East Hampton Summer Outdoor Screening Series Kicks Off June 22

outdoor screening is the best way to watch a film in the Hamptons, and this summer’s sundown screenings of film classics are ready to take the Wednesday evening spot on your summer calendar!

The Hamptons International Film Festival’s (HIFF) HamptonsFilm is presenting weekly movies for the entire family to enjoy via the 2022 East Hampton Summer Outdoor Screening Series.

Starting June 22 and continuing through August 24, films will screen outdoors every Wednesday evening at East Hampton Village’s Herrick Park. Seating is free, but reservations are encouraged for the 8-foot squares, suitable for six guests each.

Plus, moviegoers looking for a better view have the option to purchase squares closer to the screen. Those without reservations to an outdoor screening will get spots in squares on a first-come, first served basis.

Proceeds from reserved seats will support the HamptonsFilm educational pursuits throughout the year.

This outdoor screening series will also include a movie screening at Main Beach in East Hampton with a surprise film on Wednesday, August 3 (rain date August 24). Film lovers can also look forward to HIFF’s SummerDocs series on June 25, July 23 and August 13 — more details on that coming soon.

And, of course, the 30th annual Hamptons International Film Festival is set to return this fall.

(Warning: Some spoilers ahead)

Proceeds from reserved seats will support the HamptonsFilm educational pursuits throughout the year.

This outdoor screening series will also include a movie screening at Main Beach in East Hampton with a surprise film on Wednesday, August 3 (rain date August 24). Film lovers can also look forward to HIFF’s SummerDocs series on June 25, July 23 and August 13 — more details on that coming soon.

And, of course, the 30th annual Hamptons International Film Festival is set to return this fall.

East Hampton Summer Outdoor Screening Series Lineup

A League of Their Own (1992)
Wednesday, June 22, Herrick Park

Dottie Hinson experiences a vivid flashback to her time playing in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League when visiting their exhibit in the Baseball Hall of Fame. She relives the World War II period, when women’s baseball came to the forefront and Dottie and her sister Kit get scouted from their Oregon softball field to play in Chicago. The two sisters, plus right fielder Evelyn Gardner, left fielder Shirley Baker, pitcher and shortstop Ellen Sue Gotlander, left field and relief pitcher Betty Horn, second baseperson Marla Hooch, first baseperson Helen Haley, Alice Gaspers and five other females make up their Rockford Peaches team. The women go through a bumpy journey, being managed by Jimmy Dugan an abrasive alcoholic, having their photo printed on their cover of Life Magazine and growing more popular. Their bond is tested when Kit, resentful of her sister Dottie’s success, trades to the Racine Belles. Betty leaves the team, due to the death of her husband and Dottie wants to leave with her husband who has been discharged from the war, just as they are approaching the World Series. Kit pitches against her former team in the seventh game, Dottie rejoins and Kit’s team succeeds with an astonishing win. Dottie’s mind returns to the present, where the players who are left of the team reunite. Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna and Rosie O’Donnell star in this sports comedy and drama.

Sister Act (1992)
Wednesday, June 29, Herrick Park

In 1992, previous Catholic school student Deloris Wilson is placed in Saint Katherine’s Convent because of her witness protection list status. Being forced to leave behind her life as a lounge singer after seeing Vince LaRocca, her gangster boyfriend’s informant execution, she is disguised as “Sister Mary Clarence” and becomes friends with the other nuns. She and two others sneak out to a bar and get caught, resulting in Deloris’ forced joining of the choir. She is later elected the choir director and surprises everyone with the group’s transformation. Together, they grow more popular and other nuns are tempted to leave the convent. Vince finds Deloris’ location and tries to get her killed. He ends up getting arrested and Deloris continues on with the choir. Whoopi Goldberg, Wendy Makkena, Kathy Najimy and Maggie Smith act in this comedy-filled crime film.

Aladdin (1992)
Wednesday, July 6, Herrick Park

In this classic Disney animated film, a merchant is telling a story about a hidden lamp. Jafar, the Royal Vizier, orders the capture of Aladdin, an Agrabah street urchin who is the only one with access to this lamp. Princess Jasmine, who was saved by Aladdin and his pet monkey demands that Jafar releases the man and is told that he has been killed. Jafar, who lied about the death of Aladdin, forces the urchin to go get the lamp inside of the Cave of Wonders. Aladdin and his monkey touch the magic carpet and the jewel inside against Jafar’s orders, and get thrown back inside of the cave when trying to escape. After rubbing this lamp that he found, Aladdin meets the Genie who grants him three wishes. Aladdin escapes the cave with the Genie’s help, wishes to become a prince in order to marry Jasmine, and takes her on a ride on the magic carpet. Aladdin is captured again by Jafar, and Jafar possesses the lamp. The Royal Vizier is tricked into wishing to become a genie and becomes trapped in his own lamp. Aladdin frees the Genie and then is granted the right to marry Jasmine. This film features the voices of Robin Williams, Scott Weinger, Gilbert Gottfried, Linda Larkin and more.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Wednesday, July 13, Herrick Park

