HAMPTON HABITUÉS

The living might be fine in the summertime but the Hamptons shoulder season is not without its own distinct benefits.

With the slightly cooler air comes a few essential, and very welcome, perks. The beaches are just as glorious, and now we get to use them all regardless of which particular sticker is on our car and whether or not Fido has come along for the ride. What took an hour and a half sitting in traffic returns to a more civilized 40-or-fewer minutes travel time. We can get reservations on Saturday nights again, even at the hottest spots. And our favorite fascinating people are less wary of being mobbed with selfie requests.

Speaking of celebs and selfies, wondering who is coming to this year’s Hamptons International Film Festival? Now in its 25th year, the annual event celebrates its silver anniversary at theaters and venues all over the East End from October 5 through October 9. Expected attendees include Jennifer Garner, who will be supporting the film “The Tribes of Palos Verdes,” Hamptons regular Alan Cumming, who stars in “After Louie,” and writer/director/actor Rob Reiner, who helmed “LBJ” and will sit for an interview as part of the “Conversation With” series. 

“My Fair Lady” and yours, Julie Andrews will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award this year. The stage and screen legend, whose performances in such classics as “Mary Poppins,” “The Sound of Music” and “Camelot” are even sweeter than a spoonful of sugar, will also sit for a Q&A this year with HIFF Co-Chairman Alec Baldwin after a screening of “Victor Victoria” in East Hampton. Ms. Andrews is also the co-creator and star of the new Netflix kids’ series “Julie’s Greenroom” as well as a collection of bestselling children’s literature. Her collaborator is none other than her daughter and Sag Harbor resident, Emma Walton Hamilton.

The Hamptons will shine even brighter at this year’s film festival, as two big movies about the area will premier. Ben and Orson Cummings’ “Killer Bees” follows the Bridgehampton High School basketball team and supporters as they try to defend their state championship title. That documentary was produced by Shaquille O’Neal and executive produced by Larry Gagosian. There’s also “Wanderland” by Josh Klausner, a feature film starring Dree Hemingway that was filmed on the East End.

Of course the Hamptons provide the perfect backdrop for all sorts of cinema action. Just skimming the surface of current selections, there are two big tennis movies, a documentary and a romantic comedy all coming out that have direct ties here.

“Borg vs. McEnroe” tells the story of the rivalry between Swedish tennis player Bjorn Borg and American net man John McEnroe, who just sold his Southampton estate this summer. The film, which stars Sverrir Gudnason, Shia LaBeouf and Stellan Skarsgard, centers around the drama of the 1980 Wimbledon Championships.

The sports drama “Battle of the Sexes” focuses on the sensational 1972 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, which became the most watched televised sports event of all time when it aired. Starring Emma Stone and Steve Carell, the film’s trailer was pre-screened here in the Hamptons as part of the Prostate Cancer Foundation’s Charles Evans PCF Pro-Am Tennis Tournament Gala. Ms. King herself attended and participated in a Q&A with Michael Milken at David Koch’s Meadow Lane estate in Southampton, sharing stories of her life and clips from the film.

We’ll also be getting some glimpses into filmmaker Steven Spielberg’s life, courtesy of Susan Lacy’s HBO documentary, which airs this month. The film features interviews with those who know the legendary East Hampton- and LA-based director best, including Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, Martin Scorsese, Brian De Palma and Tom Hanks. There’s sure to be some juicy inside info on his earlier works, including Montauk-inspired “Jaws,” and many of his other classic films.

Lastly, there’s “Home Again,” which opened last month and stars Reese Witherspoon, who happened to spend a few vacay days out east this summer while screening a sneak peek of the film and catching a lobster bake. The romantic comedy also stars East Hampton’s Candice Bergen, and it marks the directorial debut of Hallie Meyers-Shyer, the daughter of Nancy Meyers, whose “Something’s Gotta Give” was set in Southampton.