For the fourth year, the Festival partnered with indieWIRE to celebrate a person who best exemplifies the spirit of the independent film world and whose energy, vision, and acumen enhances the industry we are in and propels the art of film to greater heights. At a reception in Cannes (Monday, May 19th) at the Plage des Palmes Café, Hamptons’ Executive Director Karen Arikian, and Director of Programming David Nugent announced the Hamptons’ fourth ‘Toastee,’ one of the most prolific personalities on the international film scene, Founder and Co-Chairman of Fortissimo Films Wouter Barendrecht.

The ‘Toast’ to Wouter Barendrecht took place on Thursday evening, October 16th, in the Hamptons with many of Wouter’s friends and colleagues from around the world in attendance.

Fast becoming one of the highlights of the Festival, the inaugural Hamptons/indieWIRE ‘Toast’ was presented to Sony Picture Classics co-President Marcie Bloom, followed by Picturehouse President Bob Berney and producer Ted Hope.

“Having recently honored Marcie Bloom, Bob Berney and Ted Hope, three of the most respected executives in the New York film business, we faced a tough decision in regards to this year’s Industry Toast,” stated Festival Executive Director, Karen Arikian. “With thoughts of broadening our geographical scope, Wouter Barendrecht immediately stood out as an individual whose experience, body of work and the respect garnered from his peers around the world skyrocketed him to the top of our list.”

Eugene Hernandez, Editor of indieWIRE says, “Wouter has a tremendous track record in the international arena. He is a fixture at film festivals around the world and has shepherded so many amazing filmmakers and films to the market. We are thrilled to be saluting him this year in The Hamptons.”

Dutch-born Wouter Barendrecht founded Fortissimo in 1991 after years of experience working as a programmer for the Rotterdam International Film Festival and a press officer for the Berlin International Film Festival´s Forum. A member of the European Film Academy, Barendrecht has, at Fortissimo, guided titles such as CHUNGKING EXPRESS, IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE, HEAVY, PRISONER OF THE MOUNTAIN, IRON LADIES, SUPER SIZE ME, SHORTBUS and Martin Scorsese’s Rolling Stones film SHINE A LIGHT to international success. He has served on numerous festival juries (Berlin, Sarajevo, Edinburgh, Sydney, Jerusalem, etc.), and was the director of the inaugural Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum. Together with Co-chairman Michael Werner, Barendrecht was awarded a Golden Kinnaree for their contribution to Asian cinema by the Bangkok Film Festival and the Excellence Award from Cineasia. He has lived in Hong Kong since 1997.

FORTISSIMO FILMS is one of the world’s leading international film, television and video sales organizations specializing in the production, presentation, promotion and distribution of award-winning and innovative feature films. With offices in Amsterdam, Hong Kong, London, New York, Sydney and Paris and agents in the USA, Europe, Tokyo, Beijing and the Middle East, the company has a truly global presence and reach.

Founded in 1991, the company is well known for its commitment to original and groundbreaking films and for nurturing relationships with talented new directors and producers. Fortissimo enjoys excellent relationships with key international distributors and film festivals, not to mention international and local journalists around the world. Going into its seventeenth year of business, the company has experienced uninterrupted growth and continues to move from strength to strength.

The library of FORTISSIMO FILMS includes feature films, feature-length documentaries, animated films and short subjects. FORTISSIMO FILMS represents over 250 films from around the globe. Approximately 20 films per year are added to the line-up. Over the past few years the company started to acquire and manage existing libraries on behalf of independent producers and directors, such as those of Wong Kar Wai’s Jet Tone, leading US-based producers Killer Films, Hart Sharp Entertainment and directors Jim Jarmusch and Hal Hartley.

Since 2000, FORTISSIMO FILMS has entered into activities related to the development, financing and co-production of films and has earned production credits on a number of titles including THE GODDESS OF 1967, SPRINGTIME IN A SMALL TOWN, LAST LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE, MYSTERIOUS SKIN, INVISIBLE WAVES and I DON’T WANT TO SLEEP ALONE, among many others. Upcoming titles in development include BLACK OASIS by Stephan Elliott, the new Todd Solondz project LIFE DURING WARTIME, an adaptation of J.M. Coetzee’s Booker Prize-winning novel DISGRACE and Killer Films’ GIGANTIC.