(Long Island, NY) The Hamptons International Film Festival was established to celebrate the Independent film – long, short, fiction and documentary – and to introduce a unique and varied spectrum of international films and filmmakers to sophisticated audiences. The festival is committed to exhibiting films that express fresh new faces, voices and differing global perspectives, with the hope that these programs will enlighten audiences, provide invaluable exposure for filmmakers and present inspired entertainment for all. The 15th Annual Hamptons International Film Festival was held Wednesday, October 17 through Sunday, October 21, 2007.
This year’s event opened with the premiere of a Spotlight film “Bernard and Doris” at United Artist Theatre in East Hampton starring Ralph Fiennes as Doris Duke’s Gay Butler and Susan Sarandon as the tobacco heiress Doris Duke.
In the late 1980’s Bernard Lafferty an Irish butler arrived at the front door of tobacco heiress Doris Duke. A recovering alcoholic and broke, Lafferty faced a challenging battle in convincing his notoriously demanding boss to keep him on staff. Only six years later, he managed to remain employed and was granted full control of Duke’s multi-billion dollar fortune.
Long time actor and director Bob Balaban’s features money, class and sexuality among the subjects explored in the film. The essence of the film “Bernard and Doris” is the imagined epic of an extraordinary relationship and unlikely friendship between two individuals who don’t quite fit into their respective worlds.
Susan Sarandon who portrays the billionaire Doris Duke reveals an acerbic but surprisingly vulnerable character loath to trust anyone. Although she and Bernard have very little in common on the surface, his fierce loyalty leads her to value his judgment above all others, even while her closest advisers warn her not to trust him.
The film is bolstered by the performances of Sarandon and Ralph Fiennes (who plays Bernard), both of whom bring depth to their difficult, multi-layered characters.
Both actors were unable to attend the premiere but I did have a chance to chat with politician Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy who revealed “My involvement with the Hamptons Film Festival began when I became Suffolk County Executive in 2004. I remember when I first attended HIFF. I loved the Hollywood red carpet atmosphere and was thrilled that it was right here in our own backyard. I am proud to say that my administration has revived the Suffolk County Film commission, encouraging more local involvement in filmmaking.”
Another great Spotlight film showing at the festival receiving fabulous reviews was “Kabluey.” This black comedy was written, directed and played by Scott Prendergast. Prendergast portrays Salman the 32 year old unemployed brother-in-law of Leslie (Lisa Kudrow), whose husband is fighting in the Iraq war. Salman is elected to save his deteriorating family. Evidently he does not seem like the best choice but he is jobless, penniless, homeless and available in running his sister-in-law’s dysfunctional household. Leslie’s two young sons are little monsters running amok and put under Salman’s supervision while his sister-in-law Leslie decides to go back to work. Salman carves a powerful new identity out for himself in this quirky and affecting film that twists strands of tragedy and comedy into a an absurdly real world. In this poignant and dark satire that brings the war home, Uncle Salman tries to save the day even though his nephews threaten his life, their mother deceives him, and the world mentally abuses him. Lisa Kudrow gives a terrific performance as the lonely desperate housewife. At the premiere I interviewed both stars, Here is what they had to say.
Scott How did you come up with the title Kabluey?
From the Batman TV series, when you punch somebody it says Kablam, Kabluey that’s where it comes from.
This is a big film for you, you wrote the film, you directed the film and you are starring in the film, that’s a lot of hats to wear. Was that a challenge for you?
It was a challenge, but we had great people working on the film and once we had Lisa it was easy.
Did you have Lisa in mind when you cast the part of Leslie the war bride?
Yes when we heard she was available. We were all over it.
Lisa what made you want to do this film?
Well I read the script and I liked it a lot.
So you just called him and said I want to be in this movie.
I actually did, I called him up at home and said “So let me talk to you a little bit.”
After the screening of the film during the questions and answers Kudrow was asked how she could take a part that made her look so dowdy.
“I don’t think about that,” Kudrow answered, Lisa went on to say “I liked the script, I liked the role. Maybe it’s bad, but I don’t care what I look like.”
Kabluey tackles provocative issues of our culture in today’s society with sensitivity and humor. The film was definitely worth seeing.
I was also able to attend conversations with Vanessa Redgrave. Veteran legendary actress Vanessa Redgrave was represented in the festival line-up with the world premiere of “The Shell Seekers,” co-starring Maximilian Schell, and received this year’s Golden Starfish Award for Career Achievement in Acting.
Ms. Redgrave is a provocative actress whose accomplishments have spanned many decades. Her characters have resonated with audiences and justly earned her a reputation as a groundbreaking performer. Her greatest accomplishment was her Academy Award-winning portrayal of Julia in the 1977 film of the same name. Ms. Redgrave was also named Best Actress twice at the Cannes Film Festival, and the recipient of Emmy, SAG, Golden Globe, and Tony Awards.
In my conversation with German born actress Hannah Herzsprung winner of this year’s Rising Star Award she revealed that she made her debut in 1997 on the German television series Aus heiterem Himmel. Shortly after her breakthrough role in Chris Kraus’s Four Minutes (for which she won the Bavarian Film Award for best Newcomer), she co-starred with Katja Riemann. She will also be portraying Liesl Karlstadt in the upcoming film, Karl Valentin und Liesl karlstadt, directed by Jo Baier.
The Rising Star Program was conceived as a means of celebrating the key role actors play in the making of independent film. Rising Stars has grown into a dynamic, enriched program. It feeds on the tremendous, expanding energy of the Hamptons Film Festival both domestically and internationally to provide a platform for extraordinary acting talent.
Now in its sixth year, The Rising Star Program continues to expand including more informal, intimate gatherings in which participants can meet and collaborate on creative ideas in a personal setting with the directors, producers, writers, veteran actors, and prominent industry executives who attend the festival every year. The Rising Stars Program is directed by Lina Todd and David Nugent.
Among the celebrity attendees at the 2007 Hamptons Festival were Lauren Bacall, Bob Balaban, Alec Baldwin, John Cusack, Phil Donahue, Alison Eastwood, Chris Eigeman , Alex Gibney, Marcia Gay Harden, Hannah Herzsprung, Famke Jansen, Harvey Keitel, Lisa Kudrow, Blake Lively, Sidney Lumet, Sirio Maccione , Gretchen Mol, Frankie Muniz, Jeff Nichols, Amanda Peet, Scott Prendergast, Vanessa Redgrave, Keri Russell , Egbert-Jan Weeber, Jess Weixler and Gahan Wilson.
I encourage all who are involved in the entertainment industry to attend the Hamptons Film Festival as well as those who have a passion for watching good movies.
