The Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival, the largest film festival in Ocean State, arrived in Los Angeles on Wednesday night to launch an award-winning shorts showcase at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. The Oscar-qualified festival will be held in Los Angeles for the next two weeks, showing the best programming of shorts for Hollywood consideration and fun.
Advances last night’s screening at the museum’s Tedman Theatre was an industry panel featuring Warner Bros Discovery’s legal director Courtney McNulty, vice president of Budget and Acquisitions at Film Frontier Studios, and casting director Deborah Aquila. The panelists discussed the value of festivals, markets, expression and connections in the art of film. Riiff Engagement Director Ericka Atwell-Cardona introduced the showcase to the audience, saying, “We are here to see their work, celebrate their voices and support them as they stand up.
LOS ANGELES, CA – September 10: (LR) Abbey White, Deborah Aquila, Matthew Robinson and Courtney McNulty will speak at Flickers Award-winning Showcase and Industry Panel at the Academy Museum Film Museum held in Los Angeles, CA on September 10, 2025. (Randy Shropshire/Getty Images by Photo By Photo)
Getty Images from Riiff by Flickers
Wednesday’s screening block is titled “Unknown Encounters.” It featured eight award-winning shorts from Riiff’s lineup, dealing with uncertainty and destiny. The title was “Retirement Plan,” a winner of the Best Animated Short Audience Award, directed by John Kelly. Director Andrew Richardson’s Best Live Action Short Winner: “The Most Powerful Human on Earth.” Director Ida Melum’s best animation short “Ovary-acting”. The best editor-winner, “Sisyphean Task,” directed by Gus Flind-Henry and George Malcher. “Voices from the Abyss” is the winner of the best documentary shorts by Irving Serrano and Victor Rehon. “Cake” is the winner of the best comedy short by director Karoribeiro. Audience Choice Best Short Story Winner “How I Steebort To Die”, directed by Manya Glassman. New England Filmmaker Award winner, “My Types of People,” directed by Joe Picozzi. The short films come from five countries around the world, showing loud and introspective voices in independent cinemas. A Q&A with the filmmakers present continued at the screening.
“Encounter Unknowns” will continue to play on the Laemmle Theatre in Glendale from September 12th to 18th. The second shorts program, entitled “Breaking Boundaries,” will be played on Laemmle from September 19th to 25th. “Breaking Boundaries” includes “In The Clouds,” the winner of the Breaking Boundaries Award, directed by Alexandra Bahiyyih Wain. Amarella is the best performance winner of director Andre Hayato Saito. “Ne Me Quitte Pas” is the best film winner directed by Karim Huu Do. Directed by Bijon Imtiaz, Alternative Spirit Awards and Best LGBTQ Short Winner, “A Thing about Kashem.” Director Dennis Spiridnov’s best screenplay winner, “The Final Day Sofia.” Documentary Short Audience Award winner “The Window on Death Row” is directed by Linda Catherine Freund.
LOS ANGELES, CA – September 10: (LR) Scout Lions, George Mulcher, Sean Quikhe, Gasflind Henry and Michelle Noble will be participating in the 2025 Award-winning Short Case and Industry Panel at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures held on September 10, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA. (Randy Shropshire/Getty Images by Photo By Photo)
Getty Images from Riiff by Flickers
“We’ve been working hard to get the most out of our business,” said Shawn Quirk, executive director of Riiff. “These two-week short films offer a dynamic and exciting choice of some of the world’s top talents in the film industry. All filmmakers represented in this year’s award showcase represent the next generation of independent films. Since becoming an Oscar-qualified festival in 2002, Riff has received 94 films nominations for Oscars and won 14 wins.
Riiff Proper took place early this summer, August 5-10 at Providence and Westerly, RI. The organization provides programming and support to local filmmakers throughout the year, and the festival will return to Rhode Island once again.
