RI Woman Creates Documentary About COVID-19 Pandemic Life In Newport

NEWPORT, RI — An award-winning documentary filmmaker from Rhode Island has partnered with newportFILM to screen her latest work, "Newport: In This Together."

"Newport: In This Together" documents the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, showing city residents pulling together in the face of unprecedented challenges and uncertainty. Shot in real time, over six months of the global pandemic, it has taken more than three years to weave together the stories featured in the documentary.

"In the making of my film, I saw how deeply Newporters care about their community," Director Susan Sipprelle said. "They demonstrated a commitment to each other which belies the current popular belief that Americans live divided and uncaring, locked into silos. They inspired me, and I hope that my film will inspire viewers to feel that they have the potential to reach out to one another and tackle great challenges."

The screening will be held at 7 p.m. April 12, at the JPT Film & Event Center in Newport. After the film, there will be a discussion with Sipprelle and the film’s editor, Susan Ades.

The film includes the varied perspectives of more than 100 Newport residents, including dedicated visiting nurses risking it all to attend to the most vulnerable, to local business owners and entrepreneurs forced to close their doors.

"'Newport: In This Together' is a stunning achievement, skillfully capturing the heart and soul of a complex city navigating a once in a lifetime crisis," newportFILM Executive Director Cathleen Carr said.

Tickets for the screening are now available, and can be purchased here. Seating is limited.

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