LIMEHOF Film Festival Expands to 43 Movies

The Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame will host its second annual Music Documentary Film Festival Sept. 25-27, expanding the event to 43 short and feature-length films presented in two theaters at its Stony Brook Village museum.

The three-day festival will include documentaries featuring artists ranging from The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Billy Joel to Foo Fighters, Beastie Boys, Biz Markie, Peter Gabriel, Ann Wilson and Kenny Loggins. Films connected to 15 countries will be screened, including 16 Long Island premieres and three world premieres.

“If you love music, there’s really nothing else quite like spending a day surrounded by great music documentaries, filmmakers, and fellow music fans,” Festival Executive Director Tom Needham said. “Our hope is that people will come for one film and find themselves wanting to stay for three or four.”

Opening night will feature “Kenny Loggins: Conviction of the Heart,” directed by Tony, Olivier and Emmy Award winner Dori Berinstein, who is expected to participate in a post-screening discussion. The film chronicles Loggins’ career and personal evolution during more than five decades in music.

Saturday’s featured film, “The Long Island Underground Legends of Hip Hop,” highlights Long Island artists whose role in rap’s early development has often been overshadowed by New York City’s five boroughs. Director Archie H. Snowden, who grew up in Amityville and Central Islip, will join artists featured in the documentary for a panel discussion and live performance.

The festival closes with “Newport & the Great Folk Dream,” directed by Robert Gordon and produced by Greenport resident Joe Lauro. The award-winning documentary features performances by Dylan, Johnny Cash, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger and others.

The festival debuted in 2025 with 24 films and later received two regional best-film-festival awards. Tickets are now on sale through LIMEHOF and include admission to its “Everybody Loves Raymond: Celebrating 30 Years” exhibit.