nurture the artistic process and support a vital part of our community. This includes multi-disciplinary art presentations; artistic and cultural activities; performance festivals; video and television productions and exhibition; audio recordings and broadcasts; educational outreach programs; and the Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF).

THE FLICKERS’ RHODE ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL has secured its place in the global community as the portal for the best in international independent cinema, earning the respect of domestic and foreign filmmakers, filmgoers and trend watchers. Ranked as one of the top 10 Festivals in the United States, RIIFF is a qualifying festival for the Narrative, Documentary and Animation Short Film Academy Awards through its affiliation with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and the Canadian Screen Awards. There are only 10 film festivals worldwide that share this distinction and RIIFF is the only festival in New England. The Festival takes place every August.

MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL:

RIIFF offers a variety of prestigious awards to some of the most talented artists in (and soon to be in) the business. The festival’s Gilbert Stuart Artistic Vision Lifetime Achievement Award has been bestowed upon Academy Award-winning actors Ernest Borgnine and Patricia Neal, Oscar nominated actors Seymour Cassel and Cicely Tyson, acclaimed actors of stage and screen, Paul
Sorvino and Theo Bikel, director Blake Edwards, special effects icon, Douglas Trumbull, and production designer, Joseph M. Alves. The Festival’s Creative Vision and Crystal Image Awards recognizing outstanding directors, actors, writers, film talent, have been awarded to such talents as Karen Allen, Zach Braff, Blythe Danner, Ioan Gruffudd, Rosa von Praunheim, Michael Showalter, composer Klaus Badelt, and children’s book author Sandra Boynton. More than simply a film festival, RIIFF champions artistic vision in any form and is dedicated to sharing that vision with a diverse and enthusiastic audience that hungers for great storytelling

The Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival returns August 4-9, 2020. For more information, please call 401.861.4445.

© 2019 Flickers