The Rhode Island International Screenplay Competition received 477 submissions from throughout the United States and across the globe
(PROVIDENCE, RI – October 29, 2018) • Rammy Park from Brooklyn, NY is the Best Screenplay Grand Prize Winner for this year’s Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) Screenplay Competition. Rammy’s winning screenplay is entitled “Monitor City.”
George T. Marshall, RIIFF Executive Director/CEO, made the announcement of the 2018 awards that featured 477 entries in competition. From these, 43 scripts were selected as semi-finalists and 14 scripts were selected Finalists by an international team of adjudicators.
The “Monitor City” storyline: A Greek tragedy in a futuristic sci-fi setting, “Monitor City” pits reluctant hero Olivia Andressa against a totalitarian system of control and surveillance, as she struggles to accept her role in the City’s resistance movement and to bring her fractured family back together
“Rammy Park’s script breathes new life into the dystopian genre. The script is a defining work, that is teeming with social commentary. Rammy has successfully created a tragic futurist tale that serves as a timely parable for today’s ever growing dependence on technology and surveillance,” said Shawn Quirk, RIIFF Program Director.
“What an amazing year for storytelling and our screenplay competition. This year’s entries were inventive and re-defining. They were scored on criteria that included character, dialogue, setting, plot, structure and technique,” added Quirk. “We reviewed the largest entry base in competition’s history making for difficult decision-making on the part of our international group of judges.
“After extensive and careful deliberation, prize winners were chosen in seven distinct categories: Best Screenplay, Best International, Vortex Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror, Best LGBTQ, Spotlight on New England, Best Short Screenplay and Best Television Pilot,” Quirk noted.
“Our sincere congratulations to this year’s winners,” stated George T. Marshall. “This competition continues to introduce us to some of the world’s brightest and most talented writers in the craft.”
THE 2018 PRIZE WINNERS:
BEST SCREENPLAY
GRAND PRIZE:
“Monitor City” |Rammy Park, Author | Brooklyn, NY
FIRST PLACE:
“Hinterland”| S.J. Main Muñoz, Author | Venice, CA
INTERNATIONAL SCREENPLAY
GRAND PRIZE:
“Sound of the Somme” | Written by: Alexander Menu & Thomas Besançon, Authors | Belgium
FIRST PRIZE:
“White Whale”| Rustem Samigullin, Author | Homberg, Germany
VORTEX HORROR/SCI-FI SCREENPLAY
GRAND PRIZE:
“Blank Shores” | Alex Kyrou, Author | London, United Kingdom
FIRST PRIZE:
“Silence” | Collin Kornfeind, Author | Astoria, NY
JAMES L. SEAVOR LGBTQ SCREENPLAY
GRAND PRIZE:
“Liza Herself” | Joan Kelly, Author | Somerville, MA
FIRST PRIZE:
“Chasing The Dragon”| Eduardo Ayres Soares, Author | Porto Alegre, Brazil
RI SPOTLIGHT ON NEW ENGLAND
GRAND PRIZE:
“Oil and Water” | Alfred Thomas Catalfo, Author | Dover, NH
FIRST PRIZE:
“Blood and Plunder” | Adam Olenn, Author | Providence, RI
BEST TELEVISION PILOT SCRIPT
GRAND PRIZE:
“The Reservoir” | Dylan Allen, Author | Brooklyn, NY
“Matched”| Tess Allen, Author | Playa Vista, CA
BEST SHORT SCRIPT
GRAND PRIZE:
“Red Shirt” | Mary C. Ferrara, Author | Quincy, MA
FIRST PRIZE:
“Last Day of School”| Gypsy Nelson | Mason, WI
Prizes awarded to the winners of the screenplay competition (which vary with the specific screenplay category) include: 1 Script Listing and 1 Magazine Listing from InkTip; Final Draft software featuring Final Draft Screenwriting Suites; and Passes to the 2019 Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival and the ScriptBiz™ Screenwriter’s Workshop.
The Best Screenplay Grand Prize winner will be brought to Providence to attend the 2019 ScriptBiz program, where their screenplay will be a central focus of the program, plus receive a private script consultation and an official award on RIIFF’s Opening Night Celebration on the stage of the 1,900-seat Vets located at One Avenue of the Arts, Providence.. Lodging and transportation will also be provided.
ABOUT THE RHODE ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL:
The Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF), has secured its place in the global community as the portal for the best in international independent cinema, earning the respect of domestic and foreign filmmakers, filmgoers and trend watchers. This confluence of art and commerce brought together world-class celebrities, award-winning filmmakers, new talent and audience members in record numbers last year. Ranked as one of the top 10 Festivals in the United States, RIIFF is a qualifying festival for the Live Action, Animation and Documentary Short Film Academy Awards through its affiliation with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and the Canadian Screen Awards. There are only 10 film festivals worldwide that share this distinction and RIIFF is the only festival in New England. The Festival takes place every August.
For more information about the Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival, running August 6-11, 2019 at The Vets, please visit our website at www.RIFilmFest.org or call 401.861.4445.