Anthony Quinn Film Series Opens July 20

Anthony Quinn Film Series Opens July 20

Yes, you know him as Zorba. Who doesn't? But thanks to FLICKERS: Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF), Rhode Islanders will get a chance this month to get to know one of film's unsung leading men (and former Bristol resident): Anthony Quinn.

RIIFF will show five films featuring Quinn, each at a Rhode Island public library, with free admission. The first screening, Lust for Life at Rogers Library in Bristol, is this Wednesday, July 20, at 6:30pm.

A true leading man

Quinn had a prolific career in film, acting in nearly 200 movies in his 66-year career. A two-time Oscar winner for his roles in Lust for Life and Viva Zapata!, Quinn starred in memorable classics like Lawrence of Arabia, Zorba the Greek and the The Guns of Navarone. This year, on the 10th anniversary of his passing, RIIFF is honoring one of Hollywood’s most versatile and well-respected actors, sharing his timeless classics with a modern Rhode Island audience.

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An artist, at home in Rhode Island

In the later years of his life, Quinn fulfilled his childhood ambition to become an artist. In 1996, Quinn moved to Bristol to focus on his paintings and sculpture. While living there, the 86-year-old Quinn enjoyed taking bike rides along Poppasquash Road, exploring Bristol’s coast. Today, his seaside estate houses hundreds of pieces of his work. Some of his sculpture is exhibited in academic buildings at Roger Williams University in Bristol.

The films

RIIFF will be hosting five screenings in select partnering libraries in July. All screenings are free and open to the public. The information on the screenings follows:

Wednesday, July 20: Lust for Life, Rogers Library, 525 Hope St (Rt. 114), Bristol, 6:30pm, www.rogersfreelibrary.org.

Thursday, July 21: Behold a Pale Horse, Kingston Free Library, 2605 Kingstown Rd, Kingston, 6:30 pm, www.skpl.org.

Tuesday, July 26: Requiem for a Heavyweight, East Greenwich Free Library, 82 Pierce St, East Greenwich, 6 pm, www.eastgreenwichlibrary.org.

Thursday, July 28: Zorba the Greek, Rochambeau Library, 708 Hope St, Providence, 6:30 pm, www.provcomlib.org.

Friday, July 29: The Secret of Santa Vittoria, Marian J. Mohr Memorial Library, 1 Memorial Ave, Johnston, 7 pm, www.mohrlibrary.org.

Sunday, August 7: Viva Zapata!, Barrington Library, 281 County Rd, Barringotn, 2pm, www.barringtonlibrary.org.