Cognac's Corner Magazine
31ST HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
This year the Hamptons International Film Festival celebrates their 31st Anniversary and opened the festival with the Opening Night Screening at East Hampton Middle School in East Hampton, New York.
NYAD A remarkable true story of tenacity, friendship and the triumph of the human spirit, NYAD recounts a riveting chapter in the life of world-class athlete Diana Nyad. At the age of 60, three decades after giving up marathon swimming in exchange for a prominent career as a sports journalist, Diana (four-time Academy Award® nominee Annette Bening) becomes obsessed with completing an epic swim that always eluded her: the 110-mile trek from Cuba to Florida, often referred to as the “Mount Everest” of swims. Determined to become the first person to finish the swim without a shark cage, Diana goes on a thrilling, four-year journey with her best friend and coach Bonnie Stoll (two-time Academy Award® winner Jodie Foster) and a ragtag but dedicated sailing team.
Academy Award®-winning directors and HIFF alums Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin (THE RESCUE, FREE SOLO) make their narrative feature debut with this visceral, heartfelt testament to the importance of determination at any age. A Netflix release.
Directed by Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi starring Annette Bening, Jodie Foster, Rhys Ifans, Ethan Jones Romero, Luke Cosgrove, Jeena Yi, Eric T. Miller
I also attended several other red carpet screening including TREES AND OTHER ENTANGLEMENTS directed by Irene Taylor and AVENUE OF THE GIANTS directed by Finn Taylor (Director), Jeanine Thomas (Producer).
TREES AND OTHER ENTAGLEMENTS
Documentary Feature | USA | 2023 | English | 115 minutes
The entangled lives of people and the trees they love take center stage in this contemporary tale of our connection to the natural world and to one another. Lyrical and meditative, TREES AND OTHER ENTANGLEMENTS traces an array of deeply human stories, among them a young boy kidnapped and hidden amongst trees; an artist refining American bonsai; a photographer who artfully observes trees; and a man who steadfastly plants them. Director and photojournalist Irene Taylor (HEAR AND NOW) puts forth an earnest appeal for conservation at a time when an emotional reconnection with our environment has never felt so urgent. An HBO release.
AVENUE OF THE GIANTS
Herbert Heller (Stephen Lang, AVATAR) carries a traumatic secret: now the beloved owner of a toy store in Northern California, Herbert is a Holocaust survivor. The Nazis forced him into the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp at age 12, but he managed to escape and kept the secret from everyone—including his own children—for 60 years. When Herbert is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he befriends Abbey (Elsie Fisher, EIGHTH GRADE), an isolated teenager whose own struggles inspire him to open up. Based on a true story, AVENUE OF THE GIANTS is a tender depiction of an intergenerational friendship that offers the unlikely pair a path toward healing.
I also had a chance to interview various filmmakers at the Round Table at The Maidstone Inn. Below are the filmmakers and their films.
I was thrilled to interview Director Noah Pritzker about his film Ex-Husbands starring Griffin Dunne and Rosanna Arquette
EX-HUSBANDS
Griffin Dunne (THE DISCOVERERS, HIFF 2012) stars as Peter Pearce, a New Yorker reeling from his parents’ recent divorce and his own wife (Rosanna Arquette, reuniting with her AFTER HOURS co-star) leaving him after 35 years. When he crashes his son Nick’s (James Norton) bachelor party in Tulum, Peter soon realizes he’s not the only Pearce man in crisis. Set against the spectacular backdrop of the Yucatán, writer/director Noah Pritzker (QUITTERS) has crafted a witty and deeply human drama about divorce, heartache, fathers and sons, and getting away from it all.
PRAYING FOR ARMAGEDDON
Documentary Feature
World Cinema Documentary
97 min
US Premiere
PRAYING FOR ARMAGEDDON is a chilling political docu-thriller that reveals the power and influence of U.S. fundamentalist Evangelicals as they aim to fulfill the prophecy of a Holy War that will trigger the Second Coming of Christ. Award-winning director Tonje Hessen Schei (iHUMAN, DRONE) gains unprecedented access to…
Directed By Tonje Hessen Schei, Michael Rowley
SHADOW BROTHER SUNDAY
Narrative Short
Short Films
15 min
A down-on-his-luck musician returns home on the day of his younger brother’s movie premiere to steal his brother’s computer and sell it to the…
Directed By Alden Ehrenreich
RADICAL
Narrative Feature
World Cinema Narrative
127 min
In a Mexican border town plagued by neglect, corruption, and violence, frustrated teacher Sergio (Eugenio Derbez, CODA) experiments with inventive new methods to break through his students’ apathy and unlock their curiosity and potential. Based on a true story, RADICAL is a playful and honest look at how children can discover…
Directed By Christopher Zalla
SILENT FALLOUT: BABY TEETH SPEAK
Documentary Feature
Air Land & Sea
85 min
World Premiere
In 2001, 85,000 baby teeth were discovered in Missouri, collected 50 years earlier in a study on the radioactive consequences of nuclear testing conducted on US soil. Carried by the wind, radioactive material produced by more than 100 nuclear explosions contaminated pastures, vegetables and water across the continent.…
Directed By Hideaki Ito
SONGS OF EARTH
Using her native Norway’s dizzyingly beautiful mountain landscapes as a monumental backdrop, director Margreth Olin embarks on a yearlong existential journey, reconnecting with her aging parents as they reflect on both their long and happy marriage and their place in the natural world. As she exquisitely documents her 84-year-old father’s hikes through magnificent fjords and across glowing glaciers, he quietly bears witness to how the vast expanses of his surroundings have complemented the joys of his inner life. Executive produced by Wim Wenders and Liv Ullmann, SONGS OF EARTH is a stunning, cinematic work about life, love, death, nature and simply being present in the world. Norway’s Academy Award® submission for Best International Feature.
Director Margreth Olin
The 31st Hamptons International Film Festival, presented by HamptonsFilm, today announced the winners for feature and short competition sections and audience awards. This year HIFF screened a lineup of films that are 49% female-directed and represent 42 countries from around the world. The festival had a record number of submissions this year and screened 72 features and 46 shorts with 8 World Premieres, 3 North American Premieres, 12 US Premieres, 13 East Coast Premieres, and 7 New York Premieres. All feature and short competition section screenings were sponsored by Silvercup Studios.
20,000 SPECIES OF BEES, directed by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren, won the Award for Best Narrative Feature. The film received a $2,500 cash prize, and $72,500 in in-kind goods and services, sponsored by Panavision, Hamptons Locations, and On Location Education.
“The narrative feature award is given to 20,000 SPECIES OF BEES, an exceptionally sensitive and nuanced portrayal of childhood, shown largely from the perspective of an eight-year-old struggling to understand their identity. The performances are heartbreaking, anchored by young Sofia Otero, who is a revelation. As gender issues are currently debated in loud and polemic terms, this outstanding film presents the feelings of a child with uncommon grace,” said Narrative Competition Jury members Arianna Bocco, David Koepp, and Matt Singer.
The Narrative Competition Jury also recognized THE FEELING THAT THE TIME FOR DOING SOMETHING HAS PASSED with a Special Mention for director Joanna Arnow’s authentic, singular, and hilarious voice.
TELL THEM YOU LOVE ME, directed by Nick August-Perna, received the Award for Best Documentary Feature. The film received a $2,500 cash prize and $20,000 in in-kind goods and services, sponsored by GreenSlate and 91 East Productions.
“With a strong group of documentary contenders at HIFF this year, we are proud that our selection for Best Documentary Feature is Nick August-Perna's World Premiere feature film, TELL THEM YOU LOVE ME. We were greatly impressed with the way August-Perna constructed the telling of this controversial story—one that addresses issues of power, consent, and truth in the context of race, gender, and disability—with a sophisticated nuance that respects not only its subjects but the audience as well,” said Documentary Competition Jury members Caryn Coleman, Marie Therese Giurgis, and Carlos Sandoval.
XIAOHUI AND HIS COWS, directed by Xinying Lao, received the Award for Best Narrative Short Film, and THE WAITING, directed by Volker Schlecht, won for Best Documentary Short Film. Both films received $1,000 cash prizes and will qualify for Academy Awards® consideration.
Hamptons International Film Festival audiences selected narrative feature FRESH KILLS, directed by Jennifer Esposito, and documentary feature ANGEL APPLICANT, directed by Ken August Meyer for this year’s Audience Awards. FORGOTTEN FOUNDERS: DAVID HEMPSTEAD, SENIOR, directed by Sam Hamilton and Julian Alvarez, and MERV, directed by Sam Roebling tied for this year’s Audience Award for Best Short Film.
The festival also announced winners for additional special awards:
THE BREAKTHROUGH, directed by Daniel Sinclair, was awarded the 2023 Peter Macgregor-Scott Memorial Award. The award, which is accompanied by a $10,000 cash prize, aims to continue the celebrated producer’s mentorship for a new generation of passionate filmmakers. Sponsored by Susan Macgregor-Scott, this award is specifically designed to recognize narrative short filmmakers and reward creative approaches to solving practical production challenges in the service of storytelling.
A REVOLUTION ON CANVAS, directed by Sara Nodjoumi and Till Schauder, and BEYOND UTOPIA, directed by Madeleine Gavin, were awarded the Brizzolara Family Foundation Award to Films of Conflict and Resolution. The two films will split a $5,000 cash prize. This award recognizes films in the Films of Conflict & Resolution program, which is dedicated to showcasing films that deal with the complex issues and societal effects of war and violence. These films are selected because of their excellence in filmmaking and depiction of provocative and dramatic content. Since this signature section was launched over 20 years ago, it has continued to stimulate discussion about major issues and conflicts of our time.
SMOKE SAUNA SISTERHOOD, directed by Anna Hints, was presented with the Victor Rabinowitz & Joanne Grant Award for Social Justice. The annual award, which is accompanied by a $2,000 cash prize presented by Mark Rabinowitz, is presented to a film that exemplifies the values of peace, equality, global justice, and civil liberties, and is named in honor of two people who spent their entire lives fighting for those values: civil rights lawyer Victor Rabinowitz and his wife Joanne Grant, an author, filmmaker and journalist.
WILDING, directed by David Allen, received the Zelda Penzel Giving Voice to the Voiceless Award. Presented to a film in the Compassion, Justice & Animal Rights Signature program, the award recognizes a film that inspires compassion, compels social change, and raises public awareness about the moral and ethical treatment and the rights of animals, as well as environmental protection. The film was awarded a $2,500 cash prize.
