From Wild Wolves to Human Rights: 18th Annual Hamptons Doc Fest Expands Horizons with 33 Films and New Venues

The 18th annual Hamptons Doc Fest will screen 33 films from December 4 to 11 at the Sag Harbor Cinema, Bay Street Theater and, new this year, the Southampton Playhouse. Festival passes are available for purchase now and general admission ticket sales begin November 10.

This year’s program cover and poster features an image from the powerful documentary “Lost Wolves of Yellowstone,” which will be screened as the Closing Night Film on Thursday, December 11, 7:30 p.m. on the new IMAX screen at the Southampton Playhouse.

Directed by Thomas Winston, the founder/CEO of Grizzly Creek Films, who will attend the Q&A, the film tells the story of how Mollie Beattie, the first female director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, was able to bring wolves, including Alpha Female #5, back to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming in 1995 after an over 50-year absence. The pack, dubbed “Mollie’s Pack,” is now over 750 wolves strong.

“I chose the image of the grey wolf for the program cover partly because it’s the star of our closing night film and because it personifies intelligence and resistance,” says Hamptons Doc Fest founder and executive director Jacqui Lofaro. “No matter how long they were the target of destruction, they survived to thrill us for another day.”

This year’s festival includes feature length and short documentary films as well as special events such as cocktail receptions, breakfasts, Q&As with the film directors, a Young Voices program for middle and high school students, a “Hometown Heroes” Student Film Contest, and seven awards ceremonies.

These include the HDF Pennebaker Career Achievement Award, the HDF Art & Inspiration Award, the HDF Nancy Nagle Kelley Environmental Award, the HDF Impact Award, the HDF Human Rights Award, the HDF Legacy Award and new this year, the HDF Veritas Award.

Information about all the Hamptons Doc Fest documentary films and tickets are available at hamptonsdocfest.com.