RIIFF Board Mixer Takes Place in Providence

One of the highlights this summer will be the 12th annual Rhode Island International Film Festival, and to help spread the word, organizers reached out for some East Side star power to help. Literally. On Thursday, June 19, RIIFF hosted a reception at the Ladd Observatory on Hope Street to introduce the community to new members of their advisory board and this year's summer interns who hail from across the globe. Organized by Demetria Carr, RIIFF's Associate Producing Director, the event included a tour of the Observatory, refreshments provided by Decadent Catering (a subsidiary of Pizzico Ristorante), and beer from the Harpoon Brewery in Boston.

RIIFF Board President, Michael Drywa, Esq. greeted new Advisory Board members Michael Corrente, filmmaker; Barry Fain, publisher; Eric Latek, filmmaker; Jedediah Leach, of Cookson Precious Metals Group; Duncan Putney, SAG/Indie actor; Fr. Kenneth Gumbert, filmmaker, Scott Levine, Publicist; Jon and Betty Jane Berberian, Columbus Theatre Arts Center, and Lawrence Andrade, Wolfe Laboratories.

This year’s interns in attendance included Jessie Pittrizzi - Wofford College, South Carolina; Pauline Alonso - Lyon 3, Lyon, France; Emily McKenna - Marist University, New York; Sinan Akyu – from Turkey and Bryant University, RI; Malay Khamsyvoravong, Brown University; Amanda Heinsen - Providence College, RI; Abra Moore - University of New Hampshire; Michael Morgenstern - Brown University and Chase Huneke - Brown University. Also on hand were George T. Marshall, RIIFF’s Executive Director; Adam Short, Producing Director, Alyssa Holland Short, KidsEye Co-Director and Deb Walsh, RIIFF Filmmaker Registration Coordinator.

The 12th Annual Rhode Island International Film Festival will take place August 5-10, 2008. For more information, write RIIFF, 268 Broadway, Providence, RI 02903 Telephone: 401-861-4445. E-mail: info@film-festival.org. Updates are posted regularly on the Festival’s website, www.RIFilmFest.org