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Rhode Island Film Fest Announces Screenplay Winners

Grand Prize Winner is from the United Kingdom; Entries came from all over the world

(PROVIDENCE, RI) The BROOKS Pharmacy Providence/Rhode Island International Film Festival™ for independent film and video, is pleased to announce the winners for this year’s annual Screenplay Competition. With 210 screenplays received for this year’s event from all over the world, the jury composed of industry professionals, peers and film fans, found their work daunting and time-consuming. After careful review of each entrant by three separate judges, one Grand Prize winner was selected along with seven First-prize winners.

The Grand Prize winner for 2000 is called NIGHT OF LIGHT and is by filmmaker, Jonny Kurzman from the United Kingdom. Mr. Kurzman also has a film being screened in competition in this year’s RIIFF.

As the Grand Prize winner , Mr. Kurzman will receive a cash prize of $2,500 and a public reading of his script by local actors on Thursday, August 10. The reading will be open free to the public. His script will also be made available to agents in Los Angeles and New York. Along with his prize money, Mr. Kurzman will be flown to the Festival and provided with lodging.

According to Betty Galligan, the Festival Managing Director, “We are delighted to honor Mr. Kurzman for his wonderful screenplay. He has been a frequent contributor of film entries to the Festival and his work has always been exceptional. It was a very pleasant surprise to learn that our panel of judges selected his screenplay for the Grand Prize.”

“Screenplays were judged on creativity, innovation, vision, originality and the use of language.,“ said Kathy McCarthy, the Screenplay Program’s Manager. “For our judges, the key element was communication and how it complemented and would be transformed by the language of film. Mr. Kurzman uses language in a powerful and evocative fashion.”

First Prize winners of the Competition who will receive software from Final Draft copies of Syd Field's Screenwriting Workshop are:

“THE OFFERING” - Diane Hanks of Swansea, Ma

“BROTHER TO BROTHER” -Rodney Evans of Brooklyn NY

“THE FARMER'S SON” - Phillip Pletcher of Monterey, CA

“HALLOWELL” -Eric Devlin Taylor of Los Angeles, CA

“DITTO” -Royce Scott Buckingham of Bellingham, MA

“GLOUCESTER GIRL” -Brian Heffron of Los Angeles, CA

Also selected was “WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET” by Michelle Molhan-Zang of Guilford, CT. Her screenplay will actually have select scenes shot during this year’s Take One, Two, Three; Filmmaking with the Pros (August 7-9). The visiting Director for the program is independent filmmaking legend, Lloyd Kaufman. He is the founder of Troma Pictures. Editing for the scenes will be supervised by Academy Award winner, Tom Ohanian, co-founder of the Avid editing system.

The Rhode Island International Film Festival, now in its fourth year, is created and produced by the Flickers Arts Collaborative. Brooks Pharmacy is the Premiere Sponsor. Michel Coutu, President/CEO of Brooks Pharmacy is the Festival Chairman. The Festival is presented in cooperation with Governor Lincoln Almond and the Rhode Island Office of Film and Television. Serving as Honorary Chairman with the Governor is actress, Concetta Tomei.

The Festival will take place August 9-13, 2000 in historic Providence, and throughout the state of Rhode Island. For more information about programming and scheduling, call the Festival office at 401-861-4445 or visit the website at www.film-festival.org

Updated: 07/23/2000

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