Flickers' Gala Opening Night Celebration & Soirée

Tuesday, August 4h, 2015 at 7:00 p.m.

All Opening Night events take place at

The Providence Peforming Arts Center (PPAC)

220 Weybosset Street, Providence, RI

Join us for our 19th annual Opening Night screening and celebration. Revel in the talent, artistry, and creative energy that make up the Flickers: Rhode Island International Film Festival.

Thought-provoking, unforgettable and brilliant films from around the world await audiences at the August 4th Opening Night Celebration of FLICKERS -- and indeed throughout the week. The evening’s exhilarating line-up will showcase some of the finest examples of independent and international short films and World Premieres.

We could not be more pleased to be back the the magnificent Provdence Performing Arts Center for the Festival’s Opening Night festivities with our good friends Lynn Singleton and Alan Chile, the President and General Manager, respectively, of this city-treasure. The restored Loews movie palace from the 1920s is an elegant 3,300-seat architectural gem, located in the heart of the capital city, 220 Weybosset Street, Providence.

More than 260 feature length, documentary and short films—from 61 countries, and 31 states across the U.S.—will be screened during the six-day Festival at locations throughout the state of Rhode Island. Films have been selected from a record entry base of more than 5,700 submissions, and this year’s Festival will include 73 World and North American premieres. Aside from film screenings, the Flickers team has organized a number of events to encourage filmmakers and festival attendees to widen their knowledge of filmmaking as well as explore the incredible city of Providence that RIIFF is proud to call home.

Ranked as one of the top 10 Festivals in the United States, RIIFF, as noted, is also a qualifying festival for the Short Film Academy Award and the Short Documentary Academy Award through its affiliation with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. There are 19 film festivals worldwide which share this distinction and RIIFF is the only festival in New England. RIIFF is truly a place where the stars align!

The magic of year's Festival begins at 7:00 p.m. with an evening co-hosted by RIIFF Advisory Board President, Board President, Michael Drywa, Esq. and Steven Feinberg, Executive Director of the RI Film & Television Office.

The Opening Night Program will salute “Flickers' Road to the Oscars®",” a signature theme for the Festival. Some of the best short films that the 2015 festival has to offer will be showcased, plus a treat with a special screening of an Academy-nominated film that hailed from the Festival. All films will be screened in 4K High Definition Digital courtesy of the sponsorship of Sony Corporation, PMA Industries and a grant from the Champin Foundations. Timothy Haggerty is the Festival's Technical Director.

The post screening Soirée is a celebration of cinematic excellence. We welcome all film patrons and visiting filmmakers to share in the festivities.

This year's Opening Night Sponsors include the RI Film & Television Office, Lexus Short Films, Panavision, WLNE TV6, CW28, Cox Media, PMA Industries, Amtrak, Cabot Cheese, Just Ellen's Catering & Event Planning, Bacardi, Grey Goose, Linchpin, The Providence Tourism Council, The City of Providence, The Dean Hotel, Hotel Providence, Narragansett Beer, Empire Soda, the Québec Delegation in New England, Utz, Swissnet, and the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts.

Music will be provided by critically acclaimed local artist, Billy Quirk

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Thanks to our Festival Sponsors: