Hamptons gives its awards

The 12th Annual Hamptons International Film Festival presented its Golden Starfish Awards at a ceremony held at Guild Hall on Saturday, October 23, 2004.

On hand to present the awards were the Fest’s Executive Director Denise Kasell, Board Chairman Stuart Match Suna, Programmer Rajendra Roy, and Emcee Bob Balaban. Also on hand with welcoming remarks was Evan Shapiro on behalf of presenting sponsor IFC.

The Golden Starfish Award for Best Narrative, with a prize of over $180,000 in goods and in-kind services to be used toward the director’s next project, was presented to Director/Star Marty Sader for his MOST HIGH. The award was presented by Rising Star Vinessa Shaw.

The Golden Starfish Short Film Award, with a prize of $5,000 in cash, was presented by Rising Star Eugenia Yuan to Gary Lundgren for his WOW AND FLUTTER.

The Golden Starfish Features and Short Film Jury includes Producer Anne Chaisson, cinematographer Russell Fine, and actor James LeGros.

The Spike TV Best Documentary Award, with a prize of $5,000 in cash and post-production services from Postworks, was presented by Spike TV’s Albie Hecht to Director Leslie Sullivan’s A TOUCH OF GREATNESS. Honorable Mention was given to Ralph Arlyck’s FOLLOWING SEAN.

The Golden Starfish Documentary Jury includes Director Michael Almereyda, IFC Executive Caroline Kaplan, and Director Michel Negroponte.

The ­Golden Starfish Award for Best International Film with a prize of cash and airline tickets worth $10,000 was presented to Director Reza Bagher’s CAPRICCIOSA from Sweden. The award was presented by Rising Star Mark Webber.

The Golden Starfish Award for Best International Film jury is comprised of Executive Director of the Berlin International Film Festival Dieter Kosslick, Actress Jennifer Tilly and Producer Christine Vachon.

The Kodak Award for Cinematography, with a prize of $6,000 of goods and in-kind services, was presented by Kodak’s Anne Hubbell to Director Eddie O’Flaherty’s FIGHTING TOMMY RILEY. The cinematographer on the film was Michael Fimognari.

The Zicherman Family Foundation Award for Screenwriting, with a prize of $5,000 in cash, was presented by Rising Star Aaron Stanford to Director/Screenwriter Michael Goorjian for his film ILLUSION, co-written with Ron Marasco, Tressa Di Figlia Brendon and Chris Horvath.

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Film Prize in Science and Technology, with a prize of $25,000 in cash, was presented by the Sloan Foundation’s Doron Weber KINSEY. The Award was accepted by the film’s co-stars Jenna Gavigan and Lee Spofford. The Sloan award is a year-round collaboration supporting filmmakers who turn their narrative talents to the realm of science and technology.

The Dan & Ewa Abraham and Tammy Abraham Films of Conflict and Resolution Award, with a prize of $10,000 in cash, was presented by Sarah Hanssen to Joshua Fauden and Pavla Fleischer’s BLUES BY THE BEACH.

The Films of Conflict and Resolution Jury is comprised of: Director Jay Anania, Producer/Distributor Paul E. Cohen, and Actress Sally Kellerman. The Conflict and Resolution jury would like to state their feelings that this section provides a forum for serious films by thoughtful engaged artists that confront urgent real subjects. And the vision and commitment of these filmmakers serves as a model and inspiration for both jurors and audiences.

The Brizzolara Family Inspirational Film Award, with a prize of $5,000 in cash, was presented by Kim Brizzolara to Keith Beauchamp for his compelling documentary THE UNTOLD STORY OF EMMETT LOUIS TILL.

Best Graduate and Undergraduate Student Films, with eight $1,000 cash awards, were presented by Jeremiah Newton and Peggy Fries from the award’s sponsor Ray-Ban to Sharat Raju’s AMERICAN MADE (American Film Institute); Karen Dee Carpenter’s MY SCARLETT LETTER (Temple University); Scott Rice’s PERILS IN NUDE MODELING (American Film Institute); Todd Smith’s YOUNG AMERICAN’S (Columbia University); Debby Wolfe’s CAT’S BAD HAIR DAY (University of Central Florida School of Film & Digital Media); David Lebensfeld’s THE COUNSELOR (Emerson College); Sam Bridger Carroll’s HUNGRY IN THE HAMPTONS (School of Visual Arts); Alexander Woo’s REX STEELE: NAZI SMASHER (New York University).

The Student Awards Jury includes: Gen Arts’ Jeff Abramson, Producer/Executive Beverly J. Camhe, Filmmaker Magazine publisher Steve Gallagher, Writer/Director Jamie Rasin, Entertainment Lawyer Miriam Stern, Esq., Torchlight Film Award’s Sharlene Sullivan.

