Once a year along the East Coast, as the leaves are changing from green to gold, film fans from around the globe gather for the arts and culture event of the year. Celebrities bundled up in layers whirl in and out of cinemas, accompanied by a crisp breeze making its way inland off the inky Atlantic. Here is a setting so bucolic that it resembles scenes off the silver screens scattered about town. All this and more awaits attendees of the Hamptons International Film Festival , the perfect place to celebrate the  art of film

The Hamptons International Film Festival, also known as HIFF, takes place each fall. Attendees have ten glorious days to enjoy the wide range of programs on offer. Screenings of films from all over the world will cater to everyone, from the light-hearted bon-vivant to the solemn intellectual.

Background

When Joyce Robinson first visited the scenic East Coast community of the Hamptons, she immediately felt at home. At the time, she was working as a Hollywood casting director in Los Angeles. Determined to end up in her favorite place, she contemplated how to bring her love for film to the Hamptons. The solution, which presented itself to her in the wee hours of a winter morning in 1992, became the Hamptons International Film Festival .

The Art of Film

The festival is primarily a place to enjoy the art of film in all its forms. Often, films featured here go on to win prestigious awards. For example, in 2020 HIFF screened ‘Nomadland’ at a COVID-safe drive-in. The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture the following year.  This year, the program appears as impressive as always.

On Opening Night, a gala will be held to mark the official start of HIFF 2022. This year, attendees will have the chance to attend the East Coast premiere of promising new films from talented directors.

The festival also includes a number of ‘Signature Programs’ dedicated to screening films centered around specific themes. ‘Films of Conflict and Resolution’ focuses on cinematic explorations of war, violence, and injustice. Taking place within this program is the world premiere of ‘A Radical Life’. This intimate documentary revolves around the life and mind of Tania Joya, the former wife of the highest-ranking American in ISIS.

Other program themes include ‘Air, Land + Sea,’ screening films designed to raise awareness about man-made environmental issues, and ‘Compassion, Justice, and Animal Rights’, which focuses on caring for our animal counterparts. The final category, ‘Views from Long Island,’ is an ode to the Hamptons community. It features films made by local filmmakers and cinema highlighting the natural and social landscape of Long Island.

Celebrity Encounters

The caliber of films screened at the Hamptons International Film Festival makes it the perfect place for consuming culture , but also provides ample opportunity for brushes with celebrity. The high-brow nature of the event supplies fertile ground for the crème-de-la-crème of the film industry . A huge number of class-A celebrities attend the festival each year, including stars such as Timothée Chalamet, and Julie Andrews, just to name a few.

In addition to film showings, HIFF hosts a number of ‘In Conversation With’ events, in which attendees have the opportunity to hear from the best in the filmmaking business. In the past, these talks have been held by the likes of Martin Scorsese and Kate Winslet. This year, the festival will play host to notable speakers Chelsea Clinton and Chris Columbus.

Following an exclusive screening of her documentary series ‘Gutsy’, executive producer Clinton will share her experience of working on the show. In addition, Chris Columbus, who has worked as a writer and director on adored films such as ‘Home Alone’ and ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’, will give unique insight into his artistic process.

Looking to the Future

The Hamptons is known for its affluence and refined splendor. Indeed, the eastern end of Long Island has long operated as the stomping ground of New York City’s upper crust. Yet despite the reputation of its host community and glitzy guest list, the Hamptons International Film Festival is much more than a place to ‘see and be seen.’

At the heart of its founding was a wish to expose people to new forms of arts, new cultures, and new viewpoints. The festival’s creators hoped to inspire in every viewer a love of film that would potentially carry them toward the future of cinema, making new filmmakers, producers, and directors out of everyone drawn towards the < art of film . Thus, HIFF makes efforts to ensure a bright future for the next generation of cinephiles.

Perhaps the most obvious way they do this is by providing prizewinning filmmakers with substantial cash prizes. There are several categories of awards, designed to support emerging artists. Once such category is the New York Women in Film & Television Awards, which honors two exceptional female filmmakers each year. By recognising artistic excellence in female filmmakers, this award serves to inspire women to persevere in an industry that is notorious for often feeling like a boy’s club.

Another notable reward that supports a group often lacking resources to excel in filmmaking is the University Short Film Showcase Awards, bestowed upon five talented student filmmakers. Notable films up for nomination in this category at HIFF 2022 include a narrative tale of Thai brothers living as migrant workers in Sweden and a story of three black women navigating complicated relationships with their hair.

Attendees of the festival also have the chance to get involved, as they are asked to vote for their favorite films in the categories ‘Best Narrative Film’, ‘Best Documentary Feature Film’, and ‘Best Short Film’.

East Hampton

In the off moments when guests are not enjoying one of the festival’s many films, they can explore the charming host community. The festival takes place mainly in East Hampton, with five venues on or around their lovely Main Street. Those seeking a nature break may opt for a stroll around the East Hampton Village Nature Trail and Wildlife Sanctuary. Visit the duckpond for an image straight out of a fairy-tale.

If your movie-watching and culture -consuming has left you hungry for more than the art of film , try out Serafina East Hampton or Nick & Toni’s: two Hamptons staples that also happen to be sponsors of the festival . The picturesque Serafina is easy to spot with its sunflower-yellow awning. While there, try the black truffle ravioli for an indulgent feast of the senses. Or, preferring a simple classic, you can never go wrong with a Margherita pizza.

At Nick & Toni’s flagship restaurant, go full-New York and feast on a Prime New York Strip Steak. For something lighter, try the Grilled Sourdough Panzanella Salad with fresh, locally sourced Sungold tomatoes from Balsam Farm in Amagansett.

As an event that welcomes over 100 filmmakers and thousands of guests every year, the Hamptons International Film Festival ranks among the top film festivals in the world. Featuring international stories of humanity and showcasing the triumphs of the human mind, HIFF is bound < to ignite a flame for the power of creative storytelling and the beauty found within the art of film.