17th Annual Hamptons Doc Fest Opening Night Film Is ‘Merchant Ivory’ - 27 East

Arts & Living

Arts & Living / 2304044

17th Annual Hamptons Doc Fest Opening Night Film Is ‘Merchant Ivory’

authorStaff Writer on Nov 5, 2024

The 17th annual Hamptons Doc Fest, screening 32 films from December 5 to 11 at the Sag Harbor Cinema and Bay Street Theater, has announced that ticket sales opened on November 1 at hamptonsdocfest.com. This year, a photo of the legendary filmmaking team of producer Ismail Merchant and director James Ivory from the Opening Night Film “Merchant Ivory” has been selected for its program cover and posters.

“Merchant Ivory,” which will be screened on Thursday, December 5, at 8 p.m. at Sag Harbor Cinema, followed by a cocktail reception, is a tribute to their over 40-year personal and professional partnership that produced such film classics as “A Room With a View,” “Howards End,” and “Remains of the Day.” Both James Ivory (now 96 years old) and the documentary’s director Stephen Soucy will be live at the Cinema for the Q&A. Merchant died in 2005.

“I chose this photo to represent this year’s film festival,” says Hamptons Doc Fest founder and executive director Jacqui Lofaro, “because Ismail Merchant and James Ivory made films that still ignite our minds as if we saw them yesterday. This photo of them reminded me of their incredible partnership and how that shared chemistry worked to create movie magic. We chose ‘Merchant Ivory’ as our opening film to connect again with the stories, the scenes and music scores they brought to screens around the world.”

This year’s festival includes not only 32 documentary films but also special events such as numerous awards ceremonies, Q&As with a large majority of the film directors whose films are being presented, cocktail receptions, breakfasts, a Young Voices program for middle and high school students, and new this year, a “Hometown Heroes” Student Film Contest.

Find information about all the Hamptons Doc Fest documentary films and tickets at hamptonsdocfest.com for the seven-day festival, December 5 to 11.

You May Also Like:

'Through Her Lens: A Place in Time' at Bridgehampton Museum

Pingree W. Louchheim was the staff photographer, photo editor and darkroom superintendent for The Southampton Press from 1972–1997. During this time, she photographed every aspect of community life, from the mundane and ordinary to pivotal events in Southampton’s history. Now, the photographic work of Louchheim is going on view in “Through Her Lens: A Place in Time,” an exhibition running at the Bridgehampton Museum’s Nathaniel Rogers House from Saturday, July 12, through Saturday, August 16. The show opens with a reception on Friday, July 11, from 5 to 7 p.m. Louchheim’s regular beat included small-town life: Southampton Town Hall, school ... 21 Jun 2025 by Staff Writer

The Art of Collecting With Christine Mack at SAC

The Christine Mack Art Collection will take center stage in “Beyond the Present: Collecting for the Future at SAC,” an exhibition that will be on view at Southampton Arts Center from July 26, through September 27. A collector of emerging artists, Mack has built her dynamic collection by seeking out, meeting with, collecting and supporting young voices of our times. Her mission is to collect and holistically nurture these talents through the Mack Art Foundation Artist Residency. Following in the footsteps of her mother-in-law, Phyllis Mack, Christine Mack has forged her path in collecting young American and international talent. This ... by Staff Writer

Round and About for June 19, 2025

Music & Nightlife Mysteries, Deceptions and Illusions Allan Zola Kronzek, a sleight-of-hand artist, will perform ... 18 Jun 2025 by Staff Writer

Interview: Ophira Eisenberg, Host of 'Ask Me Another' and 'Parenting Is a Joke,' Will Perform Saturday at Bay Street Theater

Stand-up comedian Ophira Eisenberg, the host of NPR’s trivia and puzzle show “Ask Me Another” ... 16 Jun 2025 by Brendan J. O’Reilly

To Be a Stranger: Whitney White Explores Identity, Migration in New Musical

Born and raised in Chicago, Whitney White took her very first trip abroad to Paris ... by Michelle Trauring

Jazz Loft at Southampton Show To Pay Tribute to Long Island Jazz Legends at Juneteenth Concert

The “Jazz Loft @ Southampton Concert Series” continues with the “Long Island Jazz Legends & ... by Dan Stark

Author Talk at LongHouse Reserve on Gala Dali

On Sunday, June 29, at 4:30 p.m., author Michèle Gerber Klein presents an author talk and book signing at LongHouse Reserve about her book “Surreal: The Extraordinary Life of Gala Dalí.” Gerber Klein’s second book, “Surreal,” the long-awaited, definitive biography of Gala Dalí unmasks this famous, yet little-known, queen of the 20th-century art world, who graced the canvases, inspired the poetry, and influenced the careers of her illustrious lovers and husbands with courage, agency and tenderness. Using previously undiscovered material, “Surreal” tells the riveting story of Gala Dalí, (1894-1982) who broke away from her cultured, but penurious, background in prerevolutionary ... by Staff Writer

'Upside Down Zebra 'at the Watermill Center

This summer, The Watermill Center will present “Upside Down Zebra,” an exhibition exploring the artistic ... by Staff Writer

'An Evening With Betty Buckley & Christian Jacob' Kicks Off Music Mondays at Bay Street Theater

Bay Street Theater opens its 2025 Music Mondays series with legendary Tony Award-winning stage and screen actress Betty Buckley, who will be joined by celebrated jazz pianist Christian Jacob, for a concert on Monday, June 30, at 8 p.m. Buckley’s Bay Street show will be her only appearance on the East End this summer. Hailed as the “Voice of Broadway,” Buckley is a master storyteller whose performances blur the line between song and scene. Joined by the extraordinary Christian Jacob — nine-time Grammy nominee and a pianist of rare emotional clarity — this intimate concert promises a night of depth, ... by Staff Writer

Rock Down to Electric Avenue Courtesy of The Suffolk

The Suffolk welcomes back “Electric Avenue: The ’80s MTV Experience” on Friday, June 27, at ... by Staff Writer