Until last night the Hamptons Film Festival was going off without a hitch. But nothing lasts forever.
Thirty minutes into a very packed screening of “Anatomy of a Fall,” the audience started complaining loudly there were no subtitles– mainly because some of the Cannes Palme D’or winner was in English.
But other parts were in French and German. As Justin Triet’s murder mystery got more complicated, the room became rowdy until the projectionist pressed pause and turned on the house lights.
The audience included Oscar winner Julianne Moore, director husband Bart Freundlich, married actors John Slattery and Talia Balsam, Bob Balaban and wife Lynn Grossman, plus Hamptons regulars Judy Licht and Jerry Della Femina. Ironically, much of the audience at their second film of the night, the first having been Moore’s “May December” (which she didn’t attend because of the SAG strike).
Alas, in this digital world the “files” could not be restored, so the screening was cut short and rescheduled for today. Moore, Freundlich, Slattery, and Balsam were all seen having an unexpected dinner down the street at Saint Ambroeus restaurant. Earlier, “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?” writer-directed Peter Hedges was spotted having pizza across the street.
Otherwise, the Hamptons fest was considered quite a success. Alec Baldwin brought his seven little children to the annual Chairman’s party at Stuart Suna’s estate on Saturday afternoon — tented thanks to the rain. Also seen there was Griffin Dunne, whose movie “Ex Girlfriends” was getting raves from audiences.
PS Some jokers were heard leaving “Anatomy” saying they were going to vote for it for the audience award. Very funny. I do think Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers” would be a better choice!
