Hamptons Meets Hollywood

Hampton’s International Film Festival, Entertaining the East End for the past 21 years…

The 21st Annual Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) will take place October 10-14, 2013. The festival was originally founded in 1992 to celebrate Independent Filmmakers in the genres of long, short, fiction, and documentary films. Approximately 25,000 visitors attend the Film Festival each year with over 100 films and 20 events in venues across the East End, including UA/Regal Southampton, The Southampton Center, The Parrish Art Museum, Sag Harbor Cinema, Bay Street Theatre, Guild Hall, UA/Regal East Hampton, and Montauk Movie. At least 25 countries are represented in the slate of films each year with an awards package worth $150,000. The festival’s diverse programs attract celebrities from around the world to the Hamptons as well as tourists and locals alike interested in film, culture, and the chic East End. This year, the Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) will present an Industry Tribute to Working Title Films. Founded in 1983 and co-chaired by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner since 1992, Working Title Films is one of the world’s leading film production companies. With over 100 films that have grossed almost $6 billion worldwide, its films have won 10 Academy Awards, 35 BAFTA Awards, and many prizes at the Cannes and Berlin International Film Festivals. The event will feature British filmmakers Richard Curtis, About Time, Love Actually,

Edgar Wright, Shaun of the Dead and The World’s End.  HIFF has Signature Programs such as In Conversation With Series, Conflict and Resolution (five films where a winner is chosen), Golden Starfish Competition (GSA’s) where a documentary, narrative, and short film winner is chosen, Variety’s 10 Actors to Watch Program, and for the second year, they are focusing on films from or about the United Kingdom (UK). HIFF will present Family Films, Films from Long Island, Oscar Contenders, Indie Films, and Films for Women. A sneak preview of HIFF 2013 reveals “Views From Long Island.” Three feature films and three shorts focus on local filmmakers, Long Island landscapes, and community issues. The three features are: Big Shot, by director Kevin Connolly (a Patchogue native) about the rise and fall of the New York Islanders; The Maid’s Room, by director Michael Walker (a Bellport resident) about a maid in the Hamptons; and Kiss The Water, by director Eric Steel (who grew up in Bridgehampton) about fly-fishing. The three shorts are: Miss Todd, by director Kristina Yee; Lost Thoughts, by director Jeff Scher; and Fool’s

Day, by director Cody Blue Snider.  The Hamptons International Film Festival also benefits many of the local shops and restaurants in the Hamptons. Anne Chaisson, Executive Director of the Hamptons International Film Festival believes, “Every store and restaurant is touched by the Festival, especially in Southampton, Sag Harbor and East Hampton.” She says, “We also hold panels in Rowdy Hall in East Hampton and multiple private events in restaurants and hotels. And c/o The Maidstone in East Hampton is our official headquarters venue.” Sophie Boner, General Manager of c/o The Maidstone remarks, “We at c/o The Maidstone are big fans and supporters of the Hamptons International Film Festival. We are the hosts of the official press center offering a central location for the journalists to host interviews, work in our Cozy Lounge and meet and greet with the producers and actors. We host several events including the opening cocktail party and the Breakthrough brunch in The Living Room Restaurant, which are always fabulous events. We look forward to the Film Festival every year as it brings in a talented group in the entertainment industry.”

Christy Cober, Director of Operations at Honest Man Restaurants says, “We at Nick & Toni’s in East Hampton, look forward to the Hamptons International Film Festival every year. We have always been supportive of the arts as Toni Ross is one of the founders of the event and the chair emeritus of this festival. We look forward to hosting the actors, writers, and producers at the restaurant during the festival. As well, at our sister restaurant Rowdy Hall, we open the doors to the community to join open discussions on select films at ‘Rowdy Talks’ throughout the festival.” Chaisson exclaims, “We’ve been privileged to bring visiting filmmaking artists to the East End for the past 21 years and to showcase such high caliber international and domestic narratives and documentary films. We are so grateful for the local community that supports us.”

The Hamptons International Film Festival attracts many people out east beyond the summer months into the fall. They arrive for the Film Festival and enjoy gallery hopping, antiquing, wining and dining, and seeing what’s hot in the real estate market. Fall is a great time to explore the East End, take a long walk on the beach, and perhaps make an offer on your newly discovered dream home!

Ruth Thomas, a freelance writer on the East End enjoys history, music, literature, art, nature, the beach, and her cute dachshund, Clancy. She can be contacted at [email protected]