The President’s Cake directed by Hasan Hadi won the Award for Best Narrative Feature; and To the West, in Zapata directed by David Bim received the Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 33rd edition of Hamptons International Film Festival.
“Through the eyes of a young girl torn between tradition and survival, Hasan Hadi’s expansive drama shows us what’s really at stake in a dictatorship led with violence and fear,” said Narrative Competition Jury members Jody Arlington, Matt Donnelly and Brian Burns of The President’s Cake.
“No film quite took this jury’s breath away like the stunningly gorgeous To the West, in Zapata. David Bim’s black-and-white cinema verite-style masterpiece is a heartbreaking look at the struggle of everyday Cubans in the face of insurmountable odds, yet it is told with such compassion and love. This documentary can move an audience without words and capture its attention just by depicting the care this family has for each other. …” said the Documentary Competition Jury members Monica Castillo, Agnes Chu and Loren Hammonds.
Sammi, Who Can Detach His Body Parts, directed by Rein Maychaelson, received the Award for Best Narrative Short Film, and Correct Me If I’m Wrong, directed by Hao Zhou, the Award for Best Documentary Short Film, qualifying for consideration at the Academy Awards® for Best Live Action Short Film and Best Documentary Short, respectively.
The audiences selected narrative feature Sentimental Value, directed by Joachim Trier, and documentary feature The Eyes of Ghana, directed by Ben Proudfoot, for this year’s Audience Awards. Lightning Bug, directed by Zane Pais, and Island Willing, directed by Cece King, received this year’s Audience Awards for Best Short Film for narrative and documentary, respectively.
During the festival, Sydney Sweeney was honored with the Achievement in Acting Award for Christy; Tonatiuh with the UBS Breakthrough Performer Award for Kiss of the Spider Woman; Eva Victor with the UBS Breakthrough Director Award for Sorry, Baby; and Bernard Telsey with the inaugural Achievement in Casting Award.
“We congratulate all of our award winners for sharing their incredible stories and creative work with our audience,” said HamptonsFilm Chief Creative Officer David Nugent. “This year’s filmmakers brought projects from across the globe, bringing a true international perspective to our East End audience. We are thankful to everyone involved in the festival including our staff and volunteers, filmmakers, jury members, sponsors, board, and audiences who bring the festival to life each year.”
Hamptons International Film Festival 2025 Winners
HIFF Award Winner for Best Narrative Feature
THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE, directed by Hasan Hadi
HIFF Award Winner for Best Documentary Feature
TO THE WEST, IN ZAPATA, directed by David Bim
HIFF Award Winner for Best Narrative Short Film
SAMMI, WHO CAN DETACH HIS BODY PARTS, directed by Rein Maychaelson
HIFF Award Winner for Best Documentary Short Film
CORRECT ME IF I’M WRONG, directed by Hao Zhou
HIFF Best Performance Special Mention
THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE, Baneen Ahmad Nayyef
OMAHA, Molly Belle Wright
SOUND OF FALLING, Hanna Heckt
HIFF Best Screenwriting Special Mention
HYSTERIA, written by Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay
HIFF Best Narrative Direction Special Mention
THE CURFEW, directed by Shehrezad Maher
HIFF Best Documentary Feature Special Mention
ANDRÉ IS AN IDIOT, directed by Tony Benna
HIFF Best Documentary Short Film Special Mention
HOOPS, HOPES & DREAMS, directed by Glenn Kaino
HIFF Audience Award Winner for Best Narrative Feature
SENTIMENTAL VALUE, directed by Joachim Trier
HIFF Audience Award Winner for Best Documentary Feature
THE EYES OF GHANA, directed by Ben Proudfoot
HIFF Audience Award Winner for Best Narrative Short Film
LIGHTNING BUG, directed by Zane Pais
HIFF Audience Award Winner for Best Documentary Short Film
ISLAND WILLING, directed by Cece King
The Subject Matter Award
ALL THE EMPTY ROOMS, directed by Joshua Seftel
The Artemis Rising Foundation Award for Social Impact
THE CYCLE OF LOVE, directed by Orlando von Einsedel
The Peter Macgregor-Scott Memorial Award
PUNTER, directed by Jason Adam Maselle
The 2025 Brizzolara Family Foundation Award to Films of Conflict and Resolution
HOLDING LIAT, directed by Brandon Kramer
THE VOICE OF HIND RAJAB, directed by Kaouther Ben Hania
Victor Rabinowitz and Joanne Grant Award for Social Justice
THE LIBRARIANS, directed by Kim A. Snyder
The Zelda Penzel Giving Voice to the Voiceless Award
TRADE SECRET directed by Abraham Joffe
Suffolk County Next Exposure Grant
LET’S NOT SUFFER AT THE END OF THE WORLD, directed by MC Harvey
The Sherzum Award
KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, directed by Bill Condon
New York Women in Film & Television Award for Excellence in Narrative Filmmaking
ALL THAT’S LEFT OF YOU, directed by Cherien Dabis
New York Women in Film & Television Award for Excellence in Documentary Filmmaking
NATCHEZ, directed by Suzannah Herbert
University Short Film Awards
BREASTMILK, directed by Ifeyinwa Arinze (NYU)
CRAZY FOR YOU, directed by Greta Díaz Moreau (Columbia University)
MOTHER AND ULYSSES, directed by Mushi Cai (London Film School)
OUR OWN SHADOW, directed by Agustina Sánchez Gavier (Academy of Media Arts Cologne)
PUNTER, directed by Jason Adam Maselle (NYU)
Achievement in Acting Award
Sydney Sweeney, CHRISTY
UBS Breakthrough Performer Award
Tonatiuh, KISS OF A SPIDER WOMAN
UBS Breakthrough Director Award
Eva Victor, SORRY, BABY
Achievement in Casting Award
Bernard Telsey, KISS OF A SPIDER WOMAN
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