The acclaimed Hamptons International Film Festival is known for its impressive film lineup. This year, amidst a global pandemic, festivals everywhere have pivoted programming to shift online.
A cinephiles’ paradise! The annual Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) returns with a stunning curation of this year’s top films.
The highly-anticipated film The Song of Names captures a decades-long story of friendship, betrayal, and triumph following the atrocities of World War II.
Film producers Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman of Mandeville Films and Television have been behind some of the most impactful movies of this decade, from real-life biopics like The Fighter and Stronger to fantastical epics such as the live action Beauty and the Beast and upcoming Hunchback of Notre Dame.
The Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) hosted Amazon Studios’ The Aeronauts last weekend with a special East Coast screening after the film’s world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival in August.
Festival favorite The Song of Names premiered at the Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) last week, following its debut earlier this season at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Based on a novel, The Song of Names beautifully weaves the story of a lifelong friendship between two boys during World War II as they connect through classical music. The disappearance of one of the boys, however, prompts a decades-long search by the other; as adults, portrayed by Tim Roth and Clive Owen, respectively, the characters reconcile their past and cope with the atrocities of the war.
The film was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics after viewing just 15 minutes of footage, according to The Song of Names producer Robert Lantos.
The Sony Pictures Classics distribution company is leading the festival circuit with Song of Names prior to its Christmas Day release date, generating awards season buzz. “We are so fortunate to have Sony on board. They are the best distributors for a movie like this,” The Song of Names director François Girard said.
Director François Girard on set
Montreal-based Girard’s last six previous films each opened at TIFF, yet the weekend marked his first venture to the Hamptons International Film Festival. “It’s always interesting to compare the reactions, and we had a really warm ovation [at TIFF],” Girard explained. “The film was well-received and then to come and bring it here, it’s very exciting.”
Producer Robert Lantos similarly echoed the sentiment while also applauding The Song of Names novelist Norman Lebrecht for his involvement during the festival season. “It’s a source of satisfaction to us both,” Lantos said. “You rarely see a novelist so eager to promote the film.”
As The Song of Names continues with its festival screenings, the critical acclaim grows too. The Hamptons International Film Festival only solidified the film’s resonance with audiences and the powerful story it tells.
“The Song of Names” opens Christmas Day, December 25th, in select theaters.
Daveed Diggs is one of Variety‘s 10 Actors to Watch for 2017.
On Saturday, iconic stage and film actress Julie Andrews was honored by the 2017 Hamptons International Film Festival.
Steven Gaydos, Vice President & Executive Editor, Variety moderated a conversation with the legendary Sir Patrick Stewart who was also honored by the 2017 Hamptons International Film Festival with a Creative Impact in Acting Award.