RI Film Festival kicks off this week

If you are a lover of film and a true movie buff, the 16th-annual Rhode Island International Film Festival will be of interest to you.

Kicking off Tuesday, August 7 at The VETS, the Festival’s opening celebrations will be co-hosted by RIIFF Advisory Board President, Michael Drywa and the Executive Director of the R.I. Film & Television Office, Steven Feinberg.

Opening night will showcase seven of the Festival’s submitted short films that are considered to be this year’s best. Co-hosts Drywa and Feinberg will even be joined by Providence Mayor Angel Taveras to help present these remarkable film submissions.

- ASAD directed by Bryan Buckley | South Africa
- Trotteur directed by Arnaud Brisebois & Francic Leclerc | Canada
- Pesaran-e-Buzkashi (Buzkashi Boys) directed by Sam French | Afghanistan
- Friend Request Pending directed by Chris Foggin (starring Judi Dench) | United Kingdom
- BRÛLEURS (Burners) directed by Farid Bentoumi | France
- Mannen fra isødet (The Devil's Ballroom) directed by Henrik Martin K. Dahlsbakken | Greenland, Norway
- J'aurais pu être une pute (I could've been a hooker) directed by Baya Kasmi | France

As New England’s only Academy-Award-qualifying film festival with over 4700 film entries this year, RIIFF presents films with not only great cinematic talent, but films that tie back to New England.

“A lot of films that we have are actually made by local Rhode Islanders or people from New England,” said George Marshall, founder of RIIFF.

Tickets can be purchased at the door but with a pre-purchased online ticket, one can go to the reception after the screenings. The reception will take place right on the VETS stage with great food and beverages for guests to enjoy.

RIIFF is running thru August 12 and will take place not only at locations in Providence, but in Jamestown, Westerly, and Barrington as well.

For more information on this year’s Festival and past Festivals, visit www.film-festival.org .