As the Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival kicked off its 29th edition among 1,500 attendees at the Providence Performing Arts Center on Aug. 5, the event’s leadership, alongside some of the state’s most influential figures in film and politics, were on hand to make a pitch to Hollywood amid a disrupted festival circuit and an industry increasingly looking beyond California for production opportunities.

Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee, in a brief speech ahead of the RIIFF opening night presentation, championed the state’s “scenic views, historic architecture and talented workforce that make it a choice spot for the film and TV industry.” Added Providence Mayor Brett Smiley: “As a creative capital,

the arts are what we care about, what we invest in.”

As the Flickers Rhode Isl

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