The Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) is an international film festival founded in 1992, by Joyce Robinson. The festival has since taken place every year in East Hampton, New York. It is usually an annual five-day event in mid-October and is held in theatre venues located in the Long Island area of New York, United States. Approximately 18,000 visitors attend each festival and close to a hundred films are featured each year, including an annual representation of at least twenty countries and an awards package worth over $200,000. HIFF was founded as a celebration of independent film in a variety of forms, and to provide a forum for independent filmmakers with differing global perspectives. The festival places a particular emphasis upon new filmmakers with a diversity of ideas, as a means to not only provide public exposure for festival content and its creators, but to also inspire and enlighten audiences. The festival has presented films that have subsequently been considered highly successful productions; the 2008 event featured eventual winners of the Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Independent Spirit Award "Best Picture" accolades, and the 2011 season consisted of 24 Academy Award nominations. HIFF primarily showcases short films, documentaries and narrative films and is a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards. The festival offers special presentations, including: "Breakthrough Performers" showcasing new emerging acting talent; "A Conversation With", a Q&A session with a film luminary; and "Conflict & Resolution" which "utilizes the power of cinema to increase understanding of the human realities of war and conflict". HIFF offers an awards package worth $165,000. The festival is also involved with other events during the remainder of the year, including screenings in other parts of New York State and an annual Screenwriters Lab. Screenwriters Lab The Hamptons Screenwriters' Lab is an intimate gathering that takes place each Spring in East Hampton. The Lab seeks to develop new screenwriting talent by introducing established writers to emerging screenwriters, the latter having been chosen by the organizers of the film festival and key industry contacts. The mentors advise in a "one-on-one" laboratory setting, whilst scheduled daily events allow participants to engage with board members, sponsors, the local creative community and other festival supporters. The Lab facilitates the improvement of participating screenwriters' work, as the selected writers consult with industry professionals to attain insight into the mechanisms of the film industry. The Lab actively seeks a broad