The 22nd Annual Hamptons International Film Festival

There are so many dozens of fascinating films, talks, premiers, parties and other events at the Hamptons International Film Festival that you practically need a compass to navigate through it all. Instead, we asked insider Stuart Match Suna, a founder and Chair of the annual event, now in its 22nd year, to be our guide. Suna is also President of Silvercup Studios, a member of The New York Production Alliance, and Vice Chair of the Museum of the Moving Image – so he knows whereof he speaks. Here are his suggestions of festival must-sees.
First and foremost, Suna recommends purchasing a Founder’s Pass. This veritable key to the kingdom allows holders to get into just about everything the festival offers including celebrity-studded events and all films, even if they’re sold out. $1,300

A Conversation With …
A highlight of the festival, these talks with talent were originally kept secret. For the festival’s first year Stephen Spielberg and Martin Scorcese were the surprise guests. This year will feature Hilary Swank, who co-stars in the festival’s “Centerpiece” film, The Homesman, along with Tommy Lee Jones, who also directs the film about three women’s struggles in the American frontier. Director Joel Schumacher, who will receive a festival award, will also be interviewed onstage at the Bay Street Theater. A third was not yet announced at press time. Says Suna: “Filmgoers love these intimate hour-long conversations.”

Golden Starfish Competition Films
The 20 films in this category, by emerging directors from 15 countries, compete for the Golden Starfish Awards. Juried by industry players these, often provocative films, offer a glimpse into cinema’s next wave of filmmakers. Says Suna: “These are films by really talented filmmakers that you won’t see in the mainstream.”

Views from Long Island
This section focuses on local filmmakers and films with geographic ties to the Hamptons. The SHOWTIME® series, The Affair, set against East End locations, will play at the festival before it airs on the network. Rory Culkin stars in another film shot in the Hamptons, Gabriel, about a young man on the edge, and his quest for love. Amagansett resident, Volker Schlöndorff, will host the premiere of his film, Diplomacy, about the Nazi’s plan to destroy Paris. Says Suna: “These are very exciting films you get to see before your friends.”
Spotlight Films
Not yet announced at press time, these half-dozen or so films traditionally sell out within 24 hours. These are low to middle-budget, highly creative independent films that more often than not go on to get Oscar nods, if not awards. Think: Argo, 127 Hours, The King’s Speech. Suna attributes this success partly to the rigorous handpicking of films and also to the fact that many members of the Motion Picture Academy (writers, producers, directors, actors) have homes in the Hamptons, thus are able to view the films early on. Says Suna: “Over the past six years, HIFF Spotlight film choices have garnered critical acclaim that has resulted in over 150 Oscar nominations including five Best Picture winners.”
Documentaries
The festival also has a great record of showing world-class documentaries that win Oscars, including The Cove and Searching for Sugar Man. These are important looks at the world and films that will not be shown at a multiplex near you. So here’s your chance to see such films as this year’s The Great Invisible, which chronicles the aftermath of the 2010 Gulf Coast Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the industry corruption that led to it. Says Suna: “The documentaries offer real life drama coupled with great storytelling and superb cinematography.“

So, let the lights dim, the credits roll, and the shows begin.
Zoe Langstrom is a former public relations exec turned Hamptonite who can be
found hiding out in Sag Harbor, dining at the American Hotel, swimming at a secret
bay beach, and attending everything at Guild Hall.