THE ONLY LIVING PICKPOCKET IN NEW YORK Brings Old-School Hustle to the Hamptons 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 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 as Harry, an aging pickpocket whose livelihood depends on his instincts, personal connections and ability to navigate New York’s streets. As the city changes, his traditional targets—cash and wristwatches—give way to credit cards and cell phones. But a particularly dangerous theft involving cryptocurrency and a handgun thrusts Harry into a fight for survival, transforming his familiar routine into a tense game of pursuit and evasion. Blending crime-thriller suspense with affection for an older New York, the film explores what happens when a resourceful street operator finds himself confronting a world increasingly shaped by technology and new forms of criminal enterprise. Turturro anchors the story as a man struggling to maintain his footing in a city that has changed around him, with Segan’s screenplay bringing together elements of suspense, nostalgia and urban storytelling.

The Sounds of Film with Tom Needham will continue its coverage of the Hamptons International Film Festival, highlighting filmmakers, performers and the stories shaping contemporary cinema. Hosted by Tom Needham, the program has spent more than 30 years exploring film, music and ideas through interviews with established artists and emerging creative voices. Past guests have included Laurie Anderson, William H. Macy, Chuck D, Carter Burwell, Nile Rodgers, Alexander Payne, Wallace Shawn, Michael Moore and Rory Kennedy. The program features conversations spanning independent cinema, documentaries, film music and the creative process. Listen to Sounds of Film on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Photo: John Turturro and director Noah Segan

Photo Credit: Tom Needham