SIFF 2026 to Honor Paula Hart and Melissa Joan Hart With Vanguard Legacy Award
Mark Mori's documentary BARISTAS VS THE BILLIONAIRES will open the four-day festival on Long Island.
The inaugural Sayville International Film Festival (SIFF) has announced a lineup of worldwide premieres and special honors for its first edition, set to run over four days in Sayville, New York. Organized as a fundraiser for a 501(c)(3) non-profit supporting vocational opportunities for emerging filmmakers, the festival will close with a Closing Awards Gala at the CM Performing Arts Center, where Sayville natives Paula Hart and Melissa Joan Hart are set to receive The Vanguard Legacy Award in person for their work as a mother-daughter producing duo.
The inaugural Sayville International Film Festival (SIFF), running from Thursday, August 13 through Sunday, August 16, 2026, has announced its slate of worldwide premieres, feature presentations, and live industry events. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, this inaugural four-day festival serves as SIFF's first and largest fundraising event, with proceeds directly supporting vocational experiences for emerging filmmakers. Cultivating a mandate of having 'something for everyone,' this year's lineup showcases storytellers and underserved voices that bring 'visability' to the screen.
Throughout the weekend, the festival will prominently feature the concept of Viz Ability (giving credit to Caledonia Hanson, Viz Ability Founder) to champion and highlight underrepresented narratives.
SIFF organizers confirmed that Sayville natives and industry veterans Paula Hart and Melissa Joan Hart will be appearing in person to accept The Vanguard Legacy Award. The prestigious honor will be presented to the mother-daughter producing duo during the festival's Closing Awards Gala on Sunday, August 16th at the CM Performing Arts Center.
Opening Night & Special Honors
Baristas vs the Billionaires (Feature Documentary): Emmy Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Mark Mori will open the festival with his documentary detailing the unionization efforts of Starbucks workers in Buffalo, NY. SIFF will honor Mark Mori in person with The Cinematic Solidarity Award during his post-screening filmmaker Q&A. This special Opening Night screening serves as the official launch of the film's Academy campaign, which will continue with screenings throughout the country.
Worldwide Premieres & Commemorative Screenings
The 2026 lineup boasts an array of compelling world premieres spanning diverse genres. For a full list of the titles screening, visit https://www.sayvilleinternationalfilmfestival.com/general-5.
Mermaid (Narrative Feature): Directed and written by Fia Sophia Perera, this worldwide premiere crosses the paths of a child longing to be a mermaid and a grief-stricken drag queen on the verge of giving up, forging a life-saving bond that will force them to risk everything. The stellar cast includes Devyn McDowell, Arturo Luiz Soria, Nat Faxon, Mary Birdsong, Tom Kiesche, Alex Moffatt, and Missi Pyle.
Those Left Behind (Documentary Short): From first-time filmmaker Jacob Campbell, this worldwide premiere will screen in remembrance of September 11th alongside Stony Brook's WTC Health & Wellness Program's feature film, 911: An American Requiem. The screening will be followed by a special Q&A featuring 9/11 First Responders Carol Paukner (NYC Transit Police) and Rob Weifberg (Volunteer Fire Fighter, Commack FD), alongside producers Benjamin Luft (Stony Brook WTC Health and Wellness Program Director and Principal Investigator) and Julie Broihier (Deputy Director).
'Twenty-five years after September 11th, we continue to learn that its legacy is measured not only by what happened that day, but by the lives that have been forever changed since. 911: An American Requiem is a tribute to the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of those who responded and those who continue to bear its consequences. We are honored that the Sayville International Film Festival has chosen to help share these stories with a new generation.'
Benjamin Luft, MD, Director, Stony Brook WTC Health and Wellness Program
Noteworthy Features, Shorts, and Series
SIFF will present a diverse block of independent projects representing multiple facets of the cinematic arts:
Curio (Docuseries/Experimental Short): Directed by Danielle Bainbridge, this short film explores the intersection of disability and slavery through the episodic story of Millie and Christine McKoy, conjoined twins born into slavery in North Carolina in 1851.
Anatomy (Narrative Feature): Directed by Zaki Rubenstein and produced by Tommy Nash, this drama follows a dying contract killer who takes on a young female protégé to carry on his work.
The Egg (Web Series): Created by native Sayville college students Nick Rampulla, Alex Lepping, Asher DeVerna, and Owen Parrott, this dramatic comedy series follows a college freshman whose opportunistic rumor strains his closest relationships.
Industry Competitions & Live Events
Beyond screenings, SIFF 2026 offers engaging professional events for attendees and emerging creators.
Pitch Perfect Competition: Sponsored by Mark Myers (Producer, CEO of Citizen Skull), selected finalists will pitch their projects live in front of an audience and industry panelists on Saturday, August 15th at the Sayville Movie Theater. Finalists include Andy Herzman (Farmingdale), Joseph Zanchelli (Sayville), and Five Towns College student Kristie De Rose (East Setauket). Also presenting is Danielle Bainbridge, an Assistant Professor of Theatre at Northwestern University, author of two books, and a multi-Emmy-nominated, Webby, and Telly award-winning creator, producer, and host for PBS.
Live Table Read: Sponsored by Paul Sinacore, CSA and TV Academy Member, SIFF will present a live table read on Sunday, August 16th at 10:00 AM at the CM Performing Arts Center, featuring professional actors Garrett Clayton (Hairspray Live!, Teen Beach Movie), Emery Kelly (Netflix's Alexa and Katie), Chris Roach (Kevin Can Wait), and Steven Thomas Capp (How I Met Your Mother, Nicky Ricky Dicky & Dawn). The reading will feature the feature screenplay Sophie's Miracle written by Susan Kelijian, four short scripts written by Long Island filmmaker and FTC Alumni Cassandra Schneider, and two other shorts including Patchogue resident and screenwriter Drew Henrikson's Witness.
For more information on the full schedule, venues, and to purchase tickets in support of SIFF's fundraising efforts, visit www.SayvilleInternationalFilmFestival.com/tickets-and-passes.
About SIFF
Founded by award-winning filmmaker and Producers Guild of America (PGA) member Maria Capp, the four-day event is dedicated to providing vocational connections and professional tools to emerging and underserved filmmaker voices who lack ready access to the business. SIFF's mandate is to bridge over a decade of Capp's Los Angeles industry relationships with her hometown of Sayville. SIFF is a 501(c)(3) supported by Cornerstone Partners including Sayville Ford, Five Towns College, the Sayville Movie Theater, South Shore Abstract, Long Island Home Properties, May Day Post Production and CM Performing Arts Center.
The festival will open with the documentary BARISTAS VS THE BILLIONAIRES, directed by Mark Mori, who is set to receive The Cinematic Solidarity Award following a post-screening Q&A. Additional worldwide premieres include the narrative feature MERMAID, directed by Fia Sophia Perera and featuring Devyn McDowell, Arturo Luiz Soria, Nat Faxon, Mary Birdsong, Tom Kiesche, Alex Moffatt, and Missi Pyle, along with the documentary short THOSE LEFT BEHIND from filmmaker Jacob Campbell.
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