THESE DAYS, directed by Junior Gonzalez, was awarded the 2023 Suffolk County Next Exposure Grant. This $3,000 grant is awarded to a feature film in the Views From Long Island Signature Program. This program supports the completion of high quality, original director-driven, low budget independent films from both emerging and established filmmakers who have completed 50% of principal photography within Suffolk County, New York. Sponsored by the Suffolk County Film Commission.
Two awards were given for this year’s inaugural Sherzum Award. Sponsored by producer Jayne Baron Sherman, a long time LGBTQ+ activist, this award is designed to acknowledge and foster stories about LGBTQ+ people, issues and concerns. Named for Jayne and her wife Deborah Zum, the Sherzum Award will encourage films that show the realities and challenges—as well as successes—of the people and communities it represents. RUSTIN, directed by George C. Wolfe, received a $5,000 cash prize, and SUMMER QAMP, directed by Jen Markowitz, received a $2,500 cash prize.
FANCY DANCE, directed by Erica Tremblay and BEYOND UTOPIA, directed by Madeleine Gavin were awarded the New York Women in Film & Television Award for Excellence in Narrative Filmmaking, and the New York Women in Film & Television Award for Excellence in Documentary Filmmaking, respectively. These awards honor outstanding female filmmakers who have demonstrated exceptional artistic vision and dedication to their craft. Both films received a $1,000 cash prize and a six month membership to NYWIFT.
FRESH KILLS, directed by Jennifer Esposito, also received a New York Women in Film & Television Award Honorable Mention for Excellence in Narrative Filmmaking.
The festival also announced the recipients of the University Short Film Awards, honoring emerging young talent and awarding five filmmakers cash prizes of $500 each. Awardees include SO THEY SAY "Así Dicen", directed by Natalia Luque (Columbia University), FIRST, I DREAM "Primero, Sueño", directed by Andrés Lira (California State University, Sacramento), CLASSMATES, directed by Major Dorfman (Columbia University), ME & AYDAROUS, directed by Sara Balghonaim (NYU Tisch Graduate Film Program), and DAYDREAMING SO VIVIDLY ABOUT OUR SPANISH HOLIDAYS, directed by Christian Avilés (Escola Superior de Cinema i Audiovisuals de Catalunya).
This year’s Narrative Feature Competition Jury was composed of former President of IFC Films Arianna Bocco; American film director and screenwriter David Koepp; and ScreenCrush film critic and current Chair of the New York Film Critics Circle Matt Singer.
The Documentary Feature Competition Jury included The Future of Film is Female founder Caryn Coleman; producer and Head of Documentary at Play/Action Pictures Marie Therese Giurgis; and Emmy-nominated and Sundance award-winning filmmaker Carlos Sandoval.
This year the Festival was honored to partner with the New York Film Critics Circle for the fifteenth year.
“Congratulations to all of this year’s winners!” said HamptonsFilm Artistic Director David Nugent. “We were honored to welcome so many returning filmmakers as well as those sharing their films with our audiences for the first time here in the Hamptons. Our community came out in droves and welcomed this year’s films and guests with such warmth and enthusiasm.”
“As we close out our 31st edition, we want to express our utmost gratitude to not only our incredible audiences for their continued support of the festival, but also to our diligent staff, volunteers, sponsors, partners, and esteemed guests for making it possible to program another year of dynamic screenings and conversations,” said HamptonsFilm Executive Director Anne Chaisson.
Attendees of the 2023 festival included David Allen, Behi Djanati Atai, Joanna Arnow, Rosanna Arquette, Robert Ascencio, Ken August Meyer, Nick August-Perna, Bob Balaban, Alec & Hilaria Baldwin, Alexander Bernstein, Jamie Bernstein, Nina Bernstein, Sam Bisbee, Christie Brinkley, İlker Çatak, Bruce Cohen, Scott Cohen, Matt Creed, Ron Delsener, Eugenio Derbez, Griffin Dunne, Alden Ehrenreich, Jesse Eisenberg, Jennifer Esposito, Christian Friedel, Madeleine Gavin, Alex Gibney, Patricia Gillespie, Jason Goldman, Junior Gonzalez, David Gutnik, Mary Heilmann, Matt Heineman, Miles Heizer, Oskar Hes, Cord Jefferson, Maryam Keshavarz, Renee King-Sonnen, Jen Markowitz, Hilla Medalia, Jesse Moss, Sheila Nevins, Nicky Nodjoumi, Sara Nodjoumi, Timothy Nordwind, Margreth Olin, Noah Pritzker, Petter Ringbom, Christian Robinson, Michael Rowley, Joanna Rudnick, Tonje Schei Hessen, Liev Schreiber, Paul Simon, Slavko Sobin, Celine Song, Marquise Stillwell, Stella Stocker, Bonnie Stoll, Jake Sumner, Finn Taylor, Irene Taylor, Chai Vasarhelyi, Carla Vila, Brendan Walsh, DK Welchman, Hugh Welchman, George C. Wolfe, Jessica Yu, Christopher Zalla, and more.
The festival awarded prizes to filmmakers in cash and goods and services of over $124,000 this year, with over $5 million awarded in competition funds and services over the past 31 years.
HIFF thanks the sponsors and supporters for this year’s festival, including returning Premiere Sponsor Audi; Lead Sponsor The Macallan; Signature Sponsors King & Spalding, and UBS; Supporting Sponsors Naturopathica, Dragon Hemp, Silvercup, and Regal Cinemas; as well as official Media Sponsors Variety, WNBC, The Purist, The East Hampton Star, Signature Sponsor The Atlantic, and new supporting sponsor MUBI; Contributing Sponsors Assemble Media, Montauk Brewing Company, Natural Geographics, Netflix, Owl’s Brew, Wolffer Estate Vineyard, and long term support from New York State Council on the Arts, and Suffolk County Film Commission. For more information, please visit www.hamptonsfilmfest.org.
HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL CONGRATULATES THE 2023 WINNERS:
HIFF Award Winner for Best Narrative Feature
20,000 SPECIES OF BEES, directed by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren
HIFF Best Narrative Feature Special Mention
THE FEELING THAT THE TIME FOR DOING SOMETHING HAS PASSED, directed by Joanna Arnow
HIFF Award Winner for Best Documentary Feature
TELL THEM YOU LOVE ME, directed by Nick August-Perna
HIFF Award Winner for Best Narrative Short Film
XIAOHUI AND HIS COWS, directed by Xinying Lao
HIFF Award Winner for Best Documentary Short Film
THE WAITING, directed by Volker Schlecht
HIFF Audience Award Winner for Best Narrative Feature
FRESH KILLS, directed by Jennifer Esposito
HIFF Audience Award Winner for Best Documentary Feature
ANGEL APPLICANT, directed by Ken August Meyer
HIFF Audience Award Winner for Best Short Film
FORGOTTEN FOUNDERS: DAVID HEMPSTEAD, SENIOR, directed by Sam Hamilton and Julian Alvarez
and
MERV, directed by Sam Roebling
The Peter Macgregor-Scott Memorial Award
THE BREAKTHROUGH, directed by Daniel Sinclair
The 2023 Brizzolara Family Foundation Award to Films of Conflict and Resolution
A REVOLUTION ON CANVAS, directed by Sara Nodjoumi and Till Schauder
and
BEYOND UTOPIA, directed by Madeleine Gavin
Victor Rabinowitz and Joanne Grant Award for Social Justice
SMOKE SAUNA SISTERHOOD, directed by Anna Hints
The Zelda Penzel Giving Voice to the Voiceless Award
WILDING, directed by David Allen
Suffolk County Next Exposure Grant
THESE DAYS, directed by Junior Gonzalez
The Sherzum Award
RUSTIN, directed by George C. Wolfe
and
SUMMER QAMP, directed by Jen Markowitz
New York Women in Film & Television Award for Excellence in Narrative Filmmaking
FANCY DANCE, directed by Erica Tremblay
New York Women in Film & Television Award for Excellence in Narrative Filmmaking Honorable Mention
FRESH KILLS, directed by Jennifer Esposito
New York Women in Film & Television Award for Excellence in Documentary Filmmaking
BEYOND UTOPIA, directed by Madeleine Gavin
University Short Film Awards
SO THEY SAY "Así Dicen", directed by Natalia Luque
FIRST, I DREAM "Primero, Sueño", directed by Andrés Lira
CLASSMATES, directed by Major Dorfman
ME & AYDAROUS, directed by Sara Balghonaim
DAYDREAMING SO VIVIDLY ABOUT OUR SPANISH HOLIDAYS, directed by Christian Avilés
HIFF Narrative Feature Competition Jury
Arianna Bocco, former President of IFC Films
David Koepp, American film director & screenwriter, best known for writing JURASSIC PARK; THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK, and INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL,
Matt Singer, ScreenCrush.com film critic & Chair of the New York Film Critics Circle
HIFF Documentary Feature Competition Jury
Caryn Coleman, Founder of The Future of Film is Female
Marie Therese Giurgis, Head of Documentary at Play/Action Pictures
Carlos Sandoval, Emmy-nominated and Sundance award-winning filmmaker, best known for AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, CLASS APART, and FARMINGVILLE
HamptonsFilm was founded in 1992 to celebrate the art of film and to introduce a unique and varied spectrum of international films and filmmakers to our audiences.
A 501(c)3 non-profit organization with year-round screenings of global narrative and documentary films, a world-renowned annual film festival (HIFF) each October, a summer documentary program, a unique Screenwriters Lab, and extensive educational initiatives, HamptonsFilm offers programs that enlighten, educate, and provide invaluable exposure for filmmakers, while also providing the East End of Long Island with an educational and cultural experience that enriches the lives of its citizens and contributes to the local economy.
The annual film festival, the premier film event on New York State’s East End, and recently referred to by Variety as “one of America’s most glamorous displays of the best in cutting-edge cinema,” continues to play an important role during awards season, with a significant number of titles highlighted every year at the Academy Awards.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL PLEASE GO TO https://filmguide.hamptonsfilmfest.org/
KEEP READING COGNAC'S CORNER MAGAZINE FOR THE VERY BEST IN RED CARPET EVENTS IN MANHATTAN AND LONG ISLAND AND THE HAMPTONS.
PINK CHAMPAGNE KISSES
COGNAC WELLERLANE
30TH HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
An array of international filmmakers, actors and directors attended the 30th Hamptons International Film Festival.
