Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) announced the award winners for its 39th Anniversary edition which ran from Tuesday, August 9th through Sunday, August 15th.
The Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) is recognized by the Academy as a Qualifying Festival in all short film categories and the winners of RIIFF’s Live Action, Animation and Documentary Short Grand Prizes become the Festival’s nominees for Academy Award consideration. You’re dead Helen directed by Michiel Blanchart won the Grand Prize for Live Action Short, Mum is pouring rain directed by Hugo De Faucompret won for Animated Short and The Invisible Monster won for Documentary Short and now qualify for Academy Award consideration.
Steven Feinberg, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Film & TV Office, said “Congratulations to the esteemed Rhode Island International Film Festival for their 39th successful run of the festival during these extremely challenging times in our world. They were able to be creative with virtual screenings and conversations as well as outdoor screening experiences. A heart-felt and warm congrats to executive director George T. Marshall, programmer Shawn Quirk, fellow producer Larry Andrade, tech champion Tim Haggerty, Board chair Michael Drywa, Esq, and the entire board, support team, interns, volunteers, students.”
Director Feinberg continued, “You should all be extremely proud of your celebration of global films and a new wave of moviemakers from around the world. Thank you also for showcasing our beautiful “Ocean State” of Rhode Island. RIIFF is a treasure we should all cherish. Thank you again.”
2021 INDUSTRY AWARD WINNERS & SPECIAL AWARDS
WINIFRED E. BROWNELL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
As part of its ongoing “Celebration of Women in Film and Arts”, the Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) is proud to announce the winner of the annual Winifred E. Brownell Scholarship Fund. Named after retired Dean of the URI College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Winifred E. Brownell, the scholarship pays recognition to her career championing the arts and humanities at the University. The annual award is for $1,000 and is presented without restrictions to students at the University of Rhode Island, allowing the winner to use the money as they see fit. Two winners were chosen for 2021, each to receive the full amount
This year’s winners are Abigail Amatucci and Daisy Gates.
THE RIIFF SCREENPLAY COMPETITION AWARDS
Presented to Edward Balli from Canada for his screenplay ““Leadeth,” that tells the story of an American who travels to a remote cabin in the Canadian wilderness to reunite with his estranged friend. But as secrets from their past unravel, he finds himself trapped with a burgeoning madman.
This year’s winners included Tanni Chaudhrui, who received this year’s Grand Prize in the RI Spotlight on New England category for her script “Anna and Ahana,” Adva Reich from Israel, whose screenplay “Project Fog” was awarded the Grand Prize for Best International Screenplay, and seventeen year-old Bella Ramsey from the United Kingdom, whose screenplay “Mila” received the grand prize in a new category, “Screenwriting Discovery.”Screenplay Competition winners received specialty prizes provided by our festival sponsors: Final Draft and Inktip.
COMPLETE LIST OF 2021 FESTIVAL AWARDS
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT
GRAND Prize: (RIIFF’s Official Academy Nomination)
“You’re dead Helen” (T’es morte Hélène) | Directed by: Michiel Blanchart | Belgium,
FIRST Prize:
“Above the City” | Directed by: Malika Mukhamejan | Kazakhstan, 2021
Tied with:
“Tala’Vision” | Directed by: Murad Abu Eisheh | Germany, 20
BEST SHORT ANIMATION
GRAND Prize: (RIIFF’s Official Academy Nomination)
“Mum is pouring rain” (Maman Pleut des Cordes) | Directed by: Hugo De Faucompret | France, 2021
FIRST Prize:
“People Person” | Directed by: Rymalena | United States, 2021
Tied with:
“Have a Nice Dog!” |Directed by: Jala Maghout | Germany, 2021
BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY
GRAND Prize (RIIFF’s Official Academy Nomination)
“The Invisible Monster” (EL MONSTRUO INVISIBLE) | Directed by: Guillermo Fesser Perez de Petinto, and Javier Fesser Perez de Petinto | Spain, 2020
FIRST Prize:
“Cycles” | Directed by: Jonathan Barenboim | United States, 2020
Tied with:
“The Daydreamers” | Directed by: Thomas Renckens | United Kingdom, 2020
BEST FEATURE
GRAND Prize: “Waikiki” | Directed by: Christopher Kahunahana | United States, 2020
FIRST Prize:
“Surdina” | Directed by: Rodrigo Areias | Portugal, 2019
Tied with:
“Parsifal” | Directed by: Marco Filiberti | Italy, 2021
BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
GRAND Prize:
“The Sailor” | Directed by: Lucia Kašová | Slovakia, 2021
FIRST Prize:
“Oleg: The Oleg Vidov Story” | Directed by: Nadia Tass | United States/Australia, 2021
Tied with:
“Blue Code of Silence” | Directed by: Magnus Skatvold and Greg Mallozzi | Norway, 2020
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.
