17th Annual Hamptons Doc Fest Announces Lineup, Ticket Sales, and Program Cover Artwork

The 17^th annual Hamptons Doc Fest, screening 32 films from December 5-11 at the Sag Harbor Cinema and Bay Street Theater, has announced that ticket sales are open on their website at Hamptonsdocfest.com and that a photo of the legendary filmmaking team of producer Ismail Merchant and director James Ivory from the Opening Night Film “Merchant Ivory” has been selected for its program cover and posters.

“Merchant Ivory,” which will be screened on Thursday, December 5, at 8 p.m. at Sag Harbor Cinema, followed by a cocktail reception, is a tribute to their over 40-year personal and professional partnership that produced such film classics as “A Room With a View,” “Howards End,” and “Remains of the Day.” Both James Ivory (now 96 years old) and the documentary’s director Stephen Soucy will be live at the Cinema for the Q&A. Merchant passed away in 2005.

“I chose this photo to represent this year’s film festival,” says Hamptons Doc Fest founder and executive director Jacqui Lofaro, “because Ismail Merchant and James Ivory made films that still ignite our minds as if we saw them yesterday. This photo of them reminded me of their incredible partnership and how that shared chemistry worked to create movie magic. We chose ‘Merchant Ivory’ as our opening film to connect again with the stories, the scenes and music scores they brought to screens around the world.”

This year’s festival includes not only 32 documentary films but also special events such as numerous awards ceremonies, Q&A’s with a large majority of the film directors whose films are being presented, cocktail receptions, breakfasts, a Young Voices program for middle and high school students, and new this year, a “Hometown Heroes” Student Film Contest.

Information about all the Hamptons Doc Fest documentary films and tickets is now available at Hamptonsdocfest.com for the seven-day festival, December 5-11.