30TH ANNUAL HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OPENING WEEKEND | October 7-16, 2022 | Guests Included Alec and Hilaria Baldwin, Hugh Jackman, Chelsea Clinton, Donna Karan, Stephanie Hsu, Kaitlyn Dever, Jordana Brewster, Bob Balaban, Misty Copeland, Adam Pally, Reid Scott, Crystal Reed, Martin McDonagh, Chris Columbus, Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, Peter Hedges, Rory Kennedy, Oliver Hermanus, Christina Jackson, Cory Michael Smith, Wyatt Fenner, Dick Cavett, Bruce Weber, Christine Choi, Shawn Levy and more
David Nugent, Oliver Hermanus, Anne Chaisson,
Cognac Interviews Director Oliver Hermanusphoto by Debra Rothberg
Cognac Wellerlane poses for a photo-op photo by Debra Rothberg
Cognac interviews Director Ivete Lucas from "Naked Gardens"
Actor Adam Pally photos by HamptonsFilm
Dirctor Xavier Manrique and Star Jordana Brewster
Artistic Director David Nugent poses for photo-op with the Cast of "Who invited Charlie"
Chelsea Clinton and Donna Karan Getty Images
Actor Hugh Jackman and David Nugent Getty Images
Mariska Hargitay photographed at the October 15th "A Conversation With Mariska Hargitay" luncheon, hosted by The Pridwin on Shelter Island as part of the 30th annual Hamptons International Film Festival, where Hargitay received the festival's Dick Cavett Artistic Champion Award
Credit: Jessica Dalene/Hamptons International Film Festival
Mariska Hargitay Honored with Dick Cavett Artistic Champion Award at 30th Anniversary Edition of the Hamptons International Film Festival
TV HOST COGNAC WELLERLANE INTERVIEWS AT THE 30TH HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FEST AT THE OPENING NIGHT PREMIER OF "LIVING" DIRECTED BY OLIVER HERMANUS
Five films made their world premieres at the extended, 10-day 30th Annual HIFF, taking place October 7-16. We are pleased to celebrate these debuts and an additional selection of films across our Spotlight and World Cinema programs, and our Signature Programs Films of Conflict & Resolution, Compassion, Justice & Animal Rights, and Views From Long Island.
“It is with great enthusiasm that we are able to once again welcome our film-loving community back to our theaters out East for the 30th anniversary of the festival,” said David Nugent, HamptonsFilm Artistic Director. “With a diverse and robust selection of narrative and documentary films, we are excited to share unique, thrilling stories from this year’s talented filmmakers. We feel so proud to play host to a number of World Premiere screenings, and are honored that these brilliant storytellers have chosen to screen their films for audiences for the first time here at HIFF.”
Five films will make their world premieres at the extended, 10-day 30th Annual HIFF, taking place October 7-16. We are pleased to celebrate these debuts and an additional selection of films across our Spotlight and World Cinema programs, and our Signature Programs Films of Conflict & Resolution, Compassion, Justice & Animal Rights, and Views From Long Island.
“It is with great enthusiasm that we are able to once again welcome our film-loving community back to our theaters out East for the 30th anniversary of the festival,” said David Nugent, HamptonsFilm Artistic Director. “With a diverse and robust selection of narrative and documentary films, we are excited to share unique, thrilling stories from this year’s talented filmmakers. We feel so proud to play host to a number of World Premiere screenings, and are honored that these brilliant storytellers have chosen to screen their films for audiences for the first time here at HIFF.”
I was happy to interview Director Oliver Hermanus about his film "Living" which premiered on opening night October 7, 2022.
OPENING NIGHT FILM:
LIVING
Director: Oliver Hermanus
Friday, October 7, 2022
In this elegant reimagining of Akira Kurosawa’s beloved classic IKIRU, BAFTA Award® winner Bill Nighy delivers a remarkable performance as Mr. Williams, a dedicated civil servant living in post-WWII London who receives an earth-shattering diagnosis, forcing him to take stock of his lonely existence. In the hopes of answering life’s most important questions, he sets out on a series of adventures, determined to find some fulfillment before time runs out. Magnificently scripted by Kazuo Ishiguro (Nobel Prize-winning author of The Remains of The Day and Never Let Me Go), and exquisitely helmed by Oliver Hermanus, LIVING is the story of an ordinary man who, at the eleventh hour, makes a supreme effort to turn his life into something wonderful. The film also stars Aimee Lou Wood, Alex Sharp, and Tom Burke. A Sony Pictures Classics release
WORLD PREMIERES
WHO INVITED CHARLIE?
World Premiere
Directed by Xavier Manrique
Spotlight Film / Views From Long Island
Shot out East, WHO INVITED CHARLIE? stars Jordana Brewster, Adam Pally, and Reid Scott, and follows a family hiding out in the Hamptons as their bubble is popped when a Bloody Mary-swilling, pot-smoking ‘Charlie’ from their past shows up seeking refuge.
• Spotlight is sponsored by Audi
• Views From Long Island is supported by the Suffolk County Film Commission.
I was happy to interview the Director Xavier Manrique at the premiere.
A RADICAL LIFE
World Premiere
Directed by Ricki Stern
Films of Conflict & Resolution
This documentary takes an unfiltered look at the former First Lady of ISIS, Tania Joya, who for twelve years was married to John Georgelas, the highest ranking American in ISIS.
JANUARY 6TH
World Premiere
Directed by Jules and Gédéon Naudet
World Cinema Documentary
This documentary examines January 6th from the unique perspective of the heroes, first responders, and survivors of the attack as they reveal their first-hand experience of the stand.
PINBALL – THE MAN WHO SAVED THE GAME
World Premiere
Directed by Austin and Meredith Bragg
World Cinema Narrative
Starring Mike Faist, Crystal Reed, and Dennis Boutsikaris, PINBALL – THE MAN WHO SAVED THE GAME follows an unsettled writer and his journey to save the game of pinball while also facing life’s challenges.
I was also happy to interview the Directors Austin and Meredith Bragg at the press blocks at the 1770 House Inn during the festival.
THE VOLCANO: RESCUE FROM WHAKAARI
World Premiere
Directed by Rory Kennedy
World Cinema Documentary
A minute-by-minute account of unsuspecting tourists caught in a tragic volcanic eruption while sightseeing on an island off New Zealand in 2019, THE VOLCANO: RESCUE FROM WHAKAARI celebrates the survivors, as well as the everyday people who courageously came to their rescue.
• A Netflix release
Also Hugh Jackman participated in a Q&A with Artistic Director David Nugent following the October 9th Centerpiece screening of THE SON as part of the 30th anniversary edition of the Hamptons International Film Festival
Some notable filmmakers I interviewed at the film festival included:
NAKED GARDENS
Documentary Feature | 90 minutes
Directed by
Ivete Lucas, Patrick Bresnan
Produced by
Ivete Lucas, Patrick Bresnan, Tabs Breese, Julia Nottingham
REASONS
Narrative Short | 11 minutes
Directed by
Charlotte Peters
Produced by
Duncan Moore
Written by
Duncan Moore
Featuring
Saffron Coomber, Duncan Moore, Stevie Martin, Hamza Jeetooa
THE CAVE OF ADULLAM
Documentary Feature
World Cinema Documentary
92 min
Academy Award®-nominated director Laura Checkoway (EDITH + EDDIE, HIFF 2017) delivers a tender new documentary on the i (…)
Read more..
Directed By Laura Checkoway
THE FOREST MAKER
Documentary Feature
Air Land & Sea
87 min
US Premiere
Esteemed New German Cinema luminary and Academy Award® winner Volker Schlöndorff’s (THE TIN DRUM) first documentary (…)
Read more..
Directed By Volker Schlöndorff
ROCCO UP
Rocco is an autistic boy who has always loved being in the ocean. Over the years, he develops confidence, grac...
22 min | John Madere | | New York Premiere | English
NYC TIPS AND TRICKS
Narrative Short
Short Film
11 min
A small-time travel vlogger’s tour of Coney Island is interrupted by an unexpected call. (…)
Read more..
Directed By Amber Schaefer
Featuring
Yoni Lotan, Andi Poland, Griffin Newman, Alyssa Limperis
OUR FATHER, THE DEVIL
Narrative Feature
Conflict & Resolution
108 min
Marie Cissé’s (Babetida Sadjo) quiet life working as a chef in a French countryside retirement home is shattered when (…)
Read more..
Directed By Ellie Foumbi
SHE ALWAYS WINS
Narrative Short
Short Film
10 min
US Premiere
A young woman views her new relationship through her sister”s eyes and, for the first time, understands that she i (…)
Read more..
Directed By Hazel McKibbin
East Hampton, NY (October 15, 2022) – HamptonsFilm today announced the full list of feature and short film award winners for the 30th anniversary edition of the Hamptons International Film Festival, including the Audience Award winners in the Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature and Short Film categories.
Davy Chou’s RETURN TO SEOUL, distributed by Sony Picture Classics and following a girl who finds herself embarking on an unexpected journey in a country she knows so little about after returning to South Korea for the first time since she was adopted and raised in France, won this year’s Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature. Christopher Sharp & Moses Bwayo’s BOBI WINE: THE PEOPLE’S PRESIDENT, distributed by National Geographic Documentary Films and chronicling the story of Bobi Wine, the musician-turned-politician leading the opposition to the 35-year regime in Uganda, won this year’s Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature. Kyle Thrash and Haley Elizabeth Anderson’s THE SENTENCE OF MICHAEL THOMPSON, which tells the story of Michael Thompson, the longest-serving nonviolent offender in Michigan history, whose daughter and his lawyer fight for his clemency, won the Audience Award for Best Short Film at this year's edition of HIFF.
Previously announced feature and short competition award winners for this year’s festival include CLOSE for Best Narrative Feature, PRAY FOR OUR SINNERS for Best Documentary Feature, SNOW IN SEPTEMBER for Best Narrative Short Film, and WHEN THE LAPD BLOWS UP YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD for Best Documentary Short Film.
Masha Novikova’s GLORIOUS REVOLUTION was awarded the 2022 Peter Macgregor-Scott Memorial Award. The award, which is accompanied by a $10,000 cash prize, aims to continue the celebrated producer’s mentorship for a new generation of passionate filmmakers. Sponsored by Susan Macgregor-Scott, this award is specifically designed to recognize narrative short filmmakers and reward creative approaches to solving practical production challenges in the service of storytelling.
