The 32nd Annual Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) kicks off on October 4, bringing a slate of new films from around the world to venues across Sag Harbor and East Hampton through October 14. We have rounded up the 18 science and technology-themed projects to look out for, with descriptions excerpted from the festival’s programmers. Among this year’s selection, we recommend the Sloan-supported film THE WHITE HOUSE EFFECT. Directed by Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk, and Pedro Kos, the documentary will make its official New York Premiere at the festival – though former Vice President Al Gore introduced a private screening of the film in September at the inaugural Climate Film Festival. Variety has drawn comparisons between THE WHITE HOUSE EFFECT and AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, calling Cohen, Shenk, and Kos’s new film essential viewing.
FEATURES
DOCUMENTARY
BLINK. Dirs. Daniel Roher, Edmund Stenson. “When three of their four children are diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa—a rare, incurable disease that will eventually lead to severe visual impairment—the Pelletier family’s world is forever changed. Confronted with the impending challenges, the family of six embarks on a trip around the world, determined to see its wonders.”
CHECKPOINT ZOO. Dir. Joshua Zeman. “In the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, an animal sanctuary was caught in the crossfire, cut off from sufficient water and resources. Concerned for the welfare of the animals and the safety of nearby villages, a heroic team of zookeepers and volunteers risked their lives to achieve the impossible —evacuating thousands of animals trapped behind enemy lines.”
NOCTURNES. Dirs. Anirban Dutta, Anupama Srinivasan. “In the dark of night, two curious observers shine a light on a secret universe – the nighttime lives of moths. Together, these scientists are on an expedition to decode these nocturnal creatures in a remote ecological ‘hot spot’ on the border of India and Bhutan.”
SPACE COWBOY. Dirs. Marah Strauch, Bryce Leavitt. U.S. Premiere. “Skydiving cinematography pioneer Joe Jennings built a career capturing surreal, unbelievable images while plummeting mid-air. Now, at 62, he pushes his art to new extremes with one of his most daring stunts yet: the ‘flying car.’ From extreme sports competitions to Super Bowl commercials and Hollywood blockbusters, Jennings opens up about his craft .. . .”
THE LAST OF THE SEA WOMEN. Dir. Sue Kim. New York Premiere. “Often called real-life mermaids, the haenyeo divers of South Korea’s Jeju Island are renowned for centuries of freediving to the ocean floor—without oxygen—to harvest seafood for their livelihood. Today, their way of life is in imminent danger from a changing climate and a modern world . . .”
THE WHITE HOUSE EFFECT. Dirs. Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk, Pedro Kos. New York Premiere. “Spanning three decades, this documentary explores the drama that unfolded inside the George H.W. Bush administration after scientists made headlines by proclaiming that significant climate change was underway. THE WHITE HOUSE EFFECT investigates the nascent politicization of climate science, where industry power brokers held sway, in spite of the public’s growing concerns and Bush’s environmentally-focused campaign promises.”
NARRATIVE
FLOW. Dir. Gints Zilbalodis. East Coast Premiere. “Cat is a solitary animal who relies upon himself for survival in an abandoned world teeming with the remnants of a human presence. When his home is devastated by a great flood that threatens the entire world, he finds refuge on a boat populated by various species. Despite their differences, the animals work together to sail through mystical overflowing landscapes, navigating the challenges and dangers of adapting to this new world.”
LOS FRIKIS. Dirs. Michael Schwartz, Tyler Nilson. New York Premiere. “In 1990s Cuba, 18-year-old Gustavo (Eros de la Puente) idolizes his rebellious older brother Paco (Héctor Medina) and his punk bandmates. To escape their extreme poverty, they do the now unthinkable: deliberately inject themselves with HIV in order to live at a well-funded government-run sanatorium.”
SHORTS
DOCUMENTARY
A BODY CALLED LIFE. Dir. Spencer MacDonald. “A self-isolated young human known as ‘James’ delves into the hidden world of microscopic organisms as he seeks to understand his own place in the cosmos and accept the scars of his past.”
EVERY LITTLE THING. Dir. Sally Aitken. New York Premiere. “. . . EVERY LITTLE THING follows author and wildlife rehabber Terry Masear on her mission to single-handedly save every injured hummingbird in Los Angeles. With breathtakingly detailed cinematography, director Sally Aitken forges emotional connections with Terry’s avian patients, celebrating their small victories and lamenting their tiny tragedies.”
PERCEBES. Dirs. Alexandra Ramires, Laura Gonçalves. U.S. Premiere. “With the sea and urban Algarve as the backdrop, we follow the complete life cycle of a special shellfish called percebes, the goose barnacle.”
PERFECTLY A STRANGENESS. Dir. Alison McAlpine. U.S. Premiere. “In the dazzling incandescence of an unknown desert, three donkeys discover both an abandoned astronomical observatory and the universe.”
SEAWEED STORIES. Dir. Jake Sumner. World Premiere. “Narrated by Forest Whitaker, this is a vibrant, global look at the wonders of seaweed and some of the extraordinary stories and characters orbiting this miraculous marine plant.”
SLUDGE: A PFAS UPRISING. Dir. Jeffrey Christian. “Doing the right thing cost them everything: farmers speak up about ‘forever chemicals’ that poison their land, water, and livestock.”
THE FLY COLLECTORS. Dir. Jeff Arak. “A group of men in Senegal volunteer as human bait to catch flies that carry a parasite that once blinded hundreds of thousands of people throughout Africa.”
NARRATIVE
HAM. Dir. Rudy Martinez. “Ham is the first chimp in space!”
TERRA MATER. Dir. Kantarama Gahigiri. “An exploration of the impact of technology and waste on the land.”
THREE TREES. Dirs. M.R. Horhager, Aaron Hong. “Three trees grow and change over the course of a full year, with each of the trees experiencing the new seasons in their own unique way.”
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