Tiger Ji, Director of “Wuhan Driver” | United States, 2021
BEST ACTOR
Himesh Patel | “Enjoy” | Directed by: Saul Abraham | United Kingdom, 2021
FIRST Prize:
Vidal Arzoni | “Stories keep me awake at night” | Directed by Jérémy van der Haegen |Belgium, 2020
BEST ACTRESS
Joanna Scanlan | “Ropey” | Directed by: Giles Ripley | United Kingdom, 2021
FIRST Prize
Pauline Chalamet | “i’m fine!” | Directed by: Emma Doxiadi | United States, 2020
BEST COMEDY SHORT
GRAND Prize:
“Don vs. Lightning” | Directed by: Big Red Button | United Kingdom, 2021
FIRST Prize:
“Goldilocks” | Directed by: Philipp Straetker | Germany, 2020
Tied with:
“Mazel Tov” | Directed by: Eli Zuzovsky | United States/Israel, 2021
BEST EXPERIMENTAL
GRAND Prize:
“ÆON” | Directed by: Emmanuel Fraisse | France, 2021
FIRST Prize:
“Fibonacci” | Directed by: Tomáš Hubácek | Czech Republic, 2020
Tied with:
“Moundform” | Directed by: Catherine Slilaty | Canada, 2020
BEST DIRECTOR
GRAND Prize:
Joanne Rakotoarisoa, “We are not dead yet” (Nous ne sommes pas encore morts) | France, 2020
FIRST Prize:
Emmanuel Tenenbaum | “Free Fall” | France, 2021
Tied with:
Anya Chirkova | “Flower Boy” | Canada, 2020
THE MARLYN MASON AWARD
New voices, new perspectives by women in film
GRAND Prize:
“Wild Seed” (野蛮丛生) | Directed by: Sunyin Zhang | United States/China, 2020
FIRST Prize:
“In Sync” | Directed by: Chaconne Martin-Berkowicz | United States, 2021
Tied with:
“The Plumber” | Directed by: Cate Carson | United States, 2020
DIRECTORIAL DISCOVERY AWARD
GRAND Prize:
Ásgeir Sigurasson and Anton Karl Kristensen | Directors of “Come To Harm” | Iceland | 2021
FIRST Prize:
Calogero Carucci | Director of “Moving in 2008” | United States | 2021
Tied with:
Thomas Renckens | Director of “The Daydreamers” | United Kingdom | 2020
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
GRAND Prize:
James Oldham | “Hollow” | Directed by: Paul Holbrook | United KIngdom. 2021
FIRST Prize:
Luke Jacobs | “The Passion” | Directed by: Mia Mullarkey | Ireland, 2021
RIIFF NEW ENGLAND DIRECTOR’S AWARD
GRAND Prize:
“Berrigans” Devout and Dangerous | Directed by: Susan Hagedorn | United States, 2020
FIRST Prize:
“Life is a breeze” | Directed by: Emma Limon | France, 2020
Tied with
“Fish” | Directed by: Eli Powers | United States, 2020
SOLDIERS AND SACRIFICE AWARD:
Celebrating Stories That Commemorate America’s Heroes
GRAND PRIZE:
“Eric and the Bees” | Directed by: Erin Brethauer and Tim Hussin | United States, 2020
RIIFF DIRECTOR’S CHOICE AWARD
Armita Keyani| Director of “Customs” | Norway | 2021
Tied with
Trey Nelson | Director of “The 5th Man” | United States | 2021
HEARTS, MINDS, SOULS AWARD
Celebrating Films that Reflect the Jewish Experience.