In this Steven Spielberg-directed film, René Belloq steals a golden idol from American archaeologist Indiana Jones after he reclaimed it from a Peruvian temple. Jones is approached by Army Intelligence agents upon his return because there was mention of his old mentor Abner Ravenwood, potentially seeking out the Ark of the Covenant. As a result, Jones is ordered to recover the Ark before they do. In a Nepal bar, Jones finds out from Marion, Ravenwood’s daughter, that her father is dead. The bar is set on fire by two people trying to take a medallion for Marion. Jones and Marion escape with the medallion. Through much difficulty, Jones is able to recover the Ark. He battles to maintain it, however, it is ultimately stored away from his control. This action packed film stars actors Harrison Ford, Paul Freeman and Karen Allen, among others.

March of The Penguins (2005)
Wednesday, July 20, Herrick Park

This documentary style film touches on the great distance that penguins must travel to maintain safety during breeding season. It explains penguins’ serial monogamy during breeding season, how the females and males contribute to a developing egg and the later stages of raising their young. This covers birth, death and the bond between a mother and her chick. The film teaches about unique calls from each bird, the fight against starvation and the change of seasons. Toward the end, the film shows the transfer to independence that the chicks experience. This is a French feature-length nature film, specifically dedicated to the emperor penguins of Antarctica.

Dirty Dancing (1987)
Wednesday, July 27, Herrick Park

Set in the summer of 1963, Frances “Baby” Houseman is on vacation with her family in the Catskills. Baby witnesses the owner of the resort instructing the employees to flirt with the guests’ daughters, including Johnny Castle, the dance instructor, to whom Baby is attracted. Baby learns that Johnny’s dance partner Penny is pregnant by another employee at the resort and with money from her father, Baby helps pay for Penny’s abortion while also standing in for Penny as a dancer for a performance. Due to a botched procedure, Baby gets her father’s help to assist Penny. The father, assuming Johnny got Penny pregnant, orders his daughter to stay away from this man. Despite that, Baby and Johnny have a secret relationship.

Vivian Pressman, an adulterous wife, accuses Johnny of stealing her husband’s wallet after he rejects a proposal of hers. Baby then reveals her and Johnny’s relationship defending him by providing an alibi. Regardless, Johnny is fired for his relationship. At an end-of-the-season talent show, Johnny returns and dances with Baby, reconciling their relationship. This American romance stars Jennifer Grey as Baby, Patrick Swayze as Johnny, and Cynthia Rhodes as Penny among many others.

Open Water (2003)
Wednesday, August 10, Herrick Park

Daniel Kinter and Susan Watkins, a married couple, venture from their group on a scuba-diving trip which is part of their vacation. When the rest of the divers return to the boat, two are counted twice resulting in Daniel and Susan being left behind. They are stranded, hungry and exhausted far offshore. The two come to the realization that they are being encircled by sharks and get stung by jellyfish. Susan is bitten by a small shark and Daniel goes into shock from a more serious shark bite. Later, during a storm, Daniel is killed by another shark and Susan, seeing no hope for her rescue, lets herself fall underwater to drown. Their disappearance has been noted and search crews set out to find them. Later on, a fishing crew cuts open a shark’s stomach and finds a diving camera. This film is loosely based off of Tom and Eileen Lonergan’s story, when they were accidentally left behind on a scuba trip.

Apollo 13 (1995)
Wednesday, August 17, Herrick Park

Astronaut Jim Lovell is set on walking the moon’s surface, following his orbit on Apollo 8 and Neil Armstrong’s mission on Apollo 11. Months later, Lovell’s crew, set to fly Apollo 14, is told they will fly Apollo 13, initiating their training for the mission. Ken Mattingly is exposed to German measles days before the launch. Mariyn, Lovell’s wife sees him off, the night before the launch despite her nightmare that he will be killed in space. The craft takes off with a few hiccups, and three days into the mission, one of the liquid oxygen stirring fan tanks explodes sending the craft into a tumble and another leak is discovered. Unsuccessful in stopping the leak, they attempt to return to the Earth safely. Each step of the way presents new, dangerous challenges, but they ultimately make it back safely, each one curious if mankind will ever return to the moon. This space docudrama is brought to life by Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Ed Harris, Kevin Bacon and Gary Sinise.

Find out everything that’s happening with the 30th anniversary Hamptons International Film Festival and the East Hampton Summer Outdoor Screening Series at hamptonsfilmfest.org.