The red carpet glowed under the East End lights as the 34th Hamptons International Film Festival kicked off its Opening Night with the East Coast premiere of I Play Rocky.
Peter Farrelly’s inspiring true story traces how a young, determined Sylvester Stallone battled the odds to bring Rocky to the screen—and insisted he be the one to play the fighter. Directed by the two-time Academy Award winner (Green Book) and written by Peter Gamble, the Amazon MGM Studios film lands as a perfect underdog tale about the making of cinema’s ultimate underdog classic, arriving 50 years after the original’s release.
Leading the charge is Anthony Ippolito in a magnetic, breakout performance as Stallone. He captures the grit, vulnerability, and relentless determination of a then-unknown actor who refused to surrender his dream. Critics and audiences have already noted the uncanny resemblance and emotional force Ippolito brings to the role—so convincing that Stallone himself reportedly mistook early footage for old clips of his younger self.
It proved a fitting choice to open HIFF34 (#HamptonsInternationalFilmFestival), which ran October 2–12, 2026, across venues throughout the Hamptons. The night featured sold-out screenings at East Hampton Middle School and United Artists, a pre-reception at Devon Yacht Club, and a lively after-celebration at Sí Sí. Ippolito received the festival’s Flyte Breakthrough Performer Award, presented by HIFF Chief Creative Officer David Nugent.
Joining Ippolito on the red carpet were festival leaders and supporters including David Nugent, Toni Ross, Randy Mastro, Bob Feinberg, Stuart Suna, industry insiders, and members of Ippolito’s family—celebrating both the film’s triumphant premiere and the start of another memorable HIFF season.
A powerful reminder that sometimes the greatest victories begin with simply refusing to give up.
Photography by Lauren Clarke-Bennett