The Golden Starfish Award for Best Young Videomaker, with a $500 cash prize, was presented by Maria Marewski and Ryan Sullivan to Andy Cahill.

Earlier in the day at Guild Hall, the Golden Starfish Award for Career Achievement in Acting was presented by Stuart Match Suna to Gena Rowlands and Anthony LaPaglia. Ms. Rowlands and Mr. LaPaglia were at the Festival serving as mentor to the five emerging actors from the Rising Stars: Screen Acting Discoveries. Rising Stars introduces festival audiences and the industry to up-and-coming actors whose stellar performances have contributed so critically to the films selected for viewing at the festival. Each year the Rising Stars are shepherded throughout the festival by an established mentor. Mr. Lapaglia also stars in the Spotlight selection WINTER SOLSTICE.

The 12th Annual Hamptons International Film Festival presented its Audience Awards at the Festival’s wrap party held at Bamboo Restaurant on Sunday, October 24, 2004.

On hand to present the awards were the Fest’s Executive Director Denise Kasell, Board Chairman Stuart Match Suna and Programmer Rajendra Roy.
The Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature was presented to Director/co-Screenwriter Vincent Rubino’s THE BREAKUP ARTIST.

The Audience Award for Best Documentary was presented to Director/Producer Daniel Anker’s IMAGINARY WITNESS: HOLLYWOOD AND THE HOLOCAUST.

The Audience Award for Best Short Film was presented to Director Rob Pearlstein’s OUR TIME IS UP.

The Audience Award for Best International Film was presented to Director/Screenwriter Dennis Gansel’s NAPOLA from Germany.

The Audience Award for Best Long Island Film was presented to Director/Screenwriter Darko Lungulov’s ESCAPE.
The Hamptons International Film Festival was founded to celebrate the American independent film – long, short, narrative and documentary – and to introduce a unique and varied spectrum of international films and filmmakers to its audiences. It is a festival of culture from around the world that hopes to enlighten viewers, provide opportunities for filmmakers, and present inspired entertainment for all. This year our Board Chair Stuart Match Suna, Executive Director Denise Kasell and Director of Programming, Rajendra Roy, and his screening committee viewed hundreds of submissions and scoured the world’s festivals to put together a slate of films all fueled by an innovative spirit: the adventuresome, courageous, original and philosophical that defines the Hamptons film-going experience. This year’s event featured

At this year’s festival, over 37,000 tickets were distributed for 30 World Premieres, 18 US Premieres, 19 East Coast Premieres and 12 New York Premieres, and the many other films, panels, programs and events over the fest’s 5 days.

Among the highlights were the sex-clinic themed Opening Night party for KINSEY; the First HIFF / indieWIRE “Industry Toast,” this year honoring Sony Pictures Classics’ Marcie Bloom at the Wolffer Estates Vineyard with tributes and presenters coming in from around the country and Europe. Among those toasting Marcie were her SPC colleagues Michael Barker, Tom Bernard, Beth Berke, Rob Wiesenthal and Dylan Liener, as well as Lee Grant, Joanne Koch, Michele Halberstadt, Beki Probst and Dominique Green, and indieWIRE’s Eugene Hernandez; the US Premiere of BIRTH, with New Line Chairman Michael Lynne and director Jonathan Glazer in attendance, followed by a wonderful dinner at Nick & Toni’s and such guests as Chuck Close, Eric Fischl, Mark Ordesky, Ross Bleckner, Gerry Byrne, Ilene Maisel, Marian Koltai-Levine; 1972 Presidential candidate Senator George McGovern for the premiere of the doc ONE BRIGHT SHINING MOMENT: The Forgotten Summer of George McGovern; the RISING STARS program with Norman Reedus (Until The Night), Vinessa Shaw (Bereft), Aaron Stanford (Winter Solstice), Mark Webber (Winter Solstice) and Eugenia Yuan (Mail Order Wife), and their mentors as well as co-Golden Starfish Award for Career Achievement in Acting recipients Gena Rowlands and Anthony LaPaglia; Presenting Sponsor IFC’s 10th Anniversary blowout bash on Saturday night hosted by IFC’s Jonathan Sehring with loads of filmmakers and film fans in attendance, and so much more.



And of course there were all the film folks wandering in and out of movies, events and, of course, parties, including: Michael Almareyda, Bob Balaban, Xan Cassavetes, Patricia Clarkson, Paul Cohen, Bill Condon, Tim Daly, Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, Michael Gelman, Dan Harris, Caroline Kaplan, Sally Kellerman, Dieter Kosslick, James LeGros, Niels Mueller, Michael Negroponte, Tom Noonan, Kelly Ripa, Jeff Ross, Roy Scheider, Barry Sonnenfeld, Jennifer Tilly, Mark Urman, Christine Vachon, Catherine Verret and scads more.