Film Festival PSA, With RWU Professor and Intern, Wins Regional Emmy
"Discovery," produced by the Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival, won the category of Public Service Announcement campaign at the 43rd Annual Boston/New England Regional Emmy Awards. The festival runs August 4-9.
This year, the Boston/New England Regional Emmy in the category of Public Service Announcement (PSA) Campaign went to "Discovery," a magical realist short film produced by the Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF.) The film's production team included an RWU adjunct professor George Marshall, and intern Nick Stanglewicz ‘20.
Marshall is the Executive Director of Flickers, a Rhode Island-based arts organization, which he founded in 1981. He served as the Executive Producer for "Discovery" and included Stanglewicz as a production assistant. Marshall and Stanglewicz worked on "Discovery’"with an internationally accomplished team including director Erik Latek, producer Shawn Quirk, actor Michael Grando, screenwriter Duncan Putney, and composer Mauro Colangelo.
The award was presented on June 20, 2020, at the 43rd Annual Boston/New England Regional Emmy Awards, hosted virtually from Boston. It was Flickers’ 15th nomination for the New England Emmys and fifth win since RIIFF's inception in 1996.
"Discovery" depicts Grando as a beachcomber on Weekapaug Beach in Westerly, R.I. As he walks along the shore, pocketing shells, he finds film reels washing in with the ocean currents. The reels represent submissions to RIIFF, which received 6,500 entries from over 91 countries in 2019.
"Even though we’re a small state, we have so much to offer. I thought 'Discovery' did a great job reflecting what Rhode Island is," said Stanglewicz, a film studies minor who interned with Marshall and Flickers throughout all four of his years at RWU. "I had the opportunity to be part of the Flickers organization, where I grew my skills and made connections. George [Marshall] laid a lot of the foundation for me by opening up his doors. It influenced my education so much."
Stanglewicz is part of a longstanding connection between RWU students and Flickers. Marshall, who has taught at RWU since 1999, is committed to utilizing the festival as a resource for his students.
“It is nice to give students the opportunity to be involved in work that gets recognition beyond the festival,” said Marshall. “In the film world, everyone interfaces one way or another. The community is a small family. We have been lucky to build those relationships over the years.”
RIIFF takes place this year, August 4-9, 2020.