GRAND Prize:
“The Living Witnesses” (LES TEMOINS VIVANTS) | Directed by: Karolina MARKIEWICZ and Pascal PIRON | Luxembourg, 2021
FIRST Prize:
“Pops” | Directed by: Lewis Rose | United Kingdom, 2021
Tied with:
“The War of Raya Sinitsina” | Directed by: Efim Graboy | Israel, 2020
BEST EDITING
GRAND Prize:
Brad Turner |“A Broken House” | Directed by: Jimmy Goldblum | United States, 2020
FIRST Prize:
Faustine Cros | “Random Patrol” | Directed by: Yohan Guignard | France, 2021
Tied with:
Coralie Van Rietschoten | “The Silent Shore” (Le silencieux rivage) | Directed by: Nathalie Giraud and Timothée Corteggiani | France, 2021
BEST SCREENPLAY
GRAND Prize:
Brian Steele | “In the Event of my Death”| Directed by: Brian Steele | United States, 2020
FIRST Prize:
Zoé Arene |“A Fairy Tale” (En Fin de Conte) | Directed by: Zoé Arene | France/Belgium, 2021
Tied with:
Noé Debré | “We’re Not Animals” | Directed by: Noé Debré | France, 2021
FLICKERS’ AMBASSADOR AWARD
Presented to an individual who inspires and empowers communication and cultural understanding.
Lewis Rose | Director of “POPS” | United Kingdom, 2021.
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:
“WET” (Khis) | Directed by: Saeed Jafarian | Iran, 2021.
FIRST Prize:
“The Heartland”| Directed by: Marquise Mays | United States, 2020.
Tied with:
“The Bengali” | Directed by: Kavery Kaul | United State/India, 2021
FLICKERS INTERNATIONAL VISION AWARD
Breaking down international cultural barriers through film
GRAND PRIZE:
“Rolê – Stories of Brazilian Protests in Malls” | Directed by: Vladimir Seixas | Brazil, 2021
FIRST Prize:
“TOPOWA! – Never Give UP” | Directed by: Philip Sansom and Inigo Gilmore | United Kingdom, 2020
Tied with:
“Carving the Divine – Buddhist Sculptors of Japan” | Directed by: Yujiro Seki | Japan, 2020
PROVIDENCE FILM FESTIVAL AWARD
Presented annually to a New England director whose work brings cinematic excellence to an international audience.
GRAND Prize:
“Nerve” | Directed by: Clayton Vila | United States, 2021
FIRST Prize:
“Extreme” | Directed by: Anne Mulhall and Britt Thomas McTammany | United States, 2020
Tied with:
“Apartment 3-½” | Directed by: Manon Crespin | United States/Singapore. 2021
ALTERNATIVE SPIRIT AWARD (LGBTQ) SHORT
GRAND Prize:
“Hidden” (迷藏) | Directed by: Hsuan-Chi Kuo | Taiwan, 2021
FIRST Prize:
“Meeting His Parents” | Directed by: Lee-Loi Chieng | Ireland, 2021
Tied with:
“And Then” |Directed by Jenn Ravenna Tran | United States, 2020
ALTERNATIVE SPIRIT AWARD (DOCUMENTARY)
GRAND Prize:
“Someone Like Me” | Directed by: Sean Horlor and Steve J. Adams | Canada, 2021
FIRST Prize:
“Coded” | Directed by: Ryan White | United States, 2021
ALTERNATIVE SPIRIT AWARD (FEATURE)
Grand Prize:
“Boy Meets Boy” |Directed by: Daniel Sanchez Lopex | Germany, 2020
First Prize:
“Under My Skin” | Directed by: David O’Donnell | Australia, 2020
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:
“A Stone in the Shoe” (Un caillou dans la chaussure) | Directed by: Eric Montchaud | France, 2020
FIRST Prize:
“Tulip” Directed by: Andrea Love and Phoebe Wahl | United States, 2020
Tied with:
“Footsteps on the Wind” | Directed by: Gustavo Leal, Faga Melo and Maya Sanbar| United Kingdom, 2020
LIVE ACTION Short
GRAND Prize:
“Saving Amelia” | Directed by Matthew Fridg | United States, 2020
FIRST Prize:
“Candy Run” | Directed by Harry Zernike | United States, 2021
GREEN PLANET AWARD
Celebrating the vision of man’s shared humanity and achieving sustainability on our planet.
