Alan Alda Tapped for Hamptons Film Festival Honor

By Dave McNary

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Alan Alda will be awarded the Hamptons International Film Festival’s Dick Cavett Artistic Champion Award.

The festival established the award in 2017, honoring Cavett himself. The HIFF, now in its 26th year, opens Oct. 4 with Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Kindergarten Teacher” and closes Oct. 8.

“ is one of those now rare actors who in his career continues to distinguish himself on Broadway, in films and on television,” said HIFF co-chairman Alec Baldwin. “Of course, most people remember Alda for his starring role in the seminal TV series ‘M*A*S*H,’ but Alda is also great in the movies and on stage.”

Alda has won seven Emmys and wrote many of the episodes on “M*A*S*H.” He appeared in continuing roles on “ER,” “The West Wing,” “30 Rock,” “The Blacklist,” “The Big C,” “Horace and Pete,” and “The Good Fight.” He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in “The Aviator” and starred in “Bridge of Spies,” “Crimes and Misdemeanors,” “Same Time Next Year” and “California Suite.” He wrote and directed “The Four Seasons,” “Betsy’s Wedding” and “A New Life.”

Alda received Tony nominations for “Glengarry Glen Ross,” “Jake’s Women,” and “The Apple Tree.” He also hosted the PBS series “Scientific American Frontiers” for 11 years.

The festival also announced the drama “First Man,” directed by Damien Chazelle and starring Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy, would be its Saturday Centerpiece Film. Chazelle and screenwriter Josh Singer will be in attendance.

Additionally, Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma” will screen in the Spotlight section on Oct. 7. Producer Gabriela Rodriguez will be in attendance.

The festival announced the lineup in the World Cinema Narrative category, which includes the U.S. Premieres of “Leto,” directed by Kirill Serebrennikov, “Styx,” directed by Wolfgang Fischer, and “Women at War,” directed by Benedikt Erlingsson; the New York premiere of “Birds of Passage,” directed by Christina Gallego and Ciro Guerra; the world premiere of “Ask for Jane,” directed by Rachel Carey; and “Burning,” directed by Lee Chang-dong.

The lineup also includes “Cold War,” directed by Pawel Pawlikowski; “The Guilty,” directed by Gustav Möller; “Happy as Lazaro,” directed by Alice Rohrwacher; “Shoplifters,” directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda (Japan’s official entry for the best foreign language film Oscar); and “Wild Nights With Emily,” directed by Madeleine Olnek.