For the past eight years, the Rhode Island Film Collaborative (RIFC) has been helping filmmakers make movies and for almost as long, hundreds of filmmakers, actors, crew, film lovers and people who just like a good party have celebrated this mission by dressing up in their best digs and drinking and dancing the night away at the annual Black & White gala.
Each year the RIFC dreams up a different theme inspired by black and white movies. This year’s theme is The Roaring Twenties. So for Scarface fans (the Howard Hawks version, not the scenery chewing 80s version) or people who didn’t get enough Gatsby from Baz Lurrman’s bizarro 3D version that hit theaters this fall, this is the party for you.
Why is it called the Black & White? It’s a movie reference. Get it? It also implies the dress code, although this is where it gets confusing. While Black & White usually implies a tux, this is a party for filmmakers of every income level (in case you didn’t know, a film degree doesn’t exactly guarantee a six-figure income). In other words, whatever black and white costume you have is perfectly appropriate. Some dress in tuxes, some dress in black and white t-shirts, some dress in full-on movie costumes. We’ve seen cow suits, robots, murderous nuns, you name it. The resulting aesthetic is a good representation of what we see in an average year at the movies: a mix of low-brow and high-brow with a little David Lynch weirdness thrown in for good measure.
The party will be at the Rotunda Room at the Rhode Island convention center, and for those planning on taking full advantage of the lack of prohibition, you can rent a room within stumbling distance at the Omni hotel.
There are always a bunch of cool surprises and great entertainment. There will be a Burlesque performance (not approved by the Hay’s code) as well as music from The Superchief Trio and WRIK entertainment, living art, food, door prizes, inexpensive drinks and more. Expect to see some flappers and a Scarface or two. These people are actors and filmmakers, so they take their dress-up seriously.
A slightly swankier cocktail hour starts an hour earlier and includes complimentary cocktails, a live band, hors d’oeuvres and much more. The party with cocktail hour is $25 for RIFC members (you can buy a yearly membership and save on all kinds of events) and $35 for the general public. For those looking to save the $10 or do their pre-gaming at home, the general admission ticket is$15 for members or $25 for the general public. All proceeds go to support the RIFC, and keep your ticket stub because it is tax deductible (RIFC is a register 501c3).
And for those of you into the social networking thing, check the event out at https://www.facebook.com/events/1428536497366056/ and twitter all night with the hashtag #RIFCGala.
Saturday, December 7, 2013 at the Rhode Island Convention Center, 1 Sabin Street, Providence, RI. 6:00 p.m. Cocktail Reception $25 for RIFC Members ($35 General Public). Enjoy a complimentary Cocktail, Live Band, Hors d’oeuvres and much more! Omni Hotel RIFC $99 Special: Make your reservation with the Omni Hotel by November 22, 2013 and your overnight stay on December 7th is only $99! http://www.omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/Providence/MeetingFacilities/RoaringTwentiesBlackandWhiteGalaEvent12.aspx