The Hamptons

The Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) revealed a brand new annual award, THE DICK CAVETT ARTISTIC CHAMPION AWARD. The inaugural award will be given to Emmy® Award winning television personality and former talk show host Dick Cavett by HIFF Co-Chairman Alec Baldwin at the opening night of the 25th Festival on Thursday, October 5th. The award will honor a person who throughout their career has continued to support the arts and has made a significant impact and contribution within the industry. The 2017 festival will take place October 5 – 9, Columbus Day Weekend, with over 65 features and 50 shorts representing a total of 40 countries across the globe.

“Of course, when it came time to create an award on behalf of those in our industry who have supported artists and the arts in unique and indelible ways, we realized we not only had to name the award after Dick, but also give our first award to him. Cavett’s television program was a showcase for artists like no other, and his work with HIFF over the years is something we are most grateful for,” said HIFF Co-Chairman Alec Baldwin.

Dick Cavett is one of the most well respected television personalities and interviewers in the industry. He has been on television for over five decades and has been nominated for ten Emmy® Awards, winning three awards. Cavett started his career as a writer on THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JOHNNY CARSON and hosted his own late night TV show, THE DICK CAVETT SHOW. Cavett has published four books: “Cavett,” “Eye on Cavett,” “Talk Show: Confrontations, Pointed Commentary, and Off-Screen Secrets,” and “Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, and Assorted Hijinks.” He has also written for publications including The New York Times, The New Yorker, TV Guide, Vanity Fair, and elsewhere.

HIFF also announced that four-time Academy® Award-nominee, two-time Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award winner renowned actress Annette Bening will participate in one of the festival’s signature programs, “A Conversation With…” The event will take place on Sunday, October 8th at 7:30PM at East Hampton Middle School, moderated by HIFF Board Member and actor Bob Balaban. Bening also stars in one of the festival’s Spotlight films, Paul McGuigan’s FILMS STARS DON’T DIE IN LIVERPOOL, opposite Jamie Bell, which will screen during the festival on Sunday, October 8th and Monday, October 9th at Guild Hall. Sony Pictures Classics will release the film on December 15th.

Annette Bening has been a force for over 25 years on screen. She is known for her roles in Rob Reiner’s THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT, opposite Michael Douglas; Sam Mendes’ AMERICAN BEAUTY, starring Kevin Spacey; István Szabó’s BEING JULIA; Lisa Cholodenko’s THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, opposite Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo; Mike Mills’ 20TH CENTURY WOMEN (HIFF 2016), opposite Greta Gerwig and Elle Fanning; and Warren Beatty’s RULES DON’T APPLY. Bening will be seen in upcoming films including Michael Mayer’s adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s play THE SEAGULL opposite Saoirse Ronan, Dan Fogelman’s drama LIFE, ITSELF with Olivia Wilde, Oscar Isaac, Samuel L. Jackson and Antonio Banderas, and Christoph Waltz’s directorial debut GEORGETOWN, opposite Waltz and Vanessa Redgrave.

“We are delighted to have one of the industry’s most formidable and talented actresses, Annette Bening, join us this year to converse about her body of work and new film FILM STARS DON’T DIE IN LIVERPOOL,” said HIFF Executive Director Anne Chaisson. “She is one of the most talented actresses of our generation and a perfect addition to our 25th anniversary.”

HIFF also announced the jury members for the 2017 festival. The Narrative Jury will include Eric Kohn, chief film critic and a deputy editor for Indiewire and chairman of the New York Film Critics Circle; actor Harris Yulin, who has starred in films including WANDERLAND (HIFF25), TRAINING DAY, SCARFACE, and television series Ozark and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt; and producer Daniela Taplin Lundberg, who recently launched Stay Gold Features and has produced over 25 features, including PATTI CAKE$, BEASTS OF NO NATION, HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS and THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT. The Documentary Jury will include Oscar®-nominated and Emmy®-winning producer Julie Goldman, founder of Motto Pictures, who has produced films including LIFE, ANIMATED and THE MUSIC OF STRANGERS, and executive produced WEINER and BEST OF ENEMIES; artist and ceramist Toni Ross, the founder of HIFF and the Founding Chair for five years; and director Roger Ross Williams, who is the first African American director to win an Oscar®, and who directed films including LIFE, ANIMATED and MUSIC BY PRUDENCE.

The festival previously announced that Alison Chernick’s ITZHAK will open the festival on Thursday, October 5 and Craig Gillespie’s I, TONYA will serve as the Closing Night Film on Monday, October 9; Simon Curtis’ GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBINSON will serve as the Friday Centerpiece; Martin McDonagh’s THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI will serve as the Saturday Centerpiece; and Andy Serkis’ BREATHE will serve as the Sunday Centerpiece. In addition, Emmy® Award-winning actor and Oscar®-nominated director Rob Reiner will participate in the “A Conversation With…” series.

Also, as previously announced, the festival will continue to co-present the annual 10 Actors to Watch List with Variety. The 2017 10 Actors to Watch are Timothée Chalamet, Hong Chau, Kiersey Clemons, Daveed Diggs, Ali Fazal, Daniel Kaluuya, Barry Keoghan, Danielle Macdonald, Kumail Nanjiani, and Grace Van Patten.

The 25th annual Hamptons International Film Festival will take place over Columbus Day Weekend, October 5th – 9th, 2017. The Hamptons International Film Festival greatly appreciates the support from presenting sponsor Delta Air Lines and Altour International, premiere sponsor Audi, lead sponsor The Hilaria and Alec Baldwin Foundation, signature sponsors HighTower Sports and Entertainment, Kaufman Astoria Studios, Silvercup Studios and Gisbon Dunn, and official media partners WNBC New York, and Variety.