Get Discovered in Southampton: Hamptons Comedy Film Fest Seeks the Best in Shorts and Pilots

Comedy may be the hardest trick in the cinematic playbook, but for indie filmmakers, the real challenge is finding a festival that actually gets the mechanics of a joke. Most major festivals are allergic to levity, preferring their annual parade of prestige dramas and earnest documentaries. The comedy festival, then, becomes less a niche and more a mirage—rare, necessary, and perpetually barely out of reach.

Which is why the return of the Hamptons Comedy Film Festival (HCFF) in 2026 lands like a punchline the short film community has been waiting for.

Set for May 16, 2026, at the Sticks and Stones Comedy Club in Southampton, the festival is now accepting entries. For indie filmmakers holding a comedy short, pilot, or sketch, this isn’t just another slot on the festival circuit—it’s a rare shot to screen for an audience that includes the kind of industry power players who treat the Hamptons as their summer office.

A Legacy Formed on Industry Heavyweights

Context is everything when you’re deciding where to gamble your submission fee. HCFF isn’t some fly-by-night operation; its roots stretch back to 2000, when HBO was still in the business of betting on new voices. The festival has a track record of spotting talent before the rest of the industry catches on.

Back in its early days, the festival gave a platform to Who’s the Caboose?, the kind of cult mockumentary that now seems like a lost art. Over the years, it’s drawn everyone from Ed Helms and Judy Gold to Joy Behar. For filmmakers, this isn’t just trivia—it’s a sign that HCFF has long functioned as a bridge between scrappy indie starts and the bright lights of mainstream recognition.

Founder Abby Russell, who earned her stripes producing live comedy at LA institutions like UCB, is quick to underline the festival’s boutique DNA.

“We’re curating something special here, a festival which honors comedy’s craft while giving filmmakers direct access to audiences who truly understand the art form,” Russell stated. “Our rolling submission process allows us to discover the brightest voices in comedy and present them in a setting where their work can sincerely connect and create opportunities.”

Why “Intimate” Venues Benefit Short Filmmakers

Forget the multiplex. Comedy lives and dies in the close quarters of a club, where giggles ricochet off the walls and timing is everything. The Sticks and Stones Comedy Club isn’t merely a venue—it’s a pressure cooker, and that’s exactly where comedy belongs.

Furthermore, the “Hamptons crowd” is a distinct demographic. It represents a concentration of media executives, producers, and talent agents. A screening here delivers a different caliber of networking than a standard regional festival.

Last season, the festival doubled down on range, programming everything from Kestrin Pantera’s Dr. No Means No to a Sklar Brothers appearance that came across as less than a booking and more like a stamp of approval. The message was clear: established names and new voices share the same stage.

Other highlights: Andrea Rosen’s Carol & Janet and Ron Myrick’s animated The EKSPATS: We’re Going to Africa. The takeaway? HCFF isn’t interested in a single comedic flavor—it’s after the whole spectrum, from live-action to animation.

Awards and Recognition

If you’re chasing laurels, HCFF’s awards actually mean something. The Best Comedy Short is a given, but the Soupy Sales Comedy Arts Award—named for the king of slapstick—signals that this festival knows its history and isn’t afraid to honor it.

The festival is also on the hunt for TV pilots and sketch comedy. At a time when the line between short film and proof-of-concept is vanishing, a festival that embraces episodic work is more than a convenience—it’s a starting point.

The Verdict

For indie filmmakers, the Hamptons Comedy Film Festival isn’t just another line on the résumé—it’s a rare intersection of prestige zip code and comedy-club grit. If you’re tired of watching your comedy short get lost beneath a heap of earnest dramas, this is the festival where the punchline finally gets top billing.

Submissions are rolling, and the window is wide open. The only question is whether you’re ready to step into the spotlight.

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How to Submit

Letting your comedy short gather dust on a hard drive is the real punchline nobody wants. The industry is hungry for the next voice in humor. Make sure yours isn’t lost in the shuffle.

• Deadline: Submissions are rolling for the May 16, 2026, event.
• Categories: Comedy Shorts, Features, TV Pilots, Web Series, Sketch, Animation.
• Where to Apply: Submit directly via FilmFreeway.

For more information on the best festivals for your specific genre, keep reading Indie Shorts Mag.