Evgeny Afineevsky’s FREEDOM ON FIRE: UKRAINE’S FIGHT FOR FREEDOM was awarded the 2022 Brizzolara Family Foundation Award to Films of Conflict & Resolution, which is accompanied by a $5,000 cash prize.
Volker Schlöndorff’s THE FOREST MAKER was presented with the Victor Rabinowitz & Joanne Grant Award for Social Justice. The annual award is handed to a film that exemplifies the values of peace, equality, global justice and civil liberties, and is named after iconic civil rights lawyer Victor Rabinowitz and his wife Joanne Grant, an author, filmmaker and journalist. The award, which is accompanied by a cash prize of $2,000, is named in honor of two people who spent their entire lives fighting for those values.
Jerzy Skolimowski’s EO was awarded the Zelda Penzel “Giving Voice to the Voiceless” Award. This award is presented to a film that raises public awareness about contemporary social issues, including the moral and ethical treatment and the rights of animals as well as environmental protection. The film was awarded $2,500.
Pepi Ginsberg’s THE PASS was awarded the Suffolk County Film Commission Next Exposure Grant. This program supports the completion of high quality, original, director-driven, low-budget independent films from both emerging and established filmmakers who have completed 50% of principal photography within Suffolk County. The film was awarded a $3,000 grant.
Laura Checkoway’s THE CAVE OF ADULLAM and Ellie Foumbi’s OUR FATHER, THE DEVIL were awarded the New York Women in Film & Television Awards. These two awards honor outstanding female narrative and documentary filmmakers who have demonstrated exceptional artistic vision and dedication to their craft. Each award is accompanied by a $1,000 cash prize.
The festival also announced the recipients of the University Short Film Awards, highlighting the extraordinary talent and achievements of five exceptional students. Each will receive a $500 cash prize. Awardees include BERRY PICKERS, directed by Agnes Skonare Karlsson, GLORIOUS REVOLUTION, directed by Masha Novikova, MOTHERLAND, directed by Christina Yoon, TEXTURES, directed by Lindsay Opoku-Acheampong, and WET, directed by Marianne Bergeonneu, Lauriane Montpert, Mélina Mandon, Cloé Peyrebrune, and Elvira Taussac.
“We are so thankful to all of the artists who allowed us to share their films and incredible stories with our film-loving community,” said David Nugent, HamptonsFilm Artistic Director. “As our 30th anniversary edition of this year’s festival comes to an end, I would like to take a moment to congratulate the talented winners and all the filmmakers who made this year’s edition so special.”
“It has been a privilege to screen such a robust and inspiring selection of films as we celebrate 30 years of sharing stories with audiences out East,” said Anne Chaisson, HamptonsFilm Executive Director. “We would like to take a moment to wholeheartedly thank all of our filmmakers, audience members, staff, sponsors, and volunteers for making this milestone edition of HIFF a great success.”
Of the 69 feature films and 51 shorts screened as part of the 2022 Hamptons International Film Festival, 53% were female-directed and 38% were directed by filmmakers of color. 37 countries were represented at this year’s edition of HIFF.
Attendees of the 2022 festival included Alec and Hilaria Baldwin, Mariska Hargitay, Chelsea Clinton, Stephanie Hsu, Hugh Jackman, Kaitlyn Dever, Jordana Brewster, Bob Balaban, Adam Pally, Reid Scott, Keith Beauchamp, Crystal Reed, Martin McDonagh, Chris Columbus, Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, Peter Hedges, Rory Kennedy, Cristian Mungiu, Oliver Hermanus, Austin Bragg, Meredith Bragg, Judith Ivey, Sheila McCarthy, Christina Jackson, Cory Michael Smith, Todd Flaherty, Wyatt Fenner, Joey Taranto, Raúl Castillo, Davy Chou, Park Ji-min, Antonia Buresi, Laura Checkoway, Patricia E. Gillespie, Sadaf Foroughi, David Petersen, Robert S. Bader, Dick Cavett, Xavier Manrique, Mike Doyle, Moses Bwayo, Jules Naudet, Gedeon Naudet, Ellie Foumbi, Souléymane Sy Savané, Daniel Goldhaber, Sacha Jenkins, JD Dillard, Ricki Stern, Ryan White, Ben Klein, Violet Columbus, Karen Maine, Nancy Buirski, Matthew Heineman, Mia Hansen-Løve, Michael H. Weber, Carter Burwell, Joseph Cross, Misty Copeland, Steven Melendez, Rodrigo García, Krysty Wilson-Cairns, Amy Loughren, Lola Quivoron, Jordan Sjol, Roger Sharpe, Christine Choy, Justin Wilkes, Sara Bernstein, Cynthia Wade, Chris Hegedus, Volker Schlöndorff, Josh Seftel, Sinéad O’Shea, Evgeny Afineevsky, Chris Smith, Donna Karan, and more.
The 30th Annual Hamptons Film Festival closed Sunday, October 16, 2022, at the conclusion of an extended 10-day event. HIFF thanks the supporters for this year’s festival, including returning Premiere Sponsor Audi; Signature Sponsors Netflix, Silvercup Studios, Variety, and Gibson Dunn; and Supporting Sponsor Regal Cinemas; as well as new Lead Sponsor The Macallan; Supporting Sponsors Crystal Head Vodka and Dragon Hemp; official Media Sponsors WNBC, The East Hampton Star, The Purist, WNET, Long Island Broadcast Radio EHM, 101.7 The Beach, and 102.5 BAZ; and long term support from New York State Council on the Arts, and Suffolk County Film Commission. For more information, please visit www.hamptonsfilmfest.org.
HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL CONGRATULATES THE 2022 WINNERS:
Audience Award: Narrative Feature
RETURN TO SEOUL, directed by Davy Chou
Audience Award: Documentary Feature
BOBI WINE: THE PEOPLE’S PRESIDENT, directed by Christopher Sharp & Moses Bwayo
Audience Award: Short Film
THE SENTENCE OF MICHAEL THOMPSON, directed by Kyle Thrash & Haley Elizabeth Anderson
HIFF Award for Best Narrative Feature
CLOSE, directed by Lukas Dhont
HIFF Award for Best Documentary Feature
PRAY FOR OUR SINNERS, directed by Sinéad O’Shea
HIFF Award for Best Narrative Short Film
SNOW IN SEPTEMBER, directed by Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir
HIFF Award for Best Documentary Short Film
WHEN THE LAPD BLOWS UP YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, directed by Nathan Truesdell
The Peter Macgregor-Scott Memorial Award
GLORIOUS REVOLUTION, directed by Masha Novikova
The 2022 Brizzolara Family Foundation Award to Films of Conflict and Resolution
FREEDOM ON FIRE: UKRAINE'S FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, directed by Evgeny Afineevsky
Suffolk County Film Commission Next Exposure Grant
THE PASS, directed by Pepi Ginsberg
The Zelda Penzel “Giving Voice to the Voiceless” Award
EO, directed by Jerzy Skolimowski
Victor Rabinowitz and Joanne Grant Award for Social Justice
THE FOREST MAKER, directed by Volker Schlöndorff
New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) Awards
OUR FATHER, THE DEVIL, directed by Ellie Foumbi (Narrative)
THE CAVE OF ADULLAM, directed by Laura Checkoway (Documentary)
University Short Film Awards
BERRY PICKERS, directed by Agnes Skonare Karlsson
GLORIOUS REVOLUTION, directed by Masha Novikova
MOTHERLAND, directed by Christina Yoon
TEXTURES, directed by Lindsay Opoku-Acheampong
WET, directed by Marianne Bergeonneau, Lauriane Montpert, Mélina Mandon, Cloé Peyrebrune, Elvira Taussac
HIFF Narrative Feature Jury
Fred Berner, producer, whose work includes the Oscar-winning POLLOCK, VANYA ON 42nd STREET, THE GREAT WHITE HYPE, and THE BALLAD OF LITTLE JO
Jeb Brody, producer, whose work includes 1917, FINCH, and the upcoming THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER
Rajendra Roy, the Celeste Bartos Chief Curator of Film at The Museum of Modern Art
HIFF Documentary Feature Jury
Opal H. Bennett, producer, known for her work on POV Shorts which won the 2020 IDA Award for Best Short Form Series
Jordan Hoffman, writer, whose work can currently be read at Vanity Fair, The A.V. Club, The Guardian, and The Times of Israel
Regina Scully, producer, founder and CEO of Artemis Rising Foundation, who has produced over 200+ documentary films
HamptonsFilm, home of the Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF), based in East Hampton on the Eastern End of Long Island, was founded in 1992 to celebrate the art of film and to introduce a unique and varied spectrum of international films and filmmakers to our audiences. A non-profit organization with year-round screenings of global narrative and documentary films, an annual Screenwriters Lab, a summer documentary showcase, and extensive educational initiatives, HamptonsFilm offers programs that enlighten, educate, and provide invaluable exposure for filmmakers, while also providing the East End of Long Island with an educational and cultural experience that enriches the lives of its citizens and contributes to the local economy. HIFF, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, is an annual premiere film event in New York State with an intimate showcase of some of the year's best offerings in contemporary cinema from around the world. Awarding prizes to filmmakers in cash and goods and services of over $130,000 each year, with over $4.5 million awarded in competition funds and services over the past 29 years, our program continues to play an important role during awards season. For 12 consecutive years, through the 2021 awards season, HIFF screened the eventual Best Picture winner at the Oscars, making it the only festival in the world with this distinction. For more information, please visit hamptonsfilmfest.org.
Keep reading Cognac's Corner Magazine for the very best in red carpet events in Manhattan, Long Island and the Hamptons.
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27th ANNUAL HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Thursday, October 10
OPENING NIGHT FILM: JUST MERCY
In Attendance: Tim Blake Nelson, Rob Morgan
Press Line: 6:00-6:30PM
Timing & Location: 6:30 PM Screening - Guild Hall, 158 Main Street, East Hampton
7:30PM Screening - East Hampton UA - 30 Main Street
Actor Alec Baldwim poses for a photo-op with the Actors from "Just Mercy" at Guild Hall
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews at The Opening Night Premier of "Just Mercy" at the 27th Hamptons International Film Festival.
Opening night I was happy to cover the event and interview film Actors Rob Morgan and Tim Blake Nelson who starred in the film.
