FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
FESTIVAL NEWS: Our 2024 Award films salute outstanding directors and film subjects. We invite you to see them all at our 17th annual festival. This year’s lineup brings audiences rich and diverse docs for 7 days. We welcome filmmakers, documentary film lovers and area students to the historic village of Sag Harbor, New York for dozens of films, discussions, panels, media labs, awards, cocktail receptions and celebrations. In these intimate, walkable settings, festival-goers enjoy the local area’s many shops, restaurants, inns, museums, and parks in between the screenings of outstanding new documentary films accompanied by discussions with the filmmakers.
2024 AWARD FILMS
The 2024 Award Recipients
The Pennebaker Award for Career Achievement in Documentary Film. This year it goes to Michael Moore, an award-wining director, producer, screenwriter and author. He electrified the documentary world with his first film in 1989, Roger & Me. His films often generate debate that lead to important policy discussions. Over his career he has directed 13 films, all incorporating a dark sense of human and a keen sense of satire.
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 Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman for their film Musica!
The Human Rights Award goes to Maisie Crow and Abbie Perrault for their film Zurawski v Texas.
The Impact Award, goes to Ford Foundation’s JustFilms for their support of Union and The Battle for Laikipia.
The Environmental Award goes to Ben Addelman and Ziya Tong for their film Plastic People: The Hidden Crisis of Microplastics.
The Breakthrough Director Award goes to Angela Patton & Natalie Rae for their film Daughters. Co-presented with NYWIFT, New York Women in Film and Television.
The Audience Award winner will be announced at the end of our festival. Please remember to vote with your ballots. Thanks to Brown Harris Stevens for sponsoring this annual award.
2024 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.