GRAND Prize:
“Coral Ghosts” | Directed by: Andrew Nisker | Canada, 2020
FIRST Prize:
“Beneath the Polar Sun” | Directed by: Diana Kushner and Stephen A. Smith | United States, 2021
VORTEX SCI-FI & FANTASY AWARD
GRAND Prize:
“Butterflies” (蝴蝶) | Directed by: Albert Ventura | Taiwan, 2020
FIRST Prize:
“Skifting” | Directed by: Zinnini Elkington | Denmark, 2020
Tied with:
“Aria” | Directed by: Christopher Poole | United Kingdom, 2021
BREAKING BOUNDARIES
Films that celebrate the endurance of the human spirit and resilience in the face of injustice.
GRAND Prize:
“Wandering, A Rohingya Story” (Errance sans retour) | Directed by: Mélanie Carrier and Olivier Higgins | Canada, 2020
FIRST Prize:
“Occupied” | Directed by: Pingle Pranav Reddy | India, 2020
Tied with:
“6,000 Waiting” | Directed by: Michael Joseph McDonald | United States, 2021
BEST STUDENT FILM AWARD
GRAND Prize:
“Birthday” | Directed by: Margarita Milne | United Kingdom, 2020
FIRST Prize:
“The Age of Reason” (L’Âge de raison) | Directed by: Franchet Mathide | France, 2020
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
GRAND PRIZE:
“Oborozuki” | Directed by: Joseph Ros | Cuba, 2021
FIRST Prize:
“Atlas” | Directed by: Jim Vieille | France, 2020
Tied with:
“Dive, Dive, Dive” | Directed by: GOND | Korea, 2019
BEST TELEVISION PILOT/Webisode
GRAND:
“Little David” | Directed by: David Williams | United States, 2020
FIRST Prize
“Good Head” | Directed by: Matt Servitto | United States, 2021
Tied with:
“Angel of Death s01e01” (Szadź s01e01) | Directed by: Slawomir Fabicki, Maciej Bochniak and Anna Kazejak | Poland, 2021
FLICKERS’ YOUTH FILM JURY AWARDS
Awards were curated by the 2021 RIIFF Youth Film Jury and the 32 members of the RIIFF Summer intern team.
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT
GRAND PRIZE:
“Leylak” | Directed by: Scott Aharoni and Dennis Latos | United States, 2020
FIRST Prize:
“Toto” | Directed by: Marco Baldonado | Canada, 2020
Tied with:
“Like the Ones I Used to Know” (Les grandes claques) | Directed by Annie St-Pierre | Canada, 2021
BEST ANIMATION
GRAND PRIZE:
“Bonne Nuit Petite Tomate” | Directed by: Cyprien NOZIÈRES | France, 2020
FIRST Prize:
“The Walk” (La Marche) | Directed by: Yoakim Bélanger | Canada, 2020
Tied with:
“Save Ralph” | Directed by: Spencer Susser | United States, 2021
BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
GRAND PRIZE:
“Soy Cubana” | Directed by: Jeremy Ungar, Ivaylo Getov | United States, 2020
FIRST PRIZE:
“Eyes and Arms” (Cheshmha Va Dastha) | Directed by Panahbarkhoba Rezaee | Turkey, 2019
BEST FEATURE FILM NARRATIVE
GRAND PRIZE:
“The Boathouse” | Directed by Hannah Cheesman | Canada, 2021
FIRST Prize:
“The Wake Show” (Función Velorio) | Directed by: Aldo Miyashiro | Peru, 2020
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT:
GRAND PRIZE:
“Little Berlin” | Directed by: Kate McMullen | France, 2021
FIRST Prize:
“Coded” | Directed by: Ryan White | United States, 2021
BEST LGBTQ FILM:
GRAND PRIZE:
“At Last” | Directed by: Lorena Gordon | United States, 2020.
FIRST Prize:
“All The Sensations in my Belly” | Directed by: Marko Djeska | Croatia, 2020