The Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF), working in association with Guild Hall, continues its 2nd Annual three-part “Summer Docs” series with the 2^nd screening in its series this summer, a screening of Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith’s, The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and The Pentagon Papers. The enthralling 2010 Academy Award® nominated documentary will screen at Guild Hall in East Hampton on Saturday, August 7^th at 8pm. Tickets for the screening are available purchase at www.guildhall.org or at the Guild Hall Box Office.

Returning SummerDocs host Alec Baldwin will introduce the film and participate in a question and answer session with Daniel Ellsberg, former United States military analyst who precipitated a national political controversy in 1971 when he released the Pentagon Papers, a top-secret Pentagon study of US government decision-making about the Vietnam War, to The New York Times and other newspapers, and former Washington Post journalist, Carl Bernstein, who was an integral person in exposing the Watergate scandal.

“It is a huge honor to have Daniel Ellsberg, Carl Bernstein and this prestigious, Academy Award® nominated film with us at Guild Hall to continue our successful SummerDocs series,” says Hamptons International Film Festival Executive Director Karen Arikian.   “The series is flourishing with the support of not only these acclaimed films but also with the continued support of board member Alec Baldwin,” adds Arikian. “Daniel Ellsberg and Carl Bernstein coming to the Hamptons community to discuss the film with our host Alec Baldwin is a testament to the importance of documentary filmmaking and its voice,” says Director of Programming, David Nugent.

The Most Dangerous Man in America catapults us to 1971 where we find America in the grip of a familiar scenario: a dirty war based on lies.  And Dr. Daniel Ellsberg, one of the nation’s leading war planners, has the documents to prove it.  Armed with 7000 pages of Top Secret documents; he leaks the truth about the Vietnam War to The New York Times and risks life in prison to end the war he helped plan.  It is a story that held the world in its grip, with daily headlines, the top story on the nightly news for weeks on end.

The tale is told by Ellsberg — as narrator, in current interviews and riveting archival footage — and a cast of supporting characters who “lived” the Pentagon Papers episode including Ellsberg’s wife and son, “co-conspirator” Tony Russo, historian/activist Howard Zinn, journalists Hedrick Smith and Max Frankel, attorneys Lenny Weinglass and James Goodale, Watergate principals Egil “Bud” Krogh and John Dean, and — in a rarely seen interview and his own secret White house tapes — President Nixon himself.

HIFF & Guild Hall Children’s Short Film Program is a compilation of films from around the globe curated by 10 year children’s programming veteran, Patti Greaney. Including both animation and live action films, this program is designed to inspire a child’s imagination. While exposing them to other worlds and cultures, each short film will offer glimpses into how other civilizations live and how their citizens may speak different languages, but still have similar interests — giving young minds the opportunity to realize there is a wonderful larger world out there. Even though this group of films is billed as a ‘children’s program’, it’s truly created for the child in all of us.

Children’s Short Film Program - August 19th, 4-5pm - Guild Hall - 158 Main Street, East Hampton. Get tickets through Guild Hall at www.guildhall.org or call their box office at (631) 324 - 4050.

Patti Greaney is an independent film producer and executive producer of film and evolutionary content at Giraldi Media. She is the founder of the successful StarChefs.com, the largest professional culinary site on the internet. Her latest project is the Out of Hand Festival, a partnership with the School of Visual Arts, an online, international, student competition for mobile content. Patti has now curated children’s short film programs for six years.

SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES. The program is one hour in length.

Hokus Pokus by Anna Samoylovich. A magicians wish does not always come true. Denmark / Animation /  4:13

The Happy Duckling by Gil Dolev. Follow a story of a young boy in his struggles against a STALKING DUCK!!  In this pop-up world expect the unexpected! Surprises a plenty behind every flap you open and every tab you pull. Scotland  / Animation / 9:35

Malice in Wonderland by Ross Bolinger. Two sheets of paper side by side, each containing a single character. One is ever joyous and carefree while the other, acutely observing the actions of the first, broils with envy. USA / Animation / 3:17

Maggie and Mildred by Holly Klein. Mildred is left to look after Maggie and the two of them now have the whole house to themselves. It doesn’t matter if they are discovering old furniture, saving a young prince or baking huge cakes – every room is full of adventures. USA / Animation / 4:00

Cocoon Child by Sonja Rohleder. A poetic film about the imagination of an autistic child showing the mo ment where the inner world connects with the world at large. Denmark / Animation /  5:00

Cyber by Stefan Eling. And, who said computer games were for couch potatoes? Germany / Animation /  5:00

