The third installment of the weekend-long Offshore Art & Film Festival hits downtown Montauk beginning Sept. 13 at The Lucore Art Gallery (87 S. Euclid Ave.).
Described as an “art by day, film by night” event, the festival serves as a cultural organization and platform working to not only offer exposure to the dozens of local independent filmmakers and artisans scattered about the East End — especially in Montauk — highlighting its physical beauty and singular characteristics to also offer insight on environmental issues, particularly those that threaten ocean sustainability.
“I went to festivals all over the world, in Mexico, Belgium, Berlin. I had gone to Sundance every year for a number of years and used to edit and rewrite screenplays in New York City,” says Offshore co-founder and Montauk native Jordan Bromley. “I was what they call a ‘script doctor.’” After nearly two decades working in the movie biz, Bromley decided it was important to do something in his hometown.
So, with the help of a tight-knit team, including director of operations, Three Mile Media owner and fellow East Ender Ryan Sherman and co-founder/creative director Will Drucker, Bromley launched Offshore in 2022.
Now in its third year, the festival is slated to start on Friday, Sept. 13, continuing through Saturday, Sept. 14. The Lucore Art Gallery (87 S. Euclid Ave., Montauk) hosts the festival’s events, holding art walks during the day — where works from local artists will be on display, available for both viewing and purchasing, — while ticketed screenings ($30 per person) will be at night which, according to Bromley, will include “mostly shorts and probably one feature” each night.
For Friday, there’ll be an intimate screening of “American Pot Story: Oaksterdam” beginning around 7 p.m., followed by discussion. On Saturday at Hero Beach Club (626 Montauk Highway), an art work — featuring works by Lucy Villeneuve, Richard Mothes, Peter Ngo and Alana Rogers — is from 3 to 7 p.m.. Later on, from 7:30 to 10 p.m., over a half dozen films are slated for screening including dramatic short “As Easy as Closing Your Eyes,” documentary short “How the Waves Were Won,” and experimental art film “Locals Only.”
With an estimated 350 submissions of entries for this year alone, according to Bromley, works were admitted up until the beginning of last month. Around 30 film projects were selected for inclusion to the festival and awards and prizes will be given to both short and feature films, covering a slew of categories such as dramatic, comedic, horror, extreme sport, documentary, and student films, plus a local Montauk category, specific for features and shorts shot in and around Montauk. There are also special interest categories for both short and feature films, such as art documentary, surfing, LBGTQ+ and environmental as well as a television category.
Additionally, the festival has evolved to not only include filmmakers showcasing their respective visual odes dedicated to life in Montauk, but other local artisans, including fashion designers, painters, sculptors, and musicians.
“There are so many local artists, we didn’t want to narrow it down to just one medium,” Bromley says.
A year-round, grass-roots effort, Offshore also hosted a fundraising dinner and movie event earlier this year at the end of June, collaborating with Montauk’s Bird on the Roof where ticketholders enjoyed a two course meal followed by screenings of half a dozen shorts along with discussion from filmmaker Emily Anderson and professional surf educator John Angiulo. In August, Offshore hosted a special screening to commemorate the 25th anniversary of “Sunburn,” a coming-of-age film about Irish teens working for the summer in Montauk and beloved by the Offshore team.
“I love Montauk, so I wanted to help encourage and highlight films and scenarios that were set in Montauk. People love seeing it on the screen.”
To purchase tickets for Saturday’s festivities, click here.
