The 15th Annual Roving Eye International Film Festival which ran exclusively online due to the COV19 pandemic, announced the award winners with the Grand Prize going to the film “Fine” directed by Maya Yadlin.

The Festival created by the Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) in partnership with Roger Williams University kicked off April 27th and ran through the May 3, 2020. This year’s programming featured over 60 films from across the world including numerous World and US Premieres; virtual panel discussions/symposia; Filmmaker Q&A’s on Facebook, and student film showcases. The Festival theme this year was “Heighten Your Perception,” and celebrated the power of art and culture in affecting positive change.

Virtual guests at this year’s event were curated from interviews undertaken by Steven Feinberg, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Film and Television Office, for the television series, “doubleFEATURE,” produced by Flickers on Rhode Island PBS.

This year’s guests include: Screenwriter, Chris Sparling; director, Kevin Lima; actor, Robert Capron; costume designer, Deborah Newhall; director/cinematographer, Eric Latek; and actor, Duncan Putney. Additionally, live Facebook conversations throughout the week took place with director, Tommy DeNucci; creator of newenglandfilm.com, Michele Meek; and producer/editor Tony Bennis.

The event concluded with the Spring 2020 Soforenko Foundation Film Series On The Jewish Experience.

Students at the University, with the guidance of Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival, create the Roving Eye International Film Festival through the Film Minor senior-level course, Curation and Film Festival Production. Flickers’ Executive Director and RWU Professor, George T. Marshall, teaches the class.

This year, 23 students spent the first part of the spring semester reviewing more than 800 films provided by Flickers and from there went on to create the entire Roving Eye Festival. The students developed active marketing and PR strategies, including the planning for events throughout the week.

With the emergence of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, plans shifted quickly to ensure that the Festival took place. Students met numerous times weekly on Zoom to plan out the Festival, reach out to filmmakers, and work on marketing and promotional collateral, including a new logo design, posters and PSA. They also worked extensively with RIIFF Program Director, Shawn M. Quirk to realize the online Festival portal.

Students in the Curation and Film Production Class included: Elias Bakas, Samuel Bartoes, Owen Bearer, Cameron Bortolussi, Luke Brennan, Sarah Coleman, Benjamin, Crawley, Matthew Fernandes, Williams Guido, Jordan Hawkes, Robert Libertini, Chloe Noyes, Gavin Okun, Molly Ortiz, Sara Osborne, Tyler Porter, Mariah Richards, Makenzie Rose, Paul Schnadig, Leia Stone, Jordan Sweenie, Angeli Tillet and Cullen Zurcher.

2020 Roving Eye International Film Festival Award Winners

HEARTS, MINDS, SOULS AWARD

Celebrating Films that Reflect the Jewish Experience.

Grand Prize:
“Fine” directed by Maya Yadlin

First Prize:
“Young Polacas” directed by Alex Levy-Heller

BEST OF FESTIVAL

Grand Prize:
“Road to Zion” directed by Andrew Reid

First Prize:
“Something to Live For” directed by Adva Reichman

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY

Grand Prize:
“Carlotta’s Face” directed by Valentin Riedl, Frédéric Schuld

First Prize:
“Hoan Alone” directed by Aaron Johnson

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Grand Prize:
“Ever, Rêve” directed by Oliver Morel

First Prize:
“17 Seconds” directed by Alon Marom

BEST NARRATIVE SHORT FILM

Grand Prize:
“Locals Only” directed by Brent Harris

First Prize:
“Melanie” directed by Jacinta Agten

BEST ANIMATION

Grand Prize:
“The Bird & The Whale” directed by Carol Freeman

First Prize:
“They Hunt” directed by Rhys Byfield