by Debbie Tuma
After premiering two times at the Hamptons International Film Festival last year, the popular movie “On the End” was shown for the first time in Montauk on August 13. As a collaboration between the festival and Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa, this feature length film was shown on a large screen on the beautiful spa deck, overlooking the ocean beach.
A crowd of about 200 people gathered for drinks and hors d’oeuvres before the movie started about 8:30 pm, and eagerly awaited a screening taking place in their very own town. “I heard about this film, and I wanted to see a full-length movie being made where I live,” said Stephanie Krusa. Chad Smith, drummer of the “Red Hot Chili Peppers,” who lives in Montauk, also attended the film. Mark Russell, of HBO, was there along with journalist Sarah Koenig of the New York Times.
Bob Feinberg, Executive Director of the Hamptons International Film Festival, thanked everyone for coming, and said that due to the popularity of this movie, they wanted to show it in Montauk. “We thought it only fitting that we should show this to the people of Montauk, since it took place there, and many people here may be familiar with the story,” he said. Also with him was David Nugent, Chief Creative Officer of the festival, who screens and selects the films each year that get into the festival. “We thought this movie was special, with a captivating story to tell,” he said.
Ari Selinger, of Sag Harbor and Brooklyn, who wrote and produced “On the End,” said how happy he was by the enthusiastic reaction from his audiences during the festival, and also coming out this night at Gurney’s. He explained that he had heard about a fight between a Montauk mechanic and the Town of East Hampton, over the cleaning up of this man’s cluttered beachfront property, with cars and tools. The Town claimed it was an environmental hazard, and real estate agents were also trying to enhance the sales value of neighboring houses. Tom Ferreira, a longtime mechanic who fixed cars of numerous Montauk residents, which he had along with tools and debris all over his property along Fort Pond Bay, eventually had this fined and confiscated by the Town. The movie is a love story about both Tom and his girlfriend named “Freckles” being both diabetics and hard on their luck. Tom’s brother Milton also lived in his house, and their aunt lived next door. Tom was about to give up when Freckles urged him to sue the Town, which he eventually did, and won.
This film has a cast of amazing actors, including Tim Blake Nelson who played Tom Ferreira, Mirelle Enos, who played Freckles, Matt Maher, who played Milton, and Lois Smith, who played their aunt Trudie who lived next door. Tom Ferreira’s brother, Milton, attended the screening and said he loved the film. “It really portrayed what happened, and it characterized my brother and Freckles really well,” he said. The beautiful lighting, scenery, and music in this movie helped to keep the viewer glued to the screen. Ari Selinger’s brother, Eitan Selinger, was the lead composer, and his other brother Ilan Selinger, contributed the piano pieces.
Ari Selinger said it took him two years to make this movie, and he wrote the script during Covid. He added that Tom Ferreira’s court case took five years, and that Freckles had already passed away and a few years after winning his case, Tom also sadly passed away. Selinger said that “On The End” is going into national distribution, and will be seen in theaters across the country “hopefully by the end of the year.”