May 1, 2017

PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sherilyn Brown, RISCA Education Director, 222-6994
Rhode Island State Council on the Arts

GiveMe5 Teen Film Festival To Highlight Work of Teen Filmmakers at Greenwich Odeum

CELEBRATING 9TH YEAR OF GIVE ME 5 TEEN FILM FESTIVAL ON MAY 20
AT GREENWICH ODEUM

Announcing the ninth annual GiveMe5 Teen Film Festival, to be held Saturday, May 20, from 7-9:30 PM at the Greenwich Odeum, 59 Main Street, East Greenwich, RI. The GiveMe5 Festival features short films created by teen filmmakers from around the state, and also features feedback from a professional film panel. GiveMe5 also includes one-minute films from the GiveMe5 Teen Film Labs Make-a-Minute-Movie Challenge. Films come from Woonsocket to Westerly, and include comedy, documentary, film noir, music videos, drama and more. The Festival will be sign interpreted.

GiveMe5 Teen Film Festival is free and open to the public, suitable for high school teens and up. Seating is limited, so register for a free ticket at theodeum.com.
This year’s special guest emcee will be Diary of a Wimpy Kid actor Robert Capron, Jr., with co-emcee Sky Tanner, winner of the 2017 Woman of the Future award. This year’s professional panel, discussing the films with the teen filmmakers, will include Steven Feinberg, Director of the RI Film and Television Office; Adam Theroux, WPRI-TV; and Yin Yefko, arts educator and photographer.

GiveMe5 is sponsored by Rhode Island State Council on the Arts’ Education Program, in conjunction with the Rhode Island Film and Television Office, and other film and media partners. Additional GiveMe5 sponsors include: URI Media Education Lab; Flickers: Rhode Island International Film Festival; Rhode Island Film Collaborative; VSA arts of RI; and Motif.

“The future of the rapidly expanding film, television, and new media industry in our Ocean State is related to growing young filmmakers in our education system,” says Steven Feinberg of Rhode Island Film & TV Office. “When I was a child, I was fortunate that my father was a 6th grade teacher because he had the insight to see my early interest in moviemaking. He and my Mom nurtured my passion and encouraged me to learn as much as I could. With each experience I fell more in love with film, and it became my life’s work and passion. Working in film and technology is a natural for most kids today, and we have a responsibility to educate them about the art of filmmaking and how they can achieve quality work in this innovative industry.”

“Young people today are inundated with images about them but not by them” says Sherilyn Brown, Education Director of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts. “Media education is an important part of helping teens to think, using the art form of film. They also gain skills and knowledge applicable to the fast-growing national and international creative industries.“

The purpose of GiveMe5 is to network and grow film and media education programs statewide. GiveMe5 also sponsors two Teen Film Labs (Make-a-Minute Movie Challenge) in March (one in Providence and one in Kingston).
For more info on GiveMe5, call 222-6994, Monday-Friday, 8:30-4:30 or visit us at the GiveMe5 Facebook page.

The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts is a state agency, supported by appropriations from the Rhode Island General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. RISCA provides grants, technical assistance and staff support to arts organizations and artists, schools, community centers, social service organizations and local governments to bring the arts into the lives of Rhode Islanders. For more information on RISCA and its programs, please visit www.arts.ri.gov . More information on the Rhode Island Film and TV Office, part of RISCA, can be found at: http://www.film.ri.gov.