By Matthew Manguso
In between answering phones and stuffing envelopes, Zelda Penzel sits thumbing her way through a list of the movies that are scheduled to be screened at this year’s Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF). Zelda is an OV—Original Volunteer—because she has been helping out at HIFF since its inception. “We are going back to 1992,” she says. “At the time they were advertising locally for volunteers and I thought this would be a great thing to be involved with because I love movies.”
The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus: The late Heath Ledger stars in Terry Gilliam’s surreal exploration of self-discovery in this imaginative and whimsical film. Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell assumed Heath Ledger’s character following the actor’s death.
Now in its 17th year—and with more than 100 films to be shown between Oct. 8 and Oct. 12—the HIFF shows an increasing momentum and continues to make a name for itself among such film festival giants as Cannes, Sundance, and Tribeca. Last year HIFF premiered Academy Award winner Slumdog Millionaire, and this year hopes to accomplish the same feat by showcasing such films as The Greatest, which opens the festival, Solitary Man, which is this year’s centerpiece film, and The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus. Dr. Parnassus, starring the late Heath Ledger and directed by Terry Gilliam, is scheduled to close the festival, an easy choice for HIFF Director for Programming David Nugent, who says it is, “a strong film with a great cast and a unique vision.”
Nugent, along with four other programmers, is responsible for deciding which films make it to the festival theaters.
“We received around 2000 submissions this year, and as soon as they start coming in, a committee of 15 people begins watching the films,” he says. “That committee chooses the best ones, and then passes them on to myself and my team. We then choose which ones are screened. We also attend other festivals in search of possible films.”
When asked how other festivals stand up against HIFF, Nugent says, “We are not a discovery film festival [a festival that recognizes/screens films for the first time] like Cannes or Sundance, but we are a very well-respected regional festival with an increasing role in the film industry.”
Solitary Man: The Festival’s centerpiece film directed by Brian Koppelman and David Levien stars Michael Douglas as a New York businessman whose mid-life crisis quickly develops into a disaster.
One of the signature features of HIFF is the Films of Conflict and Resolution category, which highlights the ways in which films explore resolution and accountability. The festival’s website, www.hamptonsfilmfest.org, explains, “Too often war in film is treated as entertainment, and its far-reaching implications and human realities go unexamined. This year’s program is a cross-section of eras, nations, people and filmmaking styles, but each piece contributes to a deeper understanding of war and conflict and of the real lived experience of those involved.” Notable films competing this year are City of Life and Death directed by Lu Chuan, and How to Fold a Flag, which tells the story of veterans returning from Iraq and is directed by Petra Epperlein.
A new addition to this year’s HIFF is the Spotlight on Scandinavian Cinema, which came about after the Norwegian film Troubled Water swept both the Jury and Audience Awards for Best Narrative Feature. Films from Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden have always had a home at HIFF, and this year the organizers decided to honor this caste with a special exhibition of their films. A reception at the Swedish-owned c/o The Maidstone Hotel will also be held to honor the Scandinavian filmmakers.
“We also have a lot of good panels this year,” says Nugent, referring to the “A Conversation With…” series, which holds talks with special guests from the film industry. This year’s guests include Long Island alums Steve Buscemi and Alec Baldwin, along with Alan Alda and Producer Martin Bergman. Sharon Stone will also be awarded the Outstanding Achievement in Acting Award for her work in films.
“But what we are really excited about,” says Nugent, “is our tribute to the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.” For 10 years, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, an organization which has devoted time and energy to broaden public knowledge of science and technology through the arts, has partnered up with HIFF and awarded $25,000 to a filmmaker who embraces science and technology in his film. In honor of the decade-long relationship there will be a live reading of two science- and technology-themed scripts, Charm School for Primates by Karen Odyniec and The Transformation by Kirk Davis and Sam Sloves, There will also be a tribute to the Sloan P. Foundation and past winners.
The Greatest: The Festival’s Opener directed by newcomer Shana Feste stars Susan Sarandon, Pierce Brosnan, Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kravitz, and tells the story of a family who deals with one son’s death, and one son’s drug use.
Some collaborations that organizers hope will be as fruitful as the partnership with the Sloan P. Foundation are Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Foundation, which helps to preserve and restore overlooked films from around the world, and Mira Nair’s Maisha Foundation, which assists emerging filmmakers from the African region. There will be a special benefit screening of 8, a collection of short films by various directors (including one by Nair herself), which deals with the eight “Millennium Development Goals” for 2015 adopted by 191 countries. HIFF will also recognize the 75th Anniversary of the New York Film Critic’s Circle, one of the most prestigious organizations in the industry.
So there is plenty to see and to do at this year’s Hamptons International Film Festival, and only five days in which to see and do it. Zelda Penzel certainly has some serious decisions to make. “This is why I volunteer,” she says. “Not for the money, but because of my love for movies and films. I’m a, what’s the word? A cine-buff? That sounds like something sweet, but that’s what I am. I love movies.”
For information on film schedules and theaters, tickets, events, directions, restaurants and hotels nearby or to sign up for the Hamptons International Film Festival mailing list, please visit www.hamptonsfilmfest.org.
