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Bryan Cranston Presents Bob Balaban with Lifetime Achievement Award at Hamptons International Film Festival The acclaimed actor was honored at Guild Hall of East Hampton during a special screening of Christopher Guest’s comedy classic BEST IN SHOW. The Sounds of Film with Tom Needham continued its coverage of the Hamptons International Film Festival on Sunday, October 11, at Guild Hall in East Hampton, where actor Bryan Cranston presented Bob Balaban with the festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award during a special screening of BEST IN SHOW. Sponsored by UBS, the event celebrated Balaban’s extensive contributions to film and television over a career spanning six decades. The screening brought audiences together to revisit Christopher Guest’s beloved comedy, which follows an eccentric collection of dog owners competing in a prestigious canine show. Balaban appeared in the film as Theodore W. Millbank III, the wealthy benefactor financing one of the competing dogs, in a memorable

THE ONLY LIVING PICKPOCKET IN NEW YORK Brings Old-School Hustle to the Hamptons International Film Festival John Turturro stars as a streetwise New Yorker whose traditional ways collide with a modern world of digital crime. The Sounds of Film with Tom Needham continued its coverage of the Hamptons International Film Festival at Guild Hall of East Hampton on Saturday, October 10, with coverage of THE ONLY LIVING PICKPOCKET IN NEW YORK. The New York-set crime drama brought a distinctly local character to the festival, exploring a city where old-school street smarts collide with an increasingly digital world. Written and directed by Noah Segan, the film stars John Turturro and features an ensemble cast including Giancarlo Esposito, Steve Buscemi, Tatiana Maslany and Will Price. Produced by Katie McNeill, Leopold Hughes and Ben LeClair, with Rian Johnson among the executive producers, the film is being released by Sony Pictures Classics. Turturro stars

Jesse Eisenberg Brings THE DEBUT to the Hamptons International Film Festival The Sounds of Film with Tom Needham covers the festival with a look at Eisenberg’s comedy about the passion, absurdities and creative battles of community theater. The Sounds of Film with Tom Needham was on hand Friday, October 9, at Guild Hall of East Hampton for a screening of THE DEBUT at the Hamptons International Film Festival. The screening was followed by a Q&A with Jesse Eisenberg, the film’s writer and director, offering audiences an opportunity to hear from the filmmaker about the project. Eisenberg, an Academy Award nominee known for A Real Pain, which screened at the 2024 festival, returns behind the camera with a comedy celebrating the unpredictable world of local theater and the people who devote themselves to it. THE DEBUT stars Academy Award winner Julianne Moore as Mona Friedman, a quiet, unassuming housewife whose life

‘BEHEMOTH!’ Explores the Powerful Connection Between Music and Movies at the Hamptons International Film Festival Tom Needham, host of Sounds of Film, was on hand covering the Hamptons International Film Festival as audiences gathered at Guild Hall of East Hampton for a screening of BEHEMOTH!, the latest film from Academy Award-nominated writer-director Tony Gilroy, best known for Michael Clayton. The film screened Friday, October 9, followed by a Q&A expected to feature Gilroy, offering audiences an opportunity to learn more about the creative vision behind this ambitious exploration of music, movies and personal identity. Pedro Pascal stars as Alex Serian, a gifted cellist who has spent 20 years moving between regional symphonies and casual relationships. Returning to Los Angeles, Alex confronts his complicated family history and embarks on a life-altering journey shaped by music, the constant force in his life. Moving between film-score recording studios, symphony halls and the privileged

Deeply saddened by the passing of legendary R&B singer Freddie Jackson.

Freddie’s extraordinary voice gave us some of the most memorable songs of the 1980s, including “Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)” and “You Are My Lady.” His music became part of the soundtrack of so many lives.

I had the privilege of speaking with Freddie Jackson on the Sounds of Film, and in his memory, I’m sharing that interview again. It was a wonderful conversation with a remarkable artist whose music and voice will live on.

Rest in peace, Freddie. 🕊️

-Tom Needham

Paquito D’Rivera: From Carne y Frijol to Carnegie Hall on the SOUNDS OF FILM On the next episode of Sounds of Film, Tom Needham speaks with legendary musician Paquito D’Rivera about the new documentary, Paquito D’Rivera: From Carne y Frijol to Carnegie Hall. The film, directed by Juan Mandelbaum, recently received the Roots and Rhythm Award at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame Music Documentary Film Festival. Paquito D’Rivera: From Carne y Frijol to Carnegie Hall tells the remarkable story of the Cuban-born musical prodigy who became an internationally celebrated clarinetist, saxophonist and composer. From his early years in Havana and his time with Irakere to his departure from Cuba and extraordinary career in the United States, the film explores D’Rivera’s musical curiosity, collaborations, humor and enduring ability to cross the boundaries between Latin music, jazz and classical music. Sounds of Film is the nation’s longest-running film,