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The Rhode Island International Film Festival Once Again Hosts

Popular Gay & Lesbian Sidebar August 5-10th

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (July 26, 2008)— One of the most popular cinematic sidebars of the annual Rhode Island International Film Festival returns for its 1t2h year: the Providence GLBT Film Festival, August 5-10th. Films made by, for and about the GLBT community have played an integral role in RIIFF, one of New England’s premiere film festivals. This year the GLBT festival is screening 27 films from across the globe on an array of topics that touch everything from relationships, bisexuality, cancer survival, Crystal Meth addiction, a documentary on Rhode Island drag queens, to a mockumentary by actor, Dan Butler. A key theme that will surface throughout the Festival is the role of the individual in society and where does one’s conscience begin and social responsibility end. This theme is pointedly addressed by four of this year’s most significant GLBT films that will be screened.

“Over the years, we have worked hard at seamlessly integrating these exceptional films with non-GLBT films in order to introduce general audiences to work they might not otherwise see,” said Sinan Akyuz, RIIFF’s GLBT programming coordinator. “The 27 films selected to represent this popular sidebar have been spread throughout the festival and not locked into one time zone.

“We are very pleased to be working with the Bell Street Chapel in Providence where a major portion of this work will be screened,” added Chase Huneke, RIIFF’s Program Manager. “As part of our partnership and community outreach, RIIFF will donate 50% of the gate to the Bell Street Chapel to help underwrite their year-round GLBT efforts.”

The Rhode Island International Film Festival will take place August 5th through 10th, 2008. Ranked as a one of the Top 12 Film Festivals in the United States, this world-class festival will be held at venues around the capital of Providence. RIIFF features screenings, filmmaking workshops, meet-and-greet industry events and two industry symposia. Aiming to promote Rhode Island as a filmmaking location and to celebrate the independent filmmaking spirit, RIIFF also hosts a number of high-profile premières and provides a showcase for international features, documentaries, and shorts. This year, the Festival will have 50 World and 41 US/North American Premieres.

This films in this year’s Providence Gay & Lesbian Film Festival sidebar cover a wide range topics and include such stars as Dan Butler, Richard Gere, Jane Lynch, Karen Black, Alec Baldwin, Greg Louganis, Jasmine Guy, Bruce Vilanch, Alec Mapa, Nichelle Nichols, Jane Lynch, Elaine Hendrix, Marcia Wallace, Vernon Wells; the opening and closing night films that were showcased at Newfest: “Tru Loved,” and the critically acclaimed “Were the World Mine;” Casper Andreas’ latest feature that has been wowing the festival circuit; a documentary on the Bailey-Boushay House which broke ground during the height of fear and discrimination around the AIDS epidemic in the late 80's; and Michael Selditch’s amazing “Eleven Minutes” that witnesses the dramatic and comic escapades of “Project Runway's” Jay McCarroll.

A complete list of films screening at this year’s GLBT Festival follows with show times and venues. Along with these 27 films made for, by, and about the GLBT community, the Rhode Island International Film Festival will be screening 289 plus films the week of the festival on an array of brilliant topics that will be sure to captivate its audiences. As the largest film festival in New England, RIIFF prides itself in screening the best of independent film there is, at venues throughout the state of Rhode Island.

A wide range of films will be screened during the week of the 12th Annual Rhode Island International Film Festival.  Besides the Courthouse Center for the Arts in West Kingston, venues will be scattered throughout the state’s prestigious capital city. They include: The Cable Car Cinema, the Providence Public Library, Gallery Z, the Bell Street Chapel, Columbus Theatre Arts Center, Brown/RISD Hillel, URI Feinstein Providence, Providence Black Repertory Theatre, and the RISD Museum. 

The Rhode Island International Film Festival is supported in part by the City of Providence, the Providence Tourism Council, the Providence Department of Arts, Culture & Tourism, WJAR TV10, The Providence Phoenix, Clear Channel Communications, Sony, the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, Amtrak, Rule Broadcast/Boston Camera, the Biltmore Hotel, Amtrak, H.B. Communications, the URI's College of Arts and Sciences, URI's Feinstein College of Continuing Education, the URI Film Media Program, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Art New England Magazin, Columbia Fun Maps, The Guide and contributions from members and community supporters.

The Flickers Arts Collaborative, an organization with 25 years of experience presenting major artistic events as well as independent and foreign films to the public, produces the Rhode Island International Film Festival.

Advance ticket sales for screenings and special events are available through the RIIFF website (www.RIFilmFest.org). Student, group, and senior discounts are also available with advance booking. To purchase tickets or obtain more information about any aspect of RIIFF, call 401-861-4445; or write RIIFF, 268 Broadway, Providence, RI 02903; email info@film-festival.org. or log onto www. RIFilmFest.org.

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