• Opening Night
A powerful and thought-provoking true story, JUST MERCY follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan) and his history-making battle for justice. After graduating from Harvard, Bryan had his pick of lucrative jobs. Instead, he heads to Alabama to defend those wrongly condemned, or who were not afforded proper representation, with the support of local advocate Eva Ansley (Brie Larson).
One of his first, and most incendiary, cases is that of Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx), who, in 1987, was sentenced to die for the notorious murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite a preponderance of evidence proving his innocence and the fact that the only testimony against him came from a criminal with a motive to lie. In the years that follow, Bryan becomes embroiled in a labyrinth of legal and political maneuverings and overt and unabashed racism as he fights for Walter, and others like him, with the odds—and the system—stacked against them.
Preceded by the presentation of the Dick Cavett Artistic Champion Award to Toni Ross (Guild Hall screening).
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews Director Aleksandra Maciejcyk about her film "Connected"
NEW YORK PREMIERE
Krzysztof, who is blind, goes skiing with his wife, Wiola. When they finally reach the summit, they must find a way to connect with one another in the surrounding fog.
2018 | Polish | Poland
Directed By
Aleksandra Maciejczyk
Produced By
Agata Golanska
Written By
Aleksandra Maciejczyk
Aleksandra, the director, discussed her experiences and challenges in filming this beautiful film about blindness, sking and human emotion.
The film Connected / Połączeni by Aleksandra Maciejczyk received the award of Russian Press for the Best Short Documentary at IFF Message to Man /
For more information please visit https://www.facebook.com/kffsalespromotion/about/
Keep reading more updates on The 27th Hamptons International Film Festival.
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TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews Director John Breen from 3Days 2 Nights 2019 film and Director Anke Blonde from the Film The Best of Dorien B
Director Anke Blonde from the Film The Best of Dorian B
Director John Breen 3 Days 2 Nights (2019)
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane poses for a photo-op in between interviewing filmmakers at the 1770 House during the 27th Hamptons International Film Festival
On Friday, October 11th I had the pleasure of interview some fascinating filmmakers and directors about their film that premiered at the 27th Hamptons International Film Festival including Director Anke Blonde about her film The Best of Dorian B.
NEW YORK PREMIERE
2019 | Dutch | Belgium/Netherlands
To almost everyone around her, the life of 37-year-old Dorien (Kim Snauwaert) seems to be picture perfect, with two children, a loving husband, and a thriving veterinary practice. But just as the local press reports ominous news of a “black hole” on the horizon, Dorien’s life is hit with a series of devastating setbacks: the fallout from a recent affair, her parents’ breakup, and unexpected results from a trip to the hospital. A sympathetic portrait of a life in crisis, director Anke Blondé’s THE BEST OF DORIEN B. is a warmly funny and bittersweet look at one woman’s attempts to let go from the coping mechanisms that have defined her life for so long.
Directed By
Anke Blondé
Produced By
Dries Phlypo
Jean-Claude Van Rijckeghem
Marleen Slot
Written By
Jean-Claude Van Rijokeghem
Anke Blondé
Featuring
Kim Snauwaert
Jelle De Beule
Katelijne Verbeke
Dirk van Dijck
I also had a chance to chat with Director John Breen about his film 3 Days 2 Nights (2019).
The Synopsis summarizes Imagine the defining moment of your life. Then imagine never talking about it with anyone. This sets the stage for the documentary film 3 Days 2 Nights. In 1974, Mark and Andy Godfrey went on a family ski vacation to Aspen, Colorado. Tragically, the plane they were traveling on crashed. The world, as they knew it was changed forever. Mark and Andy, who were 11 and 8, survived 3 days and 2 nights in the frigid mountains of Colorado. For nearly 40 years they rarely discussed the crash even between themselves. This is a film about two brothers coming to grips with the defining moment of their lives. Their story is one of cathartic discovery in hopes of reconciling such a tragedy. It's about how the twin beacons of love and family can help overcome even the greatest of losses.
Directors: John Breen, Jojo Pennebaker (co-director)
Stars: Andrew Godfrey, Mark Godfrey
For more information please visit https://3days2nightsmovie.com
Keep reading more updates on the 27th Hamptons International Film Festival at Cognac's Corner Magazine.
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TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews Filmmakers at the 27th Hamptons International Film Festival
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews Producer Mahak Jiwani from the film Darling
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews Consulting Producer Steven Warshaw
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews Film Director Matthew Miele about his exciting new film ALAN PAKULA: GOING FOR TRUTH, a riveting documentary about the film director.
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews at the 1770 House Press Blocks on Saturday October 12, 2019
During my experience covering the 27th Hamptons International Film Festival I had a chance to interview some wonderful filmmakers.
Below are each of the films that I had a chance to interview the directors and producers telling their compelling stories of how each of these wonderful films came together watch the video interviews above.
DARLING
Narrative Short | 16 minutes
US PREMIERE
A naive young man accompanies his transgender crush to her audition for an erotic dance theater in Lahore, Pakistan.
• Winner, Best Short Film at the Venice Film Festival
2019 | Urdu/Punjabi | USA/Pakistan
Directed By
Saim Sadiq
Produced By
Mahak Jiwani
Nadia Afgan
Written By
Saim Sadiq
Rodney Llaverias
Featuring
Alina Khan
Abdullah Malik
Mehar Bano
Nadia Afgan
Red Penguins
2019 ‧ Documentary ‧ 1h 20m
Red Penguins tells a story of capitalism and opportunism run amok - complete with gangsters, strippers and live bears serving beer on a hockey rink in Moscow. Shortly after the collapse of ... See full summary »
Director: Gabe Polsky
Writer: Gabe Polsky
Stars: Howard Baldwin, Viktor Tikhonov, Steven Warshaw
ALAN PAKULA: GOING FOR TRUTH
Feature Documentary | 98 minutes
WORLD PREMIERE
2019 | English | USA
The director of such landmark titles as ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN and SOPHIE’S CHOICE, and producer of seminal films like TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, lauded filmmaker Alan J Pakula was unflinching in his commitment to bringing some of the most memorable films of the last half of the 20th century to the big screen. Encompassing Pakula’s personal and professional life as both a figure in the public eye and an extremely private man, director Matthew Miele (HARRY BENSON: SHOOT FIRST, HIFF 2015) brings the director to life once more with a wide-ranging group of cast and crew members from throughout his filmography, including Meryl Streep, Robert Redford, Harrison Ford, Jane Fonda, Jeff Bridges, Steven Soderbergh, Dustin Hoffman, and dozens more.
Directed By
Matthew Miele
Produced By
Matthew Miele
Michael Weismann
Written By
Matthew Miele
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews Dr. Jess Ting, Producer Michelle Koo Hayashi and Director Dania Cypriano from the Film Born to Be and Grace Kim from the film An Interloper's Kiss at the 27th Hamptons International Film Festival
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews Producer Michelle Koo Hayashi at the 27th Hamptons International Film Festival.
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews Director Tania Cypriano from the film Born To Be at the 27th Hamptons International Film Festival
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews Dr. Jess Ting from the film Born To Be at the 27th Hamptons International Film Festival
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews Filmmaker and Director Grace Kim from the Film An Interloper's Kiss at the 27th Hamptons International Film Festival
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane poses for a photo-op with Frank LoPiccolo  at The Suffolk County Film Commission Industry Party at the 27th Hamptons International Film Party
On Saturday October 12th I sat dowm and did wonderful interviews with Dr. Jess Ting, Producer Michelle Koo Hayashi and Director Dania Cypriano from the Film Born to Be and Grace Kim from the film An Interloper's Kiss at the 27th Hamptons International Film Festival
BORN TO BE
Feature Documentary | 92 minutes
2019 | English | USA
Having established himself as a world-renowned plastic surgeon, Dr. Jess Ting moves into a new role as the lead gender-affirming surgeon at the Mount Sinai Center—where, for the first time ever, all transgender and gender non-conforming individuals have access to quality health and surgical care. Deftly balancing the experiences of both the doctor and his diverse group of patients, director Tania Cypriano chronicles both the joys and pitfalls that come with navigating this new territory. With extraordinary access, BORN TO BE offers a compassionate look at how one surgeon’s pioneering work has changed the lives of those who are fighting for the right to define themselves.
Directed By
Tania Cypriano
Produced By
Michelle Koo Hayashi
An Interloper’s Kiss (2019)
Narrative Short, 6m
Grace Kim WRITER | DIRECTOR
Starring Yi Liu
A portrait of a woman’s everyday domestic life from the perspective of an unlikely, voyeuristic love interest.
Currently playing at Syndicated Theater before select feature films
Official Selection: Hamptons International Film Festival (World Premiere)
Grace Kim is a Brooklyn-based, Korean-American filmmaker and writer who uses absurdist and surrealist premises in pursuit of finding unique expressions of common human experiences. Though the human experience is incredibly diverse and varied, Grace is interested in uncovering “humanity” at its core—what is the human “essence” that remains when one peels aways the superficial layers of race, gender, class, and circumstance? How is her translation of this universal humanity overtly or covertly feminine, or Asian-American, or heteronormative? These are the questions she wrestles with through her filmmaking.
To date, Grace has written and directed four short films, and is in development for an animated TV series about climate change that has a Cinemax producer attached as the EP and passed into the second round for the Sundance Episodic Lab. She is currently the 2019 Picture Farm Commercial Director Mentee, was part of the EMERGE8 Semi Finalists for Ghetto Film School’s EMERGE Filmmaking Lab, and is a finalist for the Viacom Viewfinder Emerging Directors Program. Her script for her 2018 short Loveseat was a quarterfinalist for the Screen Craft Short Film Fund and the script for Fissure: noun and verb (then titled One-handed Cartwheel) was a finalist for the Cascadia International Women’s Film Festival Script Studio. She is deeply committed to her independent film communities and practices her craft through her membership in Filmshop, Brooklyn Film Collective Writers, and the Sandbox. She has previously worked on staff at New York Women in Film and Television.
I also had a chance to go to some wonderful parties during the 27th Hamptons International Film Festival. On Saturday I attended the Suffolk County Film Commission and met up with some old friends like Casting Director Donna McKenna and CEO Frank LoPiccolo about his new energy drink Tigerlyfe. For more informatiom please visit
The Suffolk County Film Commission is your liaison into the diverse cinematic landscape of Eastern Long Island— from the tranquil milieu of our farmland and vineyards to the inviting mysteries of our historic villages and mansions.
