FROM THE FESTIVAL

RANDY MASTRO

ANNE CHAISSON

DAVID NUGENT

Welcome to the 29th annual Hamptons International Film Festival. We are overjoyed to be back in-theater and in-person!

First, we hope you and your families have stayed safe and resilient, and while the past nineteen months have certainly been a challenge, what has remained constant is the joy, comfort and strength we have all been able to find in the art of storytelling.

Since the 2020 annual film festival virtual and drive-in edition, HamptonsFilm has rolled out new releases each week via our year-round Now Showing series, including awards season winners and global gems. This past summer, we produced a free weekly outdoor screening series in Herrick Park in East Hampton, and saw a return to the John Drew Theater at Guild Hall for our SummerDocs series, offering three highly entertaining documentaries, followed by insightful Q&As with very special guests, hosted for 13 years by board member Alec Baldwin.

Now, in a welcome return to an in-person annual film festival, we as a team have been immensely buoyed by the idea of celebrating together, watching films on the big screen with our beloved community of film-loving enthusiasts. Rest assured that we will make every effort to ensure everyone’s safety and welcome filmmakers to finally see their films on the big screen, just as they were meant to be seen.

Our programming team has curated a thrilling lineup of films that we cannot wait to share with you, including the world premiere of Matthew Heineman’s THE FIRST WAVE on Opening Night, which reflects on the early days of the pandemic and honors the courageous caregivers who gave their all in an early attempt to stem the tide of the crisis. Coupled with Toni Ross’ incredible new art piece Finding Beauty in a Dark Place, which was selected for this year’s poster, we choose to acknowledge our shared global struggle, reflect on what we have lost, and know that despite it all, we still survive. Please make sure to see her exhibit of this extraordinary piece at the Watermill Center, on display until October 17th.

Throughout this unprecedented time, your dedication to filmmakers and HamptonsFilm as a year-round, non-profit organization has been a bright and constant light, reaffirming our mission to showcase visionary work and inspire generations of artists to come. Also, we will be celebrating our 30th Anniversary in 2022—save the dates now.

We sincerely thank you.

Randy Mastro Chairman of the Board Anne Chaisson Executive Director David Nugent Artistic Director