It’s Sunday Funday at HIFF 2016!
HIFF is showing no signs of slowing down. On deck today: A Conversation With Edward Norton, the Sunday Centerpiece film 20th CENTURY WOMEN, Compassion, Justice & Animal Rights winner UNLOCKING THE CAGE, the world premiere of SUPERGIRL, and our final Winick Talk. Read on, movie fans!
A Conversation With Edward Norton
2016 Career Achievement Award Honoree Edward Norton is a prolific actor, director, producer and activist. A three-time Oscar® nominee, Norton is best known for his roles in BIRDMAN, FIGHT CLUB, THE 25TH HOUR, AMERICAN HISTORY X and PRIMAL FEAR.
A Conversation With… is presented by BMW USA. Find tickets.
Norton is also the founder of CrowdRise, a social fundraising site for grassroots philanthropy that is now one of the largest crowdfunding platforms in the world, having raised over $500 million for over 30,000 non-profit organizations.
Sunday Centerpiece:
20th CENTURY WOMEN
The remarkable Annette Bening stars as Dorothea, a single mother devoted to raising her son Jamie (Lucas Jade Zumann) into a decent man in this heartwarming comedy. Set in 1979 Santa Barbara, Dorothea assembles a makeshift family, including Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup, and Elle Fanning. With a sensitive touch and attention to period detail, Mike Mills delivers a rich and charming portrait of the group as they explore love and freedom.
Our Sunday Centerpiece film is presented by Harper Collins Publishers.
TODAY | 8:15pm | Guild Hall
TODAY | 9:15pm | UA East Hampton
Encore MONDAY | 4pm | Bay Street Theater
WOMEN IN FILM:
LOTS OF TALK. ANY ACTION?
Winick Talks at Rowdy Hall
Though the subject of gender diversity behind the camera has been increased in industry (and public) conversation over the past several years, have conditions for female filmmakers actually improved? What are the challenges women face in getting projects financed, produced and distributed? How do they combat day-to-day bias with strength and fortitude? How can we transform conversation into action?
Panelists: Terry Lawler, NYWIFT Executive Director; filmmakers Jessie Auritt (SUPERGIRL), Kat Coiro (WIG SHOP), Chris Hegedus (UNLOCKING THE CAGE), Kahane Cooperman (JOE’S VIOLIN). Moderated by Thelma Adams.
10am, Rowdy Hall in East Hampton. Free; no ticket required. Breakfast will be served!
UNLOCKING THE CAGE
Directed by: Chris Hegedus, D.A. Pennebaker
Animal rights lawyer Steven Wise makes an unprecedented attempt to break down the legal wall that separates animals from humans by filing the first lawsuits seeking to transform a chimpanzee from a “thing” with no rights to a “person” with legal protections. With Tommy and Kiko, former showbiz chimps now living in neglected cages, at the center of the debate, Wise makes a compelling argument that thrusts the case into the media spotlight. A riveting courtroom drama filled with heart and compassion in the face of overwhelming opposition.
TODAY | 1:45pm | UA East Hampton
The Compassion, Justice & Animal Rights panel will follow the screening, featuring the directors and Steven Wise.
Presented by Big Life Foundation.
SUPERGIRL
Directed by: Jessie Auritt | World Premiere
Naomi “Supergirl” Kutin is the strongest girl in the world. The 11-year-old, 95-pound Orthodox Jewish girl from New Jersey is a competitive powerlifter who can lift three times her body weight, impressing even the largest of bodybuilders. SUPERGIRL follows Naomi’s inspiring journey as she simultaneously trains for national competitions and prepares for her bat mitzvah, balanging being a teenage girl with religious obligation and fighting to set new records. With many obstacles in her way, Naomi discovers what it truly means to be strong.
TODAY | 2pm | UA East Hampton
Encore MONDAY | 2:30pm | UA East Hampton
FRANTZ
Directed by: François Ozon | Narrative Feature | 113 min | French/German | East Coast Premiere
In a small German town after World War I, Anna (Paula Beer) mourns daily at the grave of her fiancé Frantz, killed in battle in France. One day, a young Frenchman, Adrien (Pierre Niney), also lays flowers at the grave. His presence so soon after the German defeat ignites passions in acclaimed filmmaker’s François Ozon’s tragic and tender romance. Elegantly lensed and acted, FRANTZ is a rich period piece filled with love and remembrance while dealing with a devastating loss in surprising ways.
TODAY | 2:45pm | UA Southampton
DON’T CALL ME SON
Directed by Anna Muylaert | East Coast Premiere
A knockout coming-of-age drama about personal identity, family loyalty, and class tensions. With wit and compassion, Muylaert effortlessly follows 17-year-old Pierre (Naomi Nero) as he receives the shocking news that his loving, working-class mother kidnapped him at birth. Adding to the confusion, Pierre likes to wear eyeliner and women’s clothing, and is experimenting with his sexuality. When forced to move in with his bourgeois biological parents, Pierre must navigate between figuring out who he is and where he belongs.
TODAY | 5:30pm | Bay Street Theater
STUDENT SHORT FILMS SHOWCASE
Selected from hundreds of submissions by a jury of industry professionals, these prize-winning short films showcase the extraordinary talent and achievements of five exceptional student filmmakers.
Runtime: 91 min
Films: THE DUKE: BASED ON THE MEMOIR “I’M THE DUKE” BY J.P. DUKE, FANNY PACK, FATA MORGANA, GUBAGUDE KO, ICEBOX
CHRISTINE
Directed by: Antonio Campos | East Coast Premiere
On the morning of July 15, 1974, Christine Chubbuck, a rising 29-year-old television reporter in Sarasota, went to work, sat at the newscaster’s desk, and read the news. It was a broadcast like any other, until she stopped abruptly and shot herself on live television. This true and tragic story is a riveting glimpse into Christine’s life and the events leading up to her tragic ending. Rebecca Hall’s performance is hypnotic, tracing her professional ambition, frustration, and inner torment with brilliant subtlety and sensibility.
TODAY | 8pm | Bay Street Theater
DONALD CRIED
Directed by: Kris Avedisian
A classic buddy comedy with a hilarious twist. A successful Wall Street financier returns to his childhood home after fifteen years to settle his grandmother’s affairs. In a rush to get in and out, he loses his wallet and finds himself stranded in Rhode Island. Reluctantly, he reunites with his childhood friend, who never grew up or realized that their friendship ended. Avedisian, who writes, produces, directs and stars, is a breakout talent.
GLORY
Directed by: Kristina Grozeva, Petar Valchanov | US Premiere
A poor railway worker’s world is turned upside down when he finds a huge pile of cash abandoned on the tracks in this absorbing tragicomedy. He decides to do the honorable thing and turn it over the police, but a careless government propaganda team eager to capitalize on the story sends his life spinning out of control. Set against the backdrop of contemporary Bulgaria, where corruption and bureaucracy are givens, GLORY is a mysterious journey of one man’s race against time to expose the truth and regain his dignity. Screening in Competition.
There are plenty of other films on deck today.
Browse the entire schedule here.
See you at the movies!