The Suffolk County Film Commission assists in locating the perfect setting for your production, and will serve as your convenient conduit for all of your production needs: assisting in acquiring the appropriate film permits, putting you in contact with talented local production crews, and helping you find the best local lodging and catering services available for your production.
We also aid in accessing all of the production incentives that filming in New York State provides. Simply put, it is our mission to ensure that your experience producing a film, television program, or any other media in Suffolk County is convenient and rewarding.
Location:
Suffolk County Film Commission, H. Lee Dennison Building, 11th Floor, 100 Veterans Hwy, Hauppauge NY 11788
For more information please visit
The Suffolk County Film Commission is your liaison into the diverse cinematic landscape of Eastern Long Island— from the tranquil milieu of our farmland and vineyards to the inviting mysteries of our historic villages and mansions.
The Suffolk County Film Commission assists in locating the perfect setting for your production, and will serve as your convenient conduit for all of your production needs: assisting in acquiring the appropriate film permits, putting you in contact with talented local production crews, and helping you find the best local lodging and catering services available for your production.
We also aid in accessing all of the production incentives that filming in New York State provides. Simply put, it is our mission to ensure that your experience producing a film, television program, or any other media in Suffolk County is convenient and rewarding.
Location:
Suffolk County Film Commission, H. Lee Dennison Building, 11th Floor, 100 Veterans Hwy, Hauppauge NY 11788
And now for the winners:
THE 27TH HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES
AWARD WINNERS FOR
BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE AND BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
A WHITE, WHITE DAY AND OVERSEAS
Brian De Palma and Toni Ross Honored at Festival
Breakthrough Artists Aldis Hodge, Camila Morrone, Lulu Wang
2019 Festival Dedicated to Michael Lynne and Mark Urman
East Hampton, NY (October 14, 2019) – The 27th Hamptons International Film Festival, presented by HamptonsFilm, today announced their award winners at a ceremony in East Hampton. The 2019 festival was dedicated to Michael Lynne, a HIFF Board Member for almost two decades, and Mark Urman a member of HIFF’s Advisory Board for eleven years, both of whom passed away earlier this year.
A WHITE, WHITE DAY, directed by Hlynur Pálmason, won the Award for Best Narrative Feature, sponsored by Warby Parker. OVERSEAS, directed by Sung-a Yoon, received the Award for Best Documentary Feature, sponsored by Investigation Discovery. JUST ME AND YOU, directed by Sandrine Brodeur-Desrosiers received the Award for Best Narrative Short Film, and GHOSTS OF SUGAR LAND, directed by Bassam Tariq, won for Best Documentary Short Film. Both Short Films will qualify for Academy® awards consideration.
Narrative cinematographer Miguel Ioann Littin Menz received a Special Cinematography Award for his work on THE VAST OF NIGHT, and THE BEST OF DORIEN B., directed by Anke Blondé, a Breakthrough Achievement in Filmmaking Award. In addition, these actors received Special Jury Mentions for Acting Performances: Ída Mekkín Hlynsdóttir for in A WHITE, WHITE DAY; Mama Sane in ATLANTICS; Corinna Harfouch in LARA; Kim Snauwaert in THE BEST OF DORIEN B.; and Sierra McCormick in THE VAST OF NIGHT.
Documentaries CUNNINGHAM, directed by Alla Kovgan, received a Special Jury Prize for Artistic Vision; TALKING ABOUT TREES, directed by Suhaib Gasmelbari, a Special Jury Prize for Indomitable Spirit of Storytelling; ALL CATS ARE GREY IN THE DARK, directed by Lasse Linder, a Special Jury Prize for Originality; and THE NIGHTCRAWLERS, directed by Alexander A. Mora, a Special Jury Prize for Creative Filmmaking.
FOR SAMA, directed by Waad al-Kateab and Edward Watts, was awarded the 2019 Brizzolara Family Foundation Award to Films of Conflict and Resolution, which is accompanied by a $5,000 cash prize.
THE ARTIST’S WIFE, directed by Tom Dolby, was awarded the Suffolk County Next Exposure Grant. This program supports the completion of high quality, original, director-driven, low-budget independent films from both emerging and established filmmakers who have completed 50% of principal photography within Suffolk County. The film was awarded a $3,000 grant.
WATSON, directed by Lesley Chilcott, was awarded the Zelda Penzel Giving Voice to the Voiceless Award. This award is presented to a film that raises public awareness about contemporary social issues, including the moral and ethical treatment and the rights of animals as well as environmental protection. The film was awarded $2,500.
CONSCIENCE POINT was presented with the Victor Rabinowitz & Joanne Grant Award for Social Justice. The film is directed by Treva Wurmfeld. The annual award is handed to a film that exemplifies the values of peace, equality, global justice and civil liberties, and is named after iconic civil rights lawyer Victor Rabinowitz and his wife Joanne Grant, an author, filmmaker and journalist. The award, which is accompanied by a cash prize of $2,000, is named in honor of two people who spent their entire lives fighting for those values.
The festival also announced the recipients of the University Film Awards, short films highlighting the extraordinary talent and achievements of five exceptional students. Each will receive a $500 cash prize. Awardees include BIRCH, directed by Paisley Valentine Walsh (London Film School); THE BOXERS OF BRULE, directed by Jessie Adler (School of Visual Arts); FINE, directed by Maya Yadlin (“Minshar For Art” Film School); PERFECT MOMENT, directed by Matthew Noydens (Luca School of Arts in Brussels); and THE UNITED STATES OF PARANOIA OR: HOW I STAYED ON THE LINE TO REPAIR MY AIR CONDITIONER, directed by Rashan Castro (Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema at Brooklyn College).
The Audience Award and the Zicherman Family Foundation Screenwriting Award will be announced tomorrow. New in 2019, the Zicherman award for $10,000 is presented to an early-career screenwriter who has demonstrated singular vision and dedication to their craft. This award seeks to both celebrate their current work and encourage the development of future projects.
As previously announced, legendary director Brian De Palma was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by HIFF Co-Chairman Alec Baldwin at the festival, and artist and HIFF co-founder and founding Chairman of the Board Toni Ross was honored with the Dick Cavett Artistic Champion Award on opening night by Baldwin and additional HIFF Co-Chairman Randy Mastro. 2019 Breakthrough Artists included Aldis Hodge (CLEMENCY), Camila Morrone (MICKEY AND THE BEAR), and Lulu Wang (THE FAREWELL).
This year’s narrative jury was comprised of American novelist, playwright, screenwriter and director Peter Hedges, whose film credits include BEN IS BACK, ABOUT A BOY, and DAN IN REAL LIFE; Dori Begley, Executive Vice President, Magnolia Pictures,some upcoming and recent titles include SCANDALOUS, CUNNINGHAM, COLD CASE HAMMARSKJÖLD, and MIKE WALLACE IS HERE; and Scott Feinberg, Awards Columnist for The Hollywood Reporter and host of “Awards Chatter” podcast. The Documentary Jury included Jannat Gargi, producer, whose documentary credits include GHOST FLEET, STEP, BALLET NOW, and BODY TEAM 12; Alison Wilmore, Film Critic at Vulture and Chair of the New York Film Critics Circle; and Jill Burkhart, Senior Director of Documentary Programming for EPIX
This year the Festival was honored to partner with the New York Film Critics Circle for the eleventh year.
“As we close out the 27th edition of the festival, we are thrilled to announce this year’s awardees. We are in awe of these films and the talented filmmakers behind each of them,” said David Nugent, HamptonsFilm Artistic Director. “This year brought an abundance of captivating films with wide ranging topics and engaging conversations.”
“We are proud of all the incredible premieres, screenings and events over the past five days for the 27th Hamptons International Film Festival,” said Anne Chaisson, HamptonsFilm Executive Director. “We are thankful to all of the filmmakers for sharing their extraordinary films and talents with our audience, and also wish to extend sincere gratitude to our staff, sponsors and film loving community, without whom the festival would not be possible.”
Attendees of the 2019 festival included Waad al-Kateba, Hamza al-Kateab, Annabelle Attanasio, Alec Baldwin, Bob Balaban, Christine Baranski, Noah Baumbach, Candice Bergen, Anke Blondé, Ebs Burnough, Ric Burns, Lesley Chilcott, Chinonye Chukwu, Brian De Palma, Tom Dolby, Mati Diop, Tracy Edwards, Jonathan Eirich, Alex Gibney, Lauren Greenfield, Tom Harper, Fred Hechinger, Aldis Hodge, Oren Jacoby, Stephanie Kurtzuba, Susan Lacy, Mark Landsman, Todd Leiberman, Tracy Letts, Alex Lewis, Marcus Lewis, Matthew Miele, Rob Morgan, Camila Morrone, Kathrine Narducci, Tim Blake Nelson, Lena Olin, Andrew Patterson, Ed Perkins, Tracy Pollan, Jonathan Pryce, Jane Rosenthal, Toni Ross, Ira Sachs, Brooke Shields, Trey Edward Shults, George Stephanopoulos, Jenno Topping, Lulu Wang, Edward Watts, James Waterston, Ali Wentworth, Alfre Woodard, Treva Wurmfeld, and more.
The Festival is pleased to welcome back returning Premiere Sponsor Audi, Lead Sponsors Delta and Altour, Signature Sponsors Netflix, Douglas Elliman, and JP Morgan, and Official Media Sponsors WNBC, The East Hampton Star, and Purist Magazine. For more information please visit www.hamptonsfilmfest.org.
HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL CONGRATULATES THE 2019 WINNERS:
The HIFF Award Winner for Best Narrative Feature sponsored by Warby Parker
A WHITE, WHITE DAY, directed by Hlynur Pálmason
HIFF Award Winner for Best Documentary Feature sponsored by Investigation Discovery
OVERSEAS, directed by Sung-a Yoon
The HIFF Award Winner for Best Narrative Short Film
JUST ME AND YOU, directed by Sandrine Brodeur-Desrosiers
The HIFF Award Winner for Best Documentary Short Film
GHOSTS OF SUGAR LAND, directed by Bassam Tariq
Special Cinematography Award
Miguel Ioann Litten Menz for THE VAST OF NIGHT
Breakthrough Achievement in Filmmaking Award
THE BEST OF DORIEN B., directed by Anke Blondé
Special Jury Mentions for Acting Performances
Ída Mekkín Hlynsdóttir for IN A WHITE, WHITE DAY
Mama Sane in ATLANTICS
Corinna Harfouch in LARA
Kim Snauwaert in THE BEST OF DORIEN B.
