HIFF Announces Dick Cavett Artistic Champion Award Presented by Alec Baldwin

The Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) today revealed a brand new annual award, The Dick Cavett Artistic Champion Award. The inaugural award will be given to Emmy Award winning television personality and former talk show host Dick Cavett by HIFF Co-Chairman Alec Baldwin at the opening night of the 25th Festival on Thursday, October 5th. The award will honor a person who throughout their career has continued to support the arts and has made a significant impact and contribution within the industry. 

“Of course, when it came time to create an award on behalf of those in our industry who have supported artists and the arts in unique and indelible ways, we realized we not only had to name the award after Dick, but also give our first award to him. Cavett’s television program was a showcase for artists like no other, and his work with HIFF over the years is something we are most grateful for,” said Baldwin.

Cavett is one of the most well respected television personalities and interviewers in the industry. He has been on television for over five decades and has been nominated for 10 Emmy Awards, winning three awards.  Cavett started his career as a writer on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and hosted his own late night TV show, The Dick Cavett Show.  Cavett has published four books: Cavett,  Eye on Cavett, Talk Show: Confrontations, Pointed Commentary, and Off-Screen Secrets, and Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, and Assorted Hijinks. He has also written for publications including The New York Times, The New Yorker, TV Guide, Vanity Fair, and elsewhere.

The 2017 festival will take place October 5–9, Columbus Day Weekend, with over 65 features and 50 shorts representing a total of 40 countries across the globe. For more information, visit hamptonsfilmfest.org.