The Little Crow with the Naked Bottom by Raimke Groothuizen. The little crow has a problem. The solution brings on teasing from friends but ultimately serves an even better purpose. Nederlands  / Animation / 5:00

Goldfish by Joe Wein. Third-graders are on a mission to save their classroom’s goldfish but everything they know is working against them… USA  / Love Action / 12:30

Dinosaur Song by Christian Robinson. A young boy takes us on a journey about the life of a dinosaur. USA / Animation /  3:00

Birds on a Wire by Jarbas Agnelli. Reading a newspaper, Jarbas Agnelli saw a picture of birds on the electric wires. He cut out the photo and decided to make a song, using the exact location of the birds as notes (no Photoshop edit). He was curious to hear what melody the birds were creating. Brazil  / Animation / 1:25

Runaway Train by Cordell Barker. Happy passengers are having a great time on a crowded train, oblivious to the fate that awaits them around the bend. The ensuing crisis leads to a class struggle that is as amusing as it is merciless. naturally there are victims, but in the end everyone is equal. Canada  / Animation / 9:11

The Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) will honor Ben Barenholtz with their HIFF / IndieWIRE Industry Toast on Saturday, October 9^th, during the festival (October 7 – 11, 2010). A revered figure among independent filmmakers, Barenholtz has been a key presence in the independent film world as an exhibitor, distributor, and producer since the late 1960s when he owned and operated New York City’s Elgin Theatre.

Ben Barenholtz’s innovative approach to the Elgin’s programming made it among the world’s most visionary and historically significant art houses. Barenholtz was the originator of the “All Night Show” as well as the “Midnight Movie”, launched in 1970 with Alexander Jodorowsky’s EL TOPO followed by John Water’s PINK FLAMINGOS. At the Elgin, Barenholtz re-launched the films of Buster Keaton and all the while discovering independent films by young American directors working outside the mainstream. Early works by Martin Scorsese and Jonathan Demme found a home at the Elgin.

Barenholtz was also the founder of specialty distributors Libra Films and co-founder of Circle Releasing, and over the course of his career at these two companies launched films like David Lynch’s ERASERHEAD, John Sayles’ RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN, Guy Maddin’s first feature TALES FROM THE GIMLI HOSPITAL, BLOOD SIMPLE, the first film by the Coen brothers, as well as Jean Charles Tachella’s COUSIN COUSINE, which garnered three Academy Award nominations. Barenholtz began producing films in the 80’s, and became Executive Producer on the Coen’s MILLER’S CROSSING, and their Cannes triple award winner, BARTON FINK as well as on Darren Aronofsky’s REQUIEM FOR A DREAM. His directorial debut was the documentary MUSIC INN, which will be followed up by the short, “PERCY” about jazz legend Percy Heath. He is currently developing Kurt Bursiek’s ASTRO CITY with Working Title.

“Ben is such a dynamic figure in the independent film world and has contributed on so many different levels. His influence ripples from both classic films to the next generation of filmmakers whose work he has helped to shape”, says The Hamptons International Film Festival Executive Director, Karen Arikian. “His commitment as a mentor to many young up-and-coming filmmakers remains to this day. We are honored to give this award to Ben and recognize his impact on the industry.”

“You cannot tell the story of independent film without talking about Ben Barenholtz,” says indieWIRE Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder Eugene Hernandez. “He’s not only been an important part of its history, but Ben continues to influence the movies today. It’s an honor for indieWIRE to be part of this tribute to him this year.”

The Industry Toast has been awarded to those that have had a significant impact on the industry. Past recipients have included Marcy Bloom, Bob Berney, Ted Hope and Wouter Barendrecht.

HIFF greatly appreciates the continued support from their corporate sponsors which include Altour International, American Airlines among many others.

An un-missable look at one of the art world’s most fascinating controversies and a celebrated selection of the Toronto, New York and AFI Film Festivals, Don Argott’s gripping documentary THE ART OF THE STEAL chronicles the long and dramatic struggle for control of the Barnes Foundation, a private collection of art valued at more than $25 billion.

In 1922, Dr. Albert C. Barnes formed a remarkable educational institution around his priceless collection of art, located just five miles outside of Philadelphia. Now, more than 50 years after Barnes’ death, a powerful group of moneyed interests have gone to court for control of the art, and intend to bring it to a new museum in Philadelphia. Standing in their way is a group of Barnes’ former students and his will, which contains strict instructions stating the Foundation should always be an educational institution, and that the paintings may never be removed. Will they succeed, or will a man’s will be broken and one of America’s greatest cultural monuments be destroyed?