newportFILM Outdoors returns Thursday, June 25, launching a 10-week summer series of open-air documentary screenings at iconic locations across Newport, with a lineup spanning surfing, sailing, soccer, space exploration, music and poetry.
The season opens on the Great Friends Meeting House Lawn with the fan favorite “Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World.” Executive Producer Michael Kantor will be in conversation with Rhode Island Poet Laureate Colin Channer before the screening. The series closes Aug. 27 at Fort Adams with “Mighty Mary,” about the first all-female America’s Cup crew.
In between, films will screen weekly at settings including Rosecliff, The Elms, Aquidneck Park, Salve O’Hare, Rough Point, Chateau-sur-Mer and Miantonomi Park, with titles including “Summer of ’94,” “Cookie Queens,” “Odyssey,” “Jack Johnson: SURFILMUSIC,” “John Shearer: American Moments,” “Learning to Fly,” “Newport & the Great Folk Dream” and “Give Me the Ball!” newportFILM will continue hosting pre-film conversations about 20 minutes before sunset, giving audiences a chance to hear from filmmakers, subjects and special guests, with a designated Talent Spotlight area for connecting after select screenings.
“This summer is about making the newportFILM Outdoors experience even more engaging, accessible, and community-centered,” said Cathleen Carr, executive director. “From filmmaker conversations and post-film meetups to new accessibility tools and member perks, we’re creating more ways for audiences to connect with the films, the artists, and one another.”
New this summer, newportFILM is partnering with Captional to offer free live captioning and translations directly to attendees’ phones, available at all screenings, with staff and volunteers on hand to help. Members can again borrow a lawn chair at the Members Tent while supplies last by showing their digital membership card, skip the popcorn line and enjoy other benefits. In partnership with Bike Newport, the series will provide bike racks and ambassadors at all screenings.
Recognized as a Certified Green Event by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, newportFILM works to divert waste from landfills through staffed Zero Waste Stations, Green Team volunteers and compostable service materials.
Audiences can also look out for Friday Film Meet Ups, casual morning gatherings announced at select screenings, and a 10-week Summer Sweepstakes offering a literary-themed weekend getaway to Provincetown. The organization is again partnering with the Newport Restaurant Group for a weekly raffle awarding a $100 gift card at each screening.
For the full schedule and film details, visit newportfilm.com.
