Four Rhode Island PBS Locals Nominated for Emmy® Awards

Four local filmmakers have had their work recognized for excellence as nominees in the 38th Annual Boston / New England Emmy ® Awards.

One of two nominees in the category Documentary is 24|7|365: The Evolution of Emergency Medicine, WSBE/ONE Films/EMRA, Dave Thomas, Director; Ann Prum, Producer; Donald Stader, Executive Producer; Mark Brady, Executive Producer; Jim Isler, Editor; Andrew Young and Matthew Bradbury, Cinematographers. 24|7|365: The Evolution of Emergency Medicine chronicles the emergence of EMS and the specialty of Emergency Medicine, which became the 23rd recognized medical specialty only in 1979. The film is narrated by Anthony Edwards (Top Gun, ER) and features Brown University Warren Alpert School of Medicine professor and chair of Emergency Medicine Brian Zink, MD, as the historical consultant. The documentary’s executive producer is Mark Brady, MD, a 2009 graduate of the Brown Alpert School of Medicine.

Rhode Island PBS is pleased to present an encore broadcast of 24|7|365: The Evolution of Emergency Medicine on Monday, May 18 at 9 p.m. and Wednesday, May 20 at 2 p.m.

The second nominee for Documentary is America's Forgotten Heroine: Ida Lewis, Keeper of the Light, Goodnight Irene Productions, Marian Gagnon, Writer/ Director/Producer. This documentary tells the almost-forgotten story of this country’s most famous maritime heroine. It provides an intimate portrayal of Ida’s life from age 15 to 69 (from 1857 to 1911) and the passion and moral fiber she intrinsically brought to her work as a lighthouse keeper and unlikely heroine. It also explores the myriad decisions which led to a life of both fame and isolation, Ida’s unexpected celebrity in Newport as well as across the U.S., and the impact she inadvertently had on the early women’s rights movement.

In the category of Historical / Cultural Program / Special, the nomination went to a cinematic short about the 1938 hurricane called One Day... The Story of a Storm, WSBE/Carla Ricci Films, Tim Labonte, Editor Carla Ricci, Director/Writer.

In the Writer Program category, honors go to Watch Hill: Portrait of a New England Seaside Village Weathervane Communications / Ocean State Video Betty-Jo Cugini, Writer.

Emmy ® winners will be announced at a ceremony in Boston later this month.


WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) content over the air on digital 36.1; on Rhode Island cable services: Cox 08 / 1008HD, Verizon FiOS 08 / 508HD, Full Channel 08; on Massachusetts cable services: Comcast 819HD, Verizon 18 / 518HD; on satellite: DirecTV 36 / 3128HD, Dish Network 36. WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; on cable: Cox 808, Verizon 478, Full Channel 89, Comcast 294 or 312.

updated May 15, 2015

America's Forgotten Heroine: Ida Lewis, Keeper of the Light

America’s Forgotten Heroine: Ida Lewis, Keeper of the Light is an historical documentary that focuses on the intriguing life story of this country’s most famous maritime heroine. Rhode Island PBS premieres the documentary on Monday, September 8 at 8 p.m.

Written, directed and produced by Marian Gagnon of Goodnight Irene Productions, this 45-minute documentary film provides an intimate portrayal of Ida’s life from age 15 to 69 (from 1857 to 1911) and the passion and moral fiber she intrinsically brought to her work as a lighthouse keeper and unlikely heroine. It also explores the myriad decisions which led to a life of both fame and isolation, Ida’s unexpected celebrity in Newport as well as across the U.S., and the impact she inadvertently had on the early women’s rights movement.

As John Williams Haley, author of The Rhode Island Historian wrote in 1939: "...of all the Rhode Island women who have achieved fame in one way or another...and there have been many...none attained the world renown of a modest little woman who was born and lived most of her life in Newport. In fact, it would hardly be exaggeration to say that she was more famous, particularly during the latter half of her life, than any American woman of the past or present."

While this statement may very well stand today, Ida’s story has largely been forgotten. Gagnon’s goal with this film is to renew the “national memory” of Ida Lewis as an American heroine not only in her hometown of Newport and throughout R.I., but across the United States.

Indie-filmmaker Marian Gagnon researched, wrote, directed, and produced this film with the help of grants from the R.I. Council for the Humanities (RICH), the Rhode Island State Council for the Arts (RISCA), and a donation from the Ida Lewis Yacht Club.

Gagnon is a professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at Johnson and Wales University. The videographer and editor is Jim Karpeichik of Ocean State Video. Both are Emmy nominees. Chris Robadue of Wave Garden Arts is the animator. The film premiered to a standing-room-only crowd at the Casino Theatre in Newport in late May and recently screened at venues throughout South County. It also was selected for the 2014 R.I. International Film Festival.