Sierra McCormick in THE VAST OF NIGHT
Special Jury Prize for Artistic Vision
CUNNINGHAM, directed by Alla Kovgan
Special Jury Prize for Indomitable Spirit of Storytelling
TALKING ABOUT TREES, directed by Suhaib Gasmelbari
Special Jury Prize for Originality
ALL CATS ARE GREY IN THE DARK, directed by Lasse Linder
Special Jury Prize for Creative Filmmaking
THE NIGHTCRAWLERS, directed by Alexander A. Mora
The 2019 Brizzolara Family Foundation Award to Films of Conflict and Resolution
FOR SAMA, directed by Waad al-Kateab and Edward Watts
Suffolk County Next Exposure Grant
THE ARTIST’S WIFE, directed by Tom Dolby
The Zelda Penzel “Giving Voice to the Voiceless” Award
WATSON, directed by Lesley Chilcott
Victor Rabinowitz and Joanne Grant Award for Social Justice
CONSCIENCE POINT, directed by Treva Wurmfeld
University Short Film Awards
BIRCH, directed by Paisley Valentine Walsh
THE BOXERS OF BRULE, directed by Jessie Adler
FINE, directed by Maya Yadlin
PERFECT MOMENT, directed by Matthew Noydens
THE UNITED STATES OF PARANOIA OR: HOW I STAYED ON THE LINE TO REPAIR MY AIR CONDITIONER, directed by Rashan Castro
And as previously announced:
Lifetime Achievement Award
Brian De Palma
The Dick Cavett Artistic Champion Award
Toni Ross
2019 Breakthrough Artists
Aldis Hodge, Camila Morrone, Lulu Wang
HIFF Narrative Feature Jury
Peter Hedges, American novelist, playwright, screenwriter and director whose film credits include BEN IS BACK, ABOUT A BOY, and DAN IN REAL LIFE
Dori Begley, Executive Vice President, Magnolia Pictures, some upcoming and recent titles include SCANDALOUS, CUNNINGHAM, COLD CASE HAMMARSKJÖLD, and MIKE WALLACE IS HERE
Scott Feinberg, Awards Columnist for The Hollywood Reporter and host of “Awards Chatter” podcast.
HIFF Documentary Feature Jury
Jannat Gargi, producer, whose documentary credits include GHOST FLEET, STEP, BALLET NOW, and BODY TEAM 12
Alison Wilmore, Film Critic at Vulture and Chair of the New York Film Critics Circle
Jill Burkhart, Senior Director of Documentary Programming for EPIX
ABOUT THE HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF), celebrating 27 years, is a year-round non-profit organization with monthly screenings of current films, filmmaking workshops, a Screenwriters Lab, master classes, summer documentary screening series, and an annual film festival each October. The Festival is the premiere film event on New York State's east end, and is an intimate showcase of some of the year's best offerings in contemporary cinema from around the world. Selections from all of our programs continue to play an important role during awards season. 2018 marked the 9th time in a row that a film in the Festival has become the eventual Best Picture winner at the Oscars, making HIFF the only Festival in the world with such a distinction. For more information please visit www.hamptonsfilmfest.org.
Keep reading Cognac's Corner Magazine for the very best in red carpet events in Manhattan, Long Island and the Hamptons.
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Nestseekers Host Hamptons Film Fest Gala Interviews
,TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews Judith Crennan at Nestseekers Host Hamptons Film Fest Gala Interviews.
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews Realtor Sara Burack at Nestseekers Host Hamptons Film Fest Gala Interviews
Realtor Sara Burack at Nestseekers Host Hamptons Film Fest Gala
Nest Seekers International-Residential & Commercial Brokerage
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TV Host Cognac Wellerlane poses for a photo-op at Nestseekers Host Hamptons Film fest Gala
During the Hamptons International Film Festival I attended a party Nestseekers Host Hamptons Film Fest Gala. During the event I sat down and interviewed Administrator Judith Satmary-Crennan and Realtor Sara Burack who invited me to this lavish soire and Open House.
The Open House and Gala took place at 475 David Whites Lane, in Southampton, NY, one of the properites that is on the market with Nestseekers.com
Sara talked about the wonderful amenities the properities has to offer.
Sara Burack has quickly become a staple in the Manhattan & Hamptons Luxury Real Estate Scene. With over 15 Years Industry Experience, $310 Million in Inventory and over $1 Billion Sold, Sara & Nest Seekers International are the right choice for your Real Estate Transaction.
Sara Burack’s comprehensive understanding of the Real Estate Industry, incomparable experience across an array of markets and remarkable negotiation skills have landed her success in the markets of condominiums, co-operatives, houses, townhouses, new development, and commercial investment sales in both Manhattan & the Hamptons. Working with the Andy Kim Team in Manhattan and with James Giugliano in the Hamptons she has a combined sales volume of over $200 Million in the past year. Sara is most recently is featured on Nest Seeker’s new real estate series with Michael Fullfree and J.B. Andreassi.
Sara is an avid philanthropist, volunteering her time with Leukemia & Lymphoma Society NYC Chapter (LLS) and ran for the Title of Woman of the Year with the Grand Finale Gala at the Plaza Hotel in June of 2017. Sara showcases her business development expertise by consulting with the luxury lifestyle Hamptons publication: Social Life Magazine.
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26TH HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews Artistic Director David Nugent and Co-Chair Actor Alec Baldwin at the Opening Night Premiere of
The Kindergarten Teacher
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews the Star of the Film, Maggie Gyllenhaal at the Opening Night Premiere of the Kindergarten Teacher at the 26th Hamptons International Film Festival
Writer/director Sara Colangelo (LITTLE ACCIDENTS, HIFF 2014 and Screenwriters Lab 2013) returns to HIFF with her prize-winning sophomore feature. Based on Nadav Lapid’s 2014 Israeli drama, THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER follows Lisa Spinelli (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a Staten Island teacher who accidentally discovers her young student’s prodigious gift for poetry. Desperately seeking her own creative recognition, Lisa’s fascination with the boy quickly unravels into an all-encompassing fixation. Anchored by Gyllenhaal’s fearless performance, THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER is an electrifyingly unpredictable morality tale about the precarious line between protection and obsession.
The Opening Night screening at Guild Hall was preceded by the presentation of the Dick Cavett Artistic Champion Award to Alan Alda.
TV Host Cognac Wellerlabe poses for a photo-op on the Red Carpet at the Opening Night Premiere of "The Kindergarten" at the
26th Hamptons International Film Festival
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews Actor Alan Alda the Recipient of the Dick Cavett Artistic Champion Award at the
26th Hamptons International Film Festival
Created and presented by HIFF co-chairman Alec Baldwin in 2017 in honor of Cavett himself, The Dick Cavett Artistic Champion Award recognizes a lifelong advocate for artistic achievements and contributions to the industry.
The 2018 recipient will be Academy Award®-nominated and Golden Globe®-winning actor Alan Alda. Alda will be lauded during a special presentation on Opening Night.
“Alan Alda is one of those now rare actors who in his career continues to outdo himself on Broadway, in films and on television,” said HIFF Co-Chairman Alec Baldwin. “Of course, most people remember Alda for his starring role in the seminal TV series M*A*S*H, but Alda is also great in the movies and on stage.”
Seven-time Emmy® Award winner Alan Alda played Hawkeye Pierce and wrote many of the episodes on the classic TV series M*A*S*H, and appeared in continuing roles on ER, The West Wing, 30 Rock, The Blacklist, The Big C, Horace and Pete, and The Good Fight.
He was nominated for an Academy Award® for his role in THE AVIATOR. Alda’s other films include BRIDGE OF SPIES, TOWER HEIST, WANDERLUST, CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS, MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY, AND THE BAND PLAYED ON, SAME TIME, NEXT YEAR and CALIFORNIA SUITE, as well as THE SEDUCTION OF JOE TYNAN, which he wrote, and THE FOUR SEASONS, SWEET LIBERTY, A NEW LIFE and BETSY’S WEDDING, all of which he wrote and directed.
On Broadway, he received Tony nominations for Glengarry Glen Ross, Jake’s Women, and The Apple Tree.
For 11 years on PBS, Alda has hosted the award-winning series Scientific American Frontiers; he also hosted the miniseries The Human Spark and Brains on Trial. His playwriting credits include Radiance: The Passion of Marie Curie and Dear Albert.
Alda is on the Board of the World Science Festival; a visiting professor at Stony Brook University’s Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, which he helped found; and Founder + CEO of the Alda Communication Training Company. In addition to his successful podcast Clear + Vivid with Alan Alda, he has written three New York Times bestsellers, including If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face? – My Adventures in the Art and Science of Relating and Communicating.
Alda will receive the Award on Opening Night at Guild Hall, which also features Maggie Gyllenhaal in Sara Colangelo’s THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER. Opening Night ticket packages are sale now.
This event is supported by Riki Kane Larimer.
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HENRI DAUMAN: LOOKING UP
Documentary Feature | 86 minutes
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews Director Peter Kenneth Jones from HENRI DAUMAN: LOOKING UP at the 26th Hamptons International Film Festival
WORLD PREMIERE
2018 | English/French | USA
As one of the preeminent photographers of the 20th century, self-taught Henri Dauman took the international photojournalism scene by storm with his cinematic images that redefined the methods of capturing historical icons. Leaving behind his past as an orphaned Holocaust survivor, Dauman created a new life for himself in New York City, where his timeless style quickly gained momentum amidst high society and celebrity culture. Exploring both the photographer’s traumatic past and the contrasting vibrancy of the city that would define his work, director Peter Kenneth Jones’s film is a testament to the resilience and perseverance of the man behind the camera.
Henri Dauman is a master photographer who has journeyed the world documenting the foremost historical events, personalities and cultural changes of the 20th century. As a feature photographer for LIFE Magazine he captured personalities & icons of politics, art, and culture ranging from John & Jacqueline Kennedy, to Andy Warhol, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and many others at telling moments of their lives.
For more than four decades, he worked with other publishers and magazines such as New York Times, New York Magazine, Newsweek, Smithsonian and Town & Country.
