Immortal Beloved

Beethoven once wrote to his confidante Schindler that “It is the power of music to carry one directly info the mental state of the composer. The listener has no choice. It is like hypnotism.”
In the film IMMORTAL BELOVED, filmmaker Bernard Rose brings the viewer into the mind of Beethoven with his masterful portrait of the deaf composer. Featuring an unforgettable performance by recent Academy Award nominee Gary Oldman, the musical direction of George Solti conducting the London Symphony Orchestra with soloists Yo-Yo Ma and Murray Perahia, the film plums the mystery of who was the “Immortal Beloved” that Beethoven addressed a letter to just prior to his death. Acclaimed upon its release 18 years ago, IMMORTAL BELOVED continues to both haunt, and delight those that fall under its spell.

Please join us for a discussion following the screening between HIFF Board members Alec Baldwin and Bob Balaban.

Saturday, April 28th, 7:30pm
Guild Hall, 158 Main Street
East Hampton, NY 11937

You can purchase tickets here.

For more information, please send an email to info@hamptonsfilmfest.org

January 30th, 2012—Film Submissions for the 2012 Hamptons International Film Festival are now open via our online submissions platform, Withoutabox.com. We are now accepting both short and feature length submissions for consideration in the following categories: Student Awards Program, Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, Short Films (any genre) and the Films of Conflict & Resolution Program. Our full guidelines for submissions, including fees, rules and regulations and category descriptions, are listed under each category of submission on Withoutabox.

Submissions Deadlines are as follows (please note these are postmarked dates within the United States):

Early Deadline: April 6, 2012
Regular Deadline: May 11, 2012
Late Deadline: June 8, 2012
Extended Deadline (Withoutabox members only): June 26, 2012

If you are sending us your film from within the continental United States, the dates above are “Postmarked By” Deadlines.  Films sent from any other location must arrive by the dates specified.

The festival is committed to fostering independent cinema and filmmakers’ careers at their early stages of development, and celebrating a diverse selection of films at the festival each year. We thank you for your interest in the Hamptons International Film Festival, and sincerely hope to have the opportunity to consider your film for this year’s edition.

The Hamptons International Film Festival will take place October 4-8, 2012

The Artist (2011)

The Hamptons International Film Festival would like to congratulate the winners of this year’s Academy Awards, including 2011 HIFF Audience Award-winner & Closing Night Film, THE ARTIST.

This year, nine Oscars went to films screened at the 2011 Hamptons International Film Festival.
Including:

Best Motion Picture of the Year
Winner: The Artist (2011) - Thomas Langmann

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Winner: Jean Dujardin for The Artist (2011)

Best Achievement in Directing
Winner: Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist (2011)

Best Short Film, Animated
Winner: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore (2011) - William Joyce,Brandon Oldenburg

Best Short Film, Live Action
Winner: The Shore (2011) - Terry George, Oorlagh George

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Winner: The Descendants (2011) - Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Winner: The Artist (2011) - Ludovic Bource

Best Documentary, Features
Winner: Undefeated (2011) - Daniel Lindsay, T.J. Martin, Rich Middlemas

Best Achievement in Art Direction
Winner: The Artist (2011) - Mark Bridges

OLIVER TWIST

Oliver Twist

Saturday February 25 at 7:30pm
The Hamptons International Film Festival and Guild Hall present OLIVER TWIST
Hosted by Alec Baldwin
Conversation to follow with Jon Robin Baitz

Legendary filmmaker David Lean’s (Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago) second adaptation of a Charles Dickens’ novel is a masterpiece of cinema, featuring a searing performance by Robert Newton as criminal Bill Sikes. The stunningly expressionistic cinematography by Guy Green places the viewer in a dark and furtive 19th century Endland, but one where hope still exists. Acclaimed writer Jon Robin Baitz (creator of ABC’s Brothers & Sisters and the play “Other Desert Cities” which is currently on Broadway) will join host Alec Baldwin following the screening for a discussion of literary adaptations.

“Lean has an affinity for all aspects of what might be required to bring Dickens’ characters to the screen. The casting, cinematography by Guy Green and editing by Jack Harris are superb, ” says host Alec Baldwin who curated the film with David Nugent of Hamptons International Film Festival.

The Artist

HIFF is pleased to announce that films screened at our Festival are represented in all of the major categories.

We would also like to note it is the second year in a row our Audience Award winning film has been nominated for Best Picture. In addition, we screened 3 of the 5 eventual Oscar nominated documentaries.

We are also thrilled that films in our 19th edition received 17 Golden Globe nominations with 6 wins, earlier this year. For the Golden Globes, films that we screened won both Best Drama, as well as Best Musical or Comedy and we also screened films with 3 of the 4 major Acting Awards.

HIFF’s Closing Night Film and Audience Award winner, THE ARTIST, has received 10 Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Best Director - Michael Hazanavicius, Best Actor - Jean Dujardin, Best Supporting Actress - Berenice Bejo and Best Original Screenplay.

