FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
FESTIVAL NEWS: Our 2025 Award films salute outstanding directors, distributors, and documentary pioneers. This year’s lineup brings audiences rich and diverse docs for 8 days. We welcome filmmakers, documentary film lovers, and local students to the historic villages of Southampton and Sag Harbor, New York for dozens of films, discussions, media labs, awards, cocktail receptions, and celebrations. In these intimate, walkable settings, festival-goers enjoy the local area’s many shops, restaurants, galleries, and museums in between the screenings of outstanding new documentary films accompanied by discussions with the filmmakers.
2025 AWARD FILMS
2025 Award Recipients
The Pennebaker Award for Career Achievement in Documentary Film. This year it goes to Alan Berliner, an award-wining director, producer. His uncanny ability to combine experimental cinema, artistic purpose, and popular appeal in compelling film essays has made him one of America's most acclaimed independent filmmakers. He is a recipient of Guggenheim, Rockefeller, and Jerome Foundation Fellowships, has won three Emmy Awards, and received seven Emmy nominations. All of his films are in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, as well as in other notable institutions.
Our prestigious Career Achievement Award, the PENNEBAKER, is named for one of the pioneers and innovators in the field, the late DA Pennebaker. The Award is sponsored by Regina K. Scully, Artemis Rising Foundation. Now Penny’s indomitable spirit will be with us as we award the PENNEBAKER to a documentary filmmaker whose exceptional body of work deserves acclaim.
The Art & Inspiration Award sponsored by the Tee & Charles Addams Foundation goes to Director Cindy Meehl for her film Jimmy & The Demons.
The Human Rights Award goes to Director Lorena Luciano for her film Nuns vs. The Vatican.
The Impact Award goes to American Documentary, the acclaimed producer of public television’s POV series and their missiton to foster dialogue, encourage civic engagement and social change.
The Nancy Nagle Kelley Environmental Award goes to Director Tasha Van Zandt for her film A Life Illuminated.
The Legacy Award goes to Zeitgeist Films co-founders, Emily Russo and Nancy Gerstman for acquiring and distributing more than 200 films several of which earned Academy Award nominations.
The Veritas Award goes to Directors Laura Poitras and Mark Obenhaus for their film Cover-Up.
2025 SPONSOR SUPPORTED PROGRAMS
The Tee & Charles Addams Foundation. Special recognition goes to the festival’s ELITE SPONSOR, whose support & belief in the power of the arts has enabled us to bring our audiences a rich program of non-fiction storytelling. With thanks for supporting The Arts & Inspiration Award.
Regina K. Scully, Artemis Rising Foundation. Special thanks for supporting the prestigious Pennebaker Career Achievement Award.
Yaffa Foundation. In appreciation for their support of Young Voices, our important education program.
Brown Harris Stevens. BHS has a long history with our festival for supporting the Audience Award. We thank them.
The Family of Nancy Nagle Kelley & Twomey Latham Shea Kelley Dubin & Quartararo honor a former Nature Conservancy Director with our important Environmental Award. We thank their generosity.