HIFF31 is proud to announce the following Spotlight selections:
- Andrew Haigh’s ALL OF US STRANGERS, about a screenwriter who encounters a mysterious neighbor and is drawn back to his childhood home, where his long-dead parents seemingly still live
- Jennifer Esposito’s FRESH KILLS, which tells the story of the loyal women of an organized crime family in late 20th century NYC (also screens in our Views From Long Island signature program)
- George C. Wolfe’s RUSTIN, following the gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, who organized the 1963 March on Washington
- Jonathan Glazer’s THE ZONE OF INTEREST, which follows the commandant of Auschwitz Rudolf Höss and his wife Hedwig, who strive to build a dream life for their family in a home next to the camp
Passes and packages for HIFF31 go on sale September 5. A HamptonsFilm Members pre-sale for individual tickets begins September 23, with individual tickets to the general public on sale September 25. Join today for early ticket access.
Spotlight Films
Sponsored by
ALL OF US STRANGERS
dir. Andrew Haigh (UK, 2023)
On a lonely night in contemporary London, Adam (Emmy® nominee Andrew Scott) has a chance encounter with mysterious neighbor Harry (Academy Award® nominee Paul Mescal). As a relationship develops between them, Adam finds himself drawn back to the suburban town where he grew up, and to the childhood home where his parents (Claire Foy, The Crown, and Jamie Bell) appear to be living, looking exactly as they did on the day they died 30 years earlier. Director Andrew Haigh (45 YEARS, WEEKEND) returns to HIFF with this stirring, quietly metaphysical story of love and loss, based on the novel Strangers by Taichi Yamada. A Searchlight Pictures release.
FRESH KILLS
dir. Jennifer Esposito (USA, 2023)
In her debut as a writer-director, actress Jennifer Esposito (Blue Bloods, SUMMER OF SAM, CRASH) brings late 1980s Staten Island to vivid life through the lens of Rose Larusso (Emily Bader), an inquisitive young girl who discovers her father (Domenick Lombardozzi) is an emerging mafia kingpin. Rose’s growing desire to break free from the path set before her soon threatens her existence and alienates her from her closest allies: her mother (Esposito) and sister (Odessa A’zion). Smart, thrilling, and nuanced, FRESH KILLS turns the classic mob movie inside out, shining a light on the stories of the women operating within mafia life and the fear, violence and rage that dictate who they become. This film also screens as part of Views From Long Island, supported by the Suffolk County Film Commission.
RUSTIN
East Coast Premiere
dir. George C. Wolfe (USA, 2023)
The architect of 1963’s momentous March on Washington, Bayard Rustin (Emmy Award® winner Colman Domingo, Euphoria) was one of our country’s greatest unsung activists and organizers. He challenged authority, and never apologized for who he was, what he believed, or who he loved. He made history, and in turn, he was forgotten. Directed by DGA Award and five-time Tony® Award winner George C. Wolfe, RUSTIN shines a long overdue spotlight on the extraordinary man who, alongside other civil rights giants, dared to imagine a different world, and inspired a movement in a march toward freedom. A Netflix release.
THE ZONE OF INTEREST
dir. Jonathan Glazer (USA/UK/Poland, 2023)
Based on a novel of the same name by the late Martin Amis, THE ZONE OF INTEREST is the latest feature from English director Jonathan Glazer (UNDER THE SKIN). This Cannes Grand Prix-winning film centers on the domestic lives of Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel) and his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller, 2006 HIFF Rising Star), as they strive to build a dream life for their family, whose home is mere yards away from the setting of the worst atrocities of recent history. Shot in and around the historic site of Auschwitz and anchored by Mica Levi’s haunting score, THE ZONE OF INTEREST is an unforgettable meditation on the banality of evil. An A24 release.
The 31st annual Hamptons International Film Festival will take place October 5-12, 2023. HIFF thanks the supporters for this year’s festival, including returning Premiere Sponsor Audi; Signature Sponsors The Macallan and Variety; Supporting Sponsors Naturopathica, Dragon Hemp, Netflix, Silvercup, and Regal Cinemas; as well as official Media Sponsors WNBC, The East Hampton Star, The Purist, and new Signature Sponsor The Atlantic; and long term support from New York State Council on the Arts, and Suffolk County Film Commission.
