Jesse Eisenberg Brings THE DEBUT to the Hamptons International Film Festival

The Sounds of Film with Tom Needham was on hand Friday, October 9, at Guild Hall in 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 takes an unexpected turn when she lands a small role in a community theater production. As she becomes increasingly committed to her character and the artistic demands of the part, Mona develops an intense approach to acting that puts her at odds with the production's controlling director, played by Academy Award nominee Paul Giamatti. The ensemble also includes Halle Bailey, Jesse Eisenberg, Cara Buono, Craig Bierko, Eldar Isgandarov and Bernadette Peters. Directed and written by Eisenberg, the film explores the comic tensions between artistic ambition, personal transformation and the often outsized personalities that animate community theater. Producers include Emma Stone, Dave McCary, Ali Herting and Eisenberg. The film is an A24 release.

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The Sounds of Film with Tom Needham is providing exclusive coverage of the Hamptons International Film Festival, bringing listeners conversations with filmmakers and artists alongside reporting on noteworthy films and events. The program is the long-running film, music and ideas radio show hosted by Tom Needham, airing on WUSB for more than 30 years and available to audiences around the world through its online stream and podcast. Past guests featured on The Sounds of Film include Laurie Anderson, Billy Joel, Chuck D, Michael Moore, William H. Macy, Wendy & Lisa, Nile Rodgers, Paul Williams, Alec Baldwin, Thora Birch, and filmmakers Kenneth Lonergan, Mike Leigh and Rory Kennedy. For more interviews and festival coverage, visit soundsoffilm.com.

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