Henri Dauman is the winner of numerous awards. In 1967 he was awarded with Picture Of The Year Award from the school of journalism of the University of Missouri. He has also received an Award of Excellence awarded to him by Communications Art Magazine. 35mm Photography, Photo, The Photography Catalog, Variety, The New York Times and Print Magazine have all featured professional articles discussing his work.
Dauman’s work has exhibited at leading galleries and his prints are held in public and private collections throughout the world. His work has been exhibited in several one-man and group shows, such as:
Espace Carpeaux, Courbevoie, The Manhattan Darkroom / Special Cinéma, from Sept. 20, 2017 to end of October, 2017
Nièpce Museum of Photography 2017, Chalon sur Saône (France), The Manhattan Darkroom, February to May 2017
Palais d’Iéna, Paris, The Manhattan Darkroom, November-December, 2014
The Tate Liverpool Museum on the American Supermarket, 2002
John F. Kennedy Exhibition, German Historical Museun in Berlin, 2003
“The Magnum Archive: Vintage 20th Century”, Robert Lowell – Marilyn Monroe & Arthur Miller, Kasher Gallery, NYC, 2005
“Flashback: The Sixties” Bonni Benrubi Gallery, NYC, 1999
Pace MacGill – Richard Nixon campaigning, 1995
“New York Looking-up”, essay represented in the permanent collection The Museum Of Modern Art, NYC.
The National Gallery of Canada – The American Supermarket.
The National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
A feature film entitled “Henri Dauman: Looking Up” will be released in the Winter of 2018, documenting the life and work of Henri Dauman.
Henri Dauman’s work brings an extraordinary, invaluable visual record that reflects American and European styles, urban landscapes, icons, cultural values, and political concerns of the twentieth century.
For more information please visit http://daumanpictures.com
Keep reading more updates and interviews at the 26th Hamptons International Film Festival.
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ASK FOR JANE
Narrative Feature | 108 minutes
ASK FOR JANE
2018 World Cinema Narrative | narrative feature | 108 min
WORLD PREMIERE
Between 1969 and 1973, The Jane Collective operated underground in Chicago, helping over 11,000 women receive safe, illegal abortions throughout the metropolitan area, learning and performing the procedure on their own in an era that refused to make them legally available. Before disbanding in the wake of Roe v. Wade in 1973, the group operated like a spy network throughout the city and provided a necessary public service to the women of Chicago. Exploring the story of Jane’s founding with a ensemble cast including Emmy® nominee Alison Wright, Tony® nominee Saycon Sengbloh, and Ben Rappaport, ASK FOR JANE is a timely reminder of the necessity of reproductive healthcare in our modern era.
Directed By
Rachel Carey
Produced By
Cait Cortelyou
Josh Folan
Caroline Hirsch
Written By
Rachel Carey
Featuring
Cait Cortelyou
Cody Horn
Sarah Ramos
Ben Rappaport
Sarah Steele
Alison Wright
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THE HIDDEN
Panels and Events | TBD minutes
HIFF 2018
THE HIDDEN
Panels and Events | TBD minutes
2018 | Virtual Reality | USA
An immersive storytelling and virtual reality (VR) experience from Annie Lukowski and BJ Schwartz—the creators at Vanishing Point Media, and with the support of the ACLU and Samsung, THE HIDDEN is a political thriller that literally drops you in the middle of a high-stakes game of cat and mouse without telling you who is hunting whom.
In a manner only possible in VR, THE HIDDEN will have you experience the pulse-pounding fear and turmoil of an ICE Raid from every perspective. In the end the viewer is left with larger questions about the state of social justice in modern America.
Immersive multimedia experiences at Mulford Farm took place on
Friday, October 5 – Monday, October 8
from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Admission was free and open to the public
> Presented with the support of OLA (Organización Latino Americana) of Eastern Long Island
The film was Directed By
Annie Lukowski
BJ Schwartz
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THE PUBLIC
Narrative Feature | 119 minutes
TV Host Cognac Wellerlane interviews Actor/Director Emilio Estevez at the 26th Hamptons International Film Festival
EAST COAST PREMIERE
2018 | English | USA
As the day’s activities wind down and library workers Stuart (Emilio Estevez) and Myra (Jena Malone) prepare to close for the day, a group of homeless patrons decide to stage an act of rebellion when they refuse to leave the building to find somewhere to sleep in the wintry night. Soon the scene outside becomes a carnival of riot gear-wearing officers and local news reporters, leading to a standoff between the city’s have’s and have-not’s. Aided by a deep supporting cast, including Jeffrey Wright, Michael K. Williams, and Alec Baldwin, writer, director, and star Emilio Estevez continues to showcase his skills as a gifted multi-hyphenate force with his latest ode to the struggles of the disenfranchised.
Directed By
Emilio Estevez
Produced By
Emilio Estevez
Alex Lebovici
Steve Ponce
Lisa Niedenthal
Written By
Emilio Estevez
Featuring
Emilio Estevez
Alec Baldwin
Jacob Vargas
Gabrielle Union
Taylor Schilling
Jeffrey Wright
Christian Slater
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THE HATE U GIVE
Narrative Feature | 129 minutes
HIFF 2018
The lovely and talented Amandla Stenberg and Director by George Tillman pose for a photo-op at the Opening Night Premier of THE HATE YOU GIVE in Southampton, New York at the 26th Hamptons International Film Festival photo taken by Debra Rothberg
2018 | English | USA
As a way to escape the limited options of the streets she grew up on, sixteen-year-old black teenager Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg) is torn between two lives: one at school amidst her predominantly rich, upper-class white classmates, and another within her working-class neighborhood. But Starr’s dual life is torn apart when a reunion with a childhood sweetheart ends in tragedy at the hands of a local police officer, forcing her to take a side amidst a swelling of protests in the local community. Adapting Angie Thomas’s award-winning novel to the big screen with the same sense of urgency that shot it to the top of the bestsellers list, THE HATE U GIVE is a stirring look at one teenager’s personal awakening.
Directed By
George Tillman Jr.
Produced By
Robert Teitel
George Tillman Jr.
Marty Bowen
Wyck Godfrey
Written By
Audrey Wells (screenplay by)
Angie Thomas (based upon the novel by)
Featuring
Amandla Stenberg
Issa Rae
Anthony Mackie
Regina Hall
Common
Sabrina Carpenter
Dominique Fishback
THE HATE U GIVE, THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM and ONE SMALL STEP TAKE AUDIENCE AWARDS AT THE 26th ANNUAL HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
OCTOBER 4th – 8th
East Hampton, NY (October 9, 2018) – The Hamptons International Film Festival today announced their audience awards for the 26th edition from East Hampton. THE HATE U GIVE, directed by George Tillman Jr., took home the Audience Award for Narrative Feature. THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM, directed by John Chester, took home the Audience Award for Documentary Feature. ONE SMALL STEP, directed by Bobby Pontillas & Andrew Chesworth, won the Audience Award for Best Short Film. All of the Audience Awards are sponsored by Out East.
The festival ran from October 4th through October 8th and played over 125 films from around the world.
“We are thrilled that these diverse, unique, and entertaining stories resonated with our audience,” said HIFF Artistic Director David Nugent. “Our Breakthrough Artist Amandla Stenberg and the director George Tillman Jr. gave a powerful introduction on Friday night for THE HATE U GIVE, an important film for our times, unsurprisingly leading to a post-screening standing ovation. THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM, which offers a beautiful look at life’s cycles through the impactful story of one couple’s decision to resuscitate a farm in northern California, is sure to touch the hearts of people of all ages. ONE SMALL STEP, the first film from two former Disney artists who started their own studio last year, is an inspiring story of one girl’s determination to follow her dreams.”
Additional HIFF awards for the 26th edition were also handed out yesterday in East Hampton.
The full list of winners below:
HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL CONGRATULATES THE 2018 WINNERS:
The HIFF Audience Award Winner for Narrative Feature, sponsored by Out East
THE HATE U GIVE, directed by George Tillman Jr.
The HIFF Audience Award Winner for Documentary Feature, sponsored by Out East
THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM, directed by John Chester
The HIFF Audience Award Winner for Short, sponsored by Out East
ONE SMALL STEP, directed by Bobby Pontillas & Andrew Chesworth
The HIFF Award Winner for Best Narrative Feature, sponsored by Netflix
ALL GOOD “ALLES IST GUT”, directed by Eva Trobisch
HIFF Award Winner for Best Documentary Feature, sponsored by Netflix
DIVIDE AND CONQUER: THE STORY OF ROGER AILES, directed by Alexis Bloom
The HIFF Award Winner for Best Narrative Short Film
FENCE “GARDHI”, directed by Lendita Zeqiraj
The HIFF Award Winner for Best Documentary Short Film
GUAXUMA, directed by Nara Normande
Special Jury Prize For Acting
BORDER “GRÄNS”, directed by Ali Abbasi, received a Special Jury Prize for acting for the two lead actors, Eva Melander and Eero Milonoff
The 2018 Brizzolara Family Foundation Award for a Film of Conflict and Resolution
AND BREATHE NORMALLY, directed by Ísold Uggadóttir
Vimeo Staff Pick Award
CROSS MY HEART, directed by Sontenish Myers
Suffolk County Film Commission Next Exposure Grant
ONLY THE WIND IS LISTENING, directed by Emily Anderson
The Zelda Penzel Giving Voice to the Voiceless Award: Dedicated to Those Who Suffer in Silence
THE CAT RESCUERS, directed by Rob Fruchtman and Steven Lawrence
Victor Rabinowitz and Joanne Grant Award for Social Justice
THE SILENCE OF OTHERS, directed by Almudena Carracedo and Robert Bahar
Industry Advocate for Women Award
Terry Lawler, Executive Director of NYWIFT
The Dick Cavett Artistic Champion Award
Alan Alda
2018 Breakthrough Artists
Kayli Carter, Cory Michael Smith, Amandla Stenberg
ABOUT THE HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) is a year-round 501(c)3 non-profit organization with events, screenings, film workshops, comprehensive summer programs and an annual film festival each October. The Festival is the premiere film event on New York State's east end, and is an intimate showcase of some of the year's best offerings in contemporary cinema from around the world. With cash and in-kind prizes handed out totaling more than $180,000, HIFF continues to attract some of the best films of the year.
Selections from all of our programs continue to play an important role during awards season. 2018 marked the 8th time in a row that a film in the Festival has become the eventual Best Picture winner at the Oscars, making HIFF the only Festival on the East Coast with such a distinction. For more information, please visit www.hamptonsfilmfest.org.