Hamptons International Film Festival To Open With Destin Daniel Cretton’s “Just Mercy”

Reveling in the last days of summer means it’s nearly time to turn a focus to the Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF), which has revealed that the 2019 iteration will open with the East Coast Premiere of Destin Daniel Cretton’s Just Mercy on Thursday, October 10, at Guild Hall.

Based on a true story, Just Mercy tells the story of Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan), a world-renowned civil rights defense attorney who founded the Equal Justice Initiative. The film documents his life-changing work, focusing specifically on the case of a death row prisoner that Stevenson fought to free. The cast also encompasses Jamie Foxx, Rob Morgan, Tim Blake Nelson, Rafe Spall, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Karan Kendrick and Brie Larson.

The Saturday Centerpiece will be Ford v Ferrari. Also based on a true story, the film follows pioneering American car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and the fearless British driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale), who work to create a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company that could oust the race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966.

A special “A Conversation With…” will honor Alfre Woodard, whose role in Chinonye Chukwu’s Clemency is earning the Emmy Award winner, Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actress lots of buzz. Woodard takes on the role of prison warden Bernadine Williams, who struggles with the emotional burden of carrying out death row executions.

“We are honored to have Alfre Woodard at this year’s festival and look forward to a captivating and engaging conversation, with her as well as our Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Brian De Palma,” said Anne Chaisson, Executive Director of the Hamptons International Film Festival.

The 2019 HIFF will also feature Treva Wurmfeld’s Conscience Point, Ben Steele’s In Memoriam, Mark Landsman’s Scandalous, and Anthony Baxter’s Flint.

“Each of these films tell a unique, thrilling story and we are excited to share them with our passionate audiences out east, with a truly remarkable lineup of some of the year’s most anticipated films, events and world premiere screenings,” added David Nugent, Artistic Director of the Hamptons International Film Festival.

The 27th annual Hamptons International Film Festival will take place Columbus Day Weekend (October 10 through October 14).

For more information, visit hamptonsfilmfest.org.