Alexis Rapoza
News Editor
PROVIDENCE, R.I., -- Last Sunday, Rhode Island College hosted its first-ever virtual film festival sponsored by RIC Film Studies Department, James P. Adams Library, the Student Union and the Ocean State Film Society.
The theme of the short films was “Life as a RIC Student in These Times 2020” and students were tasked with creating short films that followed this theme. The films were judged by Brain Knoth from the Communication Department, Molly Bruce from James P. Adams Library and Michael Giacalone from Student Activities.
There were 13 total entries in the film festival and three different categories Rhode Island College students could submit films in -- Documentary, Diary Film and Impression Film. Documentary filmmakers were tasked with documenting life in 2020 or filming a profile of someone they know. Impression film entries were to be a montage composed of images or sound that the filmmaker believed summed up 2020 and Diary Films were to be composed of personal reflections on how life has changed throughout the year. The winners of each of these categories and an additional Audience Favorite winner were each presented with a $100 Amazon gift card.
In addition, 11 of the 13 entries donated their films to the Rhode Island College COVID-19 Archive through the Adams Library Special Collections website which will be available to historians, researchers and Rhode Island College students in the future.
To view all of the films submitted to the contest click here. A full list of all the nominees and the winners of each category can be found below.
1. DOCUMENTARY - films that document some aspect of life in 2020 and can also profile someone you know
NOMINEES
o Musical Theatre and Covid by Myranda Silva
o A College Life: Pandemic Edition by Gianluca Penta & Marcello Penta
o COVID-19 a Global Pandemic by Savion Soares
o A Day in My Life... Living With Mental Illness by Julia Kershaw
WINNER
o Musical Theatre and Covid by Myranda Silva
2. IMPRESSION FILM - made up of either a series of images and sounds that you feel capture the spirit of 2020 or a series of images and sounds that you feel sum up your personal experience of 2020
NOMINEES
o The Year that Never Happened by Angel Gonzalez
o Growth by Jarred Braga
WINNER
The Year that Never Happened by Angel Gonzalez
3. DIARY FILMS document some aspect of your life in 2020 and that also includes your personal reflections on what this year has been like for you and how your life has changed in the last 10 months.
NOMINEES
o Senior Year in 2020 by Skylar DeBlois & Eliza Vecchiarelli
o Being a student in 2020 by Brielle Hebard
o Isolation in Monotone by Jillian Aronhalt
o Remember the Little Things by Michael Mollicone
o Class "At" RIC by Rachel D'Ambruoso
o Quarantined by Alexander Tum
o Life in 2020 by William Blessing
WINNER
o Remember the Little Things by Michael Mollicone
4. AUDIENCE FAVORITE: Popular Vote
A College Life: Pandemic Edition by Gianluca Penta & Marcello Penta