The Hamptons International Film Festival has a full lineup in February between its Winter Classic screening and the annual showing of the Oscar-nominated short films, as well as its new “Now Showing” series.
The film festival, which will return Columbus Day weekend for its 26th annual edition, holds events year-round at various venues on the South Fork—and sometimes even further afield.
“Novitiate,” the feature debut of writer/director Maggie Betts, will be shown Saturday, February 10, at 6 p.m. at Guild Gall in East Hampton as part of “Now Showing,” a series that brings acclaimed first-run films to the East End that were not destined for the local cinemas. “Novitiate” is a coming-of-age story about Cathleen (Margaret Qualley), a teenage girl who feels a calling to become a nun. Set in the 1960s as the Catholic Church is roiled by the reforms of Vatican II, the film features breakout performances by a cast of remarkable young female actors, grounded by screen veterans Melissa Leo and Julianne Nicholson, according to HIFF. Entering a convent under the harsh tutelage of a Reverend Mother, Cathleen and her fellow hopefuls find an institution in turmoil, where they’re forced to reckon with issues of faith, passion, and devotion within, and beyond, the church. Tickets are $15, or $12 for members of Guild Hall or HIFF.
“The Insult” will be shown at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor on Sunday, February 18, at 1 p.m., also for “Now Showing.” Directed by Ziad Doueiri, the film is set in modern Beirut where a civilian dispute blown out of proportion finds Tony, a Lebanese Christian, and Yasser, a Palestinian refugee, facing off in court. Tony (Adel Karam) and Yasser (Kamel El Basha) reconsider their values and beliefs as revelations of trauma complicate their understanding of one another. “The Insult” is nominated for the 2018 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Tickets are $15.
The Academy Award nominees for Best Animated Short Film and Best Live Action Short Film will be shown on Saturday, February 24, at Bay Street Theater. The animated shorts will be screened at noon and 4 p.m. and the live-action shorts will be screened at 1:30 and 5 p.m. Tickets are $15.
The Winter Classic screening on Saturday, February 24, at 7 p.m. at Guild Hall is Alfred Hitchcock’s “Strangers on a Train,” based on the 1950 novel of the same name by Patricia Highsmith. Following the screening will be a discussion with HIFF board co-chair Alec Baldwin and Artistic Director David Nugent. Tickets are $25, or $23 for members.
For tickets and more information, visit hamptonsfilmfest.org.