PCFF announces two new appointments

Message from the Board of Directors:

The Providence Children’s Film Festival Board of Directors is pleased to announce two new appointments. Eric Bilodeau has been promoted to Artistic Director, and Rachel Colaiace will join the organization as Managing Director on July 1.

Eric joined PCFF as Director of Programming shortly after the festival’s founding, and has curated exceptional programming that has inspired audiences for the past decade. He brings more than 30 years of experience to his new role as artistic director. Eric co-owned and operated the Cable Car Cinema for 18 years, and also served as the Director of Programming for the Newport International Film Festival. In addition to his work as PCFF’s artistic director, Eric is also the children’s film programmer for the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival and a festival advisor for the International Kids Film Festival of India. In his “free time” he started Cricket Cinema in 2015 which specializes in holding outdoor screenings of PCFF and other top notch film programs.

“Programming films for young minds has been THE most demanding programming I have ever done, but also the most rewarding. I have seen how kids of all ages respond to very challenging narratives in the most positive ways. I am delighted to now become PCFF’s Artistic Director where I will continue the high quality programming for PCFF but also provide media literacy opportunities to help young minds control, rather than just consume, the visual media they are bombarded with daily,” Eric remarked.

Rachel Colaiace comes to PCFF as Managing Director with nearly 20 years of event and fundraising experience. Her work has focused on family and community programming orchestrated to engage a diverse population in communal activities and causes, making her the perfect addition to the PCFF team.

Rachel’s personal interest in movie-making, festival planning and educational programing stems from a life-long belief in cinema’s ability to bring a worldly assortment of experiences and emotions to individuals in an easily accessible way. “Film can be an especially powerful platform for emotional growth among the young and adolescent population, and I am eager to work alongside the PCFF staff and volunteers to engage a growing number of movie enthusiasts in the Providence Children’s Film Festival,” Rachel said.