The Hamptons Film Festival has announced their final two films for their sixth annual Summer Doc Series. On August 16, 2014, at 7:30 PM, Rory Kennedy’s Last Days in Vietnam will screen at Guild Hall in East Hampton. The film’s subject is Stuart Herrington, who will be attending the screening as well as the after conversation. On August 29, Jesse Moss’ The Overnighters will be played at Guild Hall.
Both post-screen conversations will be moderated by long time Guild Hall supporter, Alec Baldwin.
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The “Last Days in Vietnam” cover poster (Courtesy Photo) |
In response to the two films, Alec Baldwin commented, “From Kennedy’s moving chronicle of a pivotal moment in our country’s foreign policy to Jesse’s examination of some unexpected results of the new economy, both filmmakers are in top form.”
Kennedy’s Last Days in Vietnam covers the end of the Vietnam War and the North Vietnamese Army’s closure on Saigon and the diminishing South Vietnamese resistance. With little power in the region, the US readies to withdraw from the area clarifying an inevitable Communist victory. As a result, some Americans begin to foresee imprisonment and possible death of their newfound allies and comrades in South Vietnam. A number of heroic Americans assume leadership and take initiative engaging in unsanctioned operations to save as many South Vietnamese lives as possible.
Directed by Jesse Moss, The Overnighters documents the Williston, North Dakota and the tens of thousands of unemployed individuals hoping for a job. Hydraulic fracturing in this region unlocked a huge oil field in the Bakken shale paving the way for the hopeful promise of jobs and paychecks. Being the small town that it is, Williston lacks the infrastructure to house and shelter the new residents, even those who do gain employment. Their knight in shining armor comes in the form of Pastor Jay Reinke of Concordia Lutheran Church, who opens his church as a dorm and counseling center for these individuals, whom he calls The Overnighters. The Overnighters puts the hard question on the table, whether to stick to our morals and love thy neighbor or to stick to the status quo and the notion of letting these job hopeful strangers remain homeless on the streets. The film premiered in the US Documentary Competition at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival where it was awarded the Special Jury Prize for Intuitive Filmmaking.
Additionally, the film festival has announced a new sponsor, Candescent Films. “SummerDocs is a terrific platform for filmmakers to share their documentaries and raise awareness for the subjects addressed in their films,” says Lilly Hartley, founder of Candescent Films. “I have attended since its inception, and am thrilled that Candescent is now involved in supporting this wonderful program.”
“Rory Kennedy and Jesse Moss are both filmmakers whose work we’ve had the privilege of screening in the past,” said Hamptons International Film Festival Artistic Director David Nugent, “and we’re delighted to present their latest work.”
Tickets for the screenings are available at www.guildhall.org. For more information on the Hamptons Film Festival, visit www.hamptonsfilmfest.org.
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A moving shot from “Last Days in Vietnam” (Courtesy Photo) |
