Hamptons Arts Network Presents THAW Fest

HAN-8x4ins-v3Nineteen not-for-profit organizations throughout the South Fork have joined forces to form the Hamptons Arts Network (HAN), designed to create a unified arts community in the Hamptons. The consortium’s goal is to promote collaboration, partnerships, and shared programming among its members, and to advocate for the arts in the areas of economic development, tourism, and education. HAN will create events to shine a light on the year-round cultural mecca located on Long Island’s East End.

As their first event, they are proud to announce THAW FEST, a Hamptons-wide weekend festival to celebrate spring and promote the broadly diverse range of cultural programs and institutions that make the South Fork of Long Island unique. The 2018 THAW FEST will offer three days of exhibitions, theater performances, film, music, garden tours, workshops, community engagement and family-focused events.

The Hamptons Arts Weekend Festival (THAW FEST)
March 23-25, 2018
The Hamptons, NY


The Hamptons International Film Festival is thrilled to host the following events:

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A Master Class on the film versions of ROMEO AND JULIET

Saturday, March 24 | 4:00-5:00pm
Guild Hall of East Hampton

Comparing Franco Zeffirelli and Baz Luhrmann’s cinematic interpretations of the Shakespearean classic Romeo & Juliet, with an award-winning filmmaker.
*Following the Master Class stick around for Guild Hall’s own contemporary interpretation of the great romantic tragedy.

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THE BREADWINNER (ages 13+)

Sunday, March 25 | 1:00pm
Southampton Arts Center
Reserve your free tickets today!

Director: Nora Twomey, Executive Producer: Angelina Jolie
(Canada, Ireland, Luxembourg, 2017, 93 minutes)
​*2018 Academy Award Nominee for Best Animated Feature (Nominated, 2018)
THE BREADWINNER tells the story of Parvana, an 11-year-old girl growing up under the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001. When her father is wrongfully arrested, Parvana disguises herself as a boy in order to support her family. With dauntless perseverance, Parvana draws strength from the stories her father told her, and ultimately risks her life to discover if he is still alive. Equal parts thrilling and enchanting, The Breadwinner is a timely and inspiring tale about the transcendent power of stories, and their potential to unite and heal us all.

Rated PG-13

WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW:
THE BREADWINNER is a beautifully animated drama from the co-director of THE SECRET OF KELLS, set in post-Taliban Afghanistan. Based on the young adult novel by Deborah Ellis, it centers on an 11-year-old girl who’s forced to pretend she’s a boy after her father is imprisoned. The movie heartbreakingly captures the violent, anti-women, anti-intellectual, and even anti-literacy stance of the Taliban regime. Women are harassed and beaten for not covering themselves properly, being in public without a husband/father, and drawing attention to themselves. Taliban soldiers and followers intimidate and threaten characters and keep one imprisoned. A few mild insults pepper the dialogue (“crazy,” “stupid,” “enemy of Islam,” etc.), but it’s the realistic violence that’s most likely to upset younger viewers. There’s also a story-within-the-story in which skeleton ghosts, attacking jaguars, and an evil elephant king figure prominently, but it’s not as frightening as the mistreatment of people (particularly girls and women) under Taliban rule. And, ultimately, themes of perseverance, curiosity, and courage prevail.


New York State Assemblyman Fred Thiele stated, “The East End is blessed with a wide range of cultural institutions and resources that contribute substantially to the diverse and rich quality of life that we enjoy. Not only do the arts bring fullness to our daily lives, they are also a catalyst for our regional economy. Our cultural institutions foster tourism and create jobs across the economic spectrum. The decision of 19 local arts organizations to join together to create a unified arts community will only serve to strengthen their important role in our community and will spur economic activity for our local businesses year-round. I look forward to THAW FEST in March, as the East End takes the next step forward in celebrating our cultural heritage.”

A map, a list of the member organizations, and more detailed information about THAW FEST can be found on the HamptonsArtsNetwork website.

 Download the full schedule of events here.