Newport Beach might be a traffic jam away from the glitz and glam of Hollywood, but for eight days starting Thursday, Oct. 12, the spotlight will shine in Orange County.
The Newport Beach Film Festival, now in its 24th year, will bring in some 300 films from 50 countries this year and regularly draws an estimated 50,000 viewers who show up to not just watch movies, but to celebrate the art and craft of filmmaking through discussions, parties, awards and appearances.
Along with the red carpets and industry seminars, musical performances and fashion shows are planned as well as food tastings and, new this year, behind-the-scene chats with book authors, an acclaimed music producer and an interior designer who took his skills to television.
In addition to the films held in theaters throughout Newport Beach during the festival, there are 18 special events on the schedule, including an opening night gala for 2,000 people at Fashion Island.
“We’re tremendously excited, the Newport Beach Film Festival has become the largest luxury lifestyle film event and the largest entertainment event of our kind in coastal California,” said Gregg Schwenk, CEO and co-founder of the NBFF.
The festival, which started in 1999, has something for everyone and is open to everyone, he said. The event isn’t just Newport Beach’s film festival, but has become Orange County’s film festival.
“I’m giving everyone a personal invitation,” he said. “We’re able to reflect the rich diversity of Orange County and celebrate the unique storytelling from around the world and shine a spotlight on our community.”
Among the hundreds of films, there’s feature-length narratives, documentaries, shorts, animations, youth and student films.
“The festival celebrates contemporary screen culture, cinematic excellence, and engages the community in compelling conversations with filmmakers and artists,” the event description says.
Opening night kicks off with the North American…
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