THE DESCENDANTS has received 5 nominations, including Best Picture while MY WEEK WITH MARILYN has received two with Michelle Williams up for Best Actress and Kenneth Branagh up for Best Supporting Actor.

Pina

HIFF is also very pleased to note that the Festival’s featured documentaries and short films have received several nominations. These include PARADISE LOST 3: PURGATORY, PINA, UNDEFEATED, THE SHORE, THE TSUNAMI AND THE CHERRY BLOSSOM and THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE.

Rooney Mara at our 2009 Festival as a Breakthrough Performer

HIFF would also like to extend a special congratulations to our 2009 Breakthrough Performer Rooney Mara, nominated for Best Actress for THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, and our 2010 Breakthrough Performer Jessica Chastain, nominated for Best Supporting Actress for THE HELP.

Don’t forget to tune in to watch this year’s Academay Awards ceremony on February 26th!

A photo from the 2010 Screenwriter's Lab

The Hamptons International Film Festival’s Screenwriters’ Lab, going into its 12th year, is an intimate gathering that takes place each Spring in East Hampton, New York (April 13 - 15, 2012). The Lab develops emerging screenwriting talent by pairing established writers & creative producers with up-and-coming screenwriters (chosen by HIFF in collaboration with key industry contacts). The mentors advise in a one-on-one creative laboratory setting while additional events bring the participants together with board members, sponsors, the local artistic community, and other friends of the festival. With scripts from past writers produced year after year, the Lab continues to be a safe and inspiring place for artists to find and hone their creative vision.

Recent mentors at the lab include Michael Cunningham (The Hours, Evening); James Vanderbilt (Zodiac); Mark Heyman (Black Swan); Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (Half Nelson, Sugar, It’s Kind of a Funny Story); Billy Frolick (Madagascar); J.D. Zeik (Ronin); J. Robin Baitz (People I Know, The Substance of Fire); Whit Stillman (Metropolitan, The Last Days of Disco); Ira Sachs (40 Shades of Blue, This Married Life); Jeff Sharp (Producer, You Can Count on Me, Evening); Maria Maggenti (The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love); Sabrina Dhawan (Monsoon Wedding, Cosmopolitan); Gregory Widen (Highlander, Backdraft); Mark Christopher (54); Maggie Greenwald (Songcatcher, Ballad of Little Jo); Lawrence Lasker (Sneakers, War Games); Chap Taylor (Changing Lanes, National Treasure); and Dylan Kidd (Roger Dodger, P.S.).

We seek a broad selection of screenplays addressing a wide subject matter. Additionally, in collaboration with The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s initiative in furthering the public understanding of science, we encourage writers to submit screenplays that explore science, technology, mathematics, invention, and engineering in fresh and innovative ways.

Award Winners Announced

The Artist (2011)

HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL CONGRATULATES THE WINNERS:

THE ARTIST

Audience Award Narrative

Directed by Michel Hazanavicius

HARD TIMES: LOST ON LONG ISLAND

Audience Award Documentary

Directed by Marc Levin

TWO’S A CROWD

Audience Award Winner for Best Short

Directed by Jim Isler and Tom Isler

THE FAIRY

Narrative Jury Winner

Directed by Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon & Bruno Romy

LAURA

Documentary Jury Winner

Directed by Fellipe Barbosa

THE STRANGE ONES

Short Narrative Jury Winner

Directed by Christopher Radcliff and Lauren Wolkstein

WITHOUT

The Kodak Award for Best Cinematography.

The Wouter Barendrecht Pioneering Vision Award

Directed by Mark Jackson.

YOU’VE BEEN TRUMPED

Winner of the Victor Rabinowitz and Joanne Grant Award for Social Justice

Director Anthony Baxter

SPECIAL JURY MENTIONS:

THE FORGIVENESS OF BLOOD

Directed by Joshua Marston

VODKA FACTORY

Directed by Jerzy Sladkowski

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED

SMALL, BEAUTIFULLY MOVING PARTS

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Feature Film Prize

Directed by Annie Howell and Lisa Robinson

THE BULLY PROJECT

The Brizzolara Family Foundation Award for a Film of

Conflict and Resolution

Directed By Lee Hirsch

2011 Breakthrough Performer Recipients

Emily Browning – SLEEPING BEAUTY

Alexander Skarsgard- MELONCHOLIA

Stine Fischer Christensen – CRACKS IN THE SHELL

Ezra Miller – ANOTHER HAPPY DAY

Shailene Woodley – THE DESCENDANTS

Anton Yelchin – LIKE CRAZY

Small, Beautifully Moving Parts (Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Feature Film Prize)

Breakthrough Performer : Emily Browning : Sleeping Beauty

Breakthrough Performer : Shailene Woodley : The Descendants

Breakthrough Performer : Stine Fischer Christensen : Cracks In The Shell

Alexander Skarsgard: “Melancholia Red Carpet”

Baume & Mercier: Wolffer Estate Party

Ciroc Featurette

Jim Denevan: Artist