Stars Come Out for 23rd Annual Hamptons Film Fest
The Hamptons International Film Festival wrapped up its 23rd edition Monday night after a fulfilling and exciting weekend for both filmmakers and filmgoers.
Amagansett resident and incoming HIFF co-chair Alec Baldwin interviewed Dan Rather at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor on Saturday for HIFF’s popular “A Conversation With…” series. East Hampton’s Mariska Hargitay, star of Law & Order: SVU, and husband and fellow actor Peter Hermann were among the attendees.
Truth, a film about the 60 Minutes report that prompted Rather to leave CBS after 43 years, opened HIFF on Thursday at Guild Hall in East Hampton. Truth co-star Dennis Quaid, director James Vanderbilt and producer Brad Fischer took part in a Q&A following the screening with HIFF artistic director David Nugent. In attendance were HIFF board member Bob Balaban, Amagansett’s Blythe Danner, HIFF juror and Amagansett resident Bobby Flay, juror and Masters of Sex actor Josh Charles, juror and producer Michael H. Weber and juror and chairman of the New York Film Critics Association Marshall Fine.
Variety recognized 10 Actors to Watch with a Saturday brunch at Nick & Toni’s in East Hampton. Honorees in attendance were Christopher Abbott, Thomas Mann, Bel Powley and Keith Stanfield. Variety deputy awards and features editor Jenelle Riley moderated the event, which was attended by Morgan Freeman, Flay, Balaban and more.
Emily Blunt received Variety’s Creative Impact in Acting Award and took part in “A Conversation With…” moderated by Riley.
Among the long weekend’s many parties were the East Hampton opener at The Club at Philippe, the Southampton opener at Circo and the Salute to Filmmakers party at the Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett.
Stuart Match Suna, the outgoing HIFF chairman, hosted his last chairman’s party at his East Hampton residence. Among the attendees were the Baldwins, Meadowland star Olivia Wilde, producer Margot Hand and director Reed Morano plus 9-year-old Room star Jacob Tremblay.
Actors Liev Schreiber and John Slattery, director Tom McCarthy and screenwriter Josh Singer participated in a Q&A following the screening of their film, Spotlight, Saturday. Naomi Watts, Schreiber’s wife, attended the popular event at Guild Hall in East Hampton as did the Baldwins.
Documentarian Michael Moore received a standing ovation from a packed house at East Hampton’s Guild Hall after the screening of his new film, Where to Invade Next, on Saturday. Before the screening, Moore told the crowd that it took him four hours to get from New York City to the Hamptons, and said Long Island is “one of the most honest names given to a location.” Moore also participated in “A Conversation With…” at Bay Street Theater on Sunday moderated by Fine.
The festival closed Monday with Bridge of Spies, the latest film from East Hampton’s Steven Spielberg. Co-star Alan Alda, of Water Mill, attended and following the screening took audience questions.