Film fanatics, you’re in for a busy few weeks.
Three film festivals in coastal Orange County will bring movies, documentaries, music and more to local audiences, each featuring their own offerings spotlighting everything from big Hollywood stars to community projects.
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The first and largest of the three is the 27th annual Newport Beach Film Festival, which kicks off Thursday, Oct. 15, and runs through Oct. 22.
The festival is the longest running, launching in 1999, and is now considered “the largest international cinema event in coastal Southern California.” Each year, it attracts more than 56,000 attendees, organizers said.
“Committed to championing original storytellers from around the world, NBFF celebrates contemporary screen culture and cinematic excellence while engaging the community through compelling conversations with filmmakers and artists,” they said.
A screening of “Frampton” will open the festival, with musician Peter Frampton and director Rob Arthur expected to be in attendance.
The festival will also host a special closing night documentary feature screening of “Unleashed Spirits: The Rise of the Hollywood Vampires,” with members of the band created in 2012 by Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, Joe Perry and Tommy Henriksen present.
Honorees this year include: KJ Apa, Sosie Bacon, Gemma Chan, Jonás Cuarón, Sarah Finn, Mckenna Grace, Justin Hartley, Taraji P. Henson and Jack O’Connell.
In addition to the 100 feature films from around the world showcased, the film fest is held in conjunction with Style Week OC, where there will be runway shows, a Q & A with 9-year-old fashion designer Max Alexander, known for his creations using recycled materials, and the premiere of “Armani and the Birth of Italian Fashion” on Oct. 18.
In addition to the program of selected films, the NBFF also presents nightly parties and events featuring more than 60 culinary partners.
Just down the road in Laguna Beach, the Coast Film and Music Festival is back this week as well, running from Oct. 16 through Oct. 25.
The 10-day festival blends film, music and art. It was created by local film enthusiasts Ben Warner and Enich Harris as a three-day event in 2019.
The festival is staged throughout Laguna Beach with the Festival of Arts grounds and Forum Theater, Rivian South Coast Theater, Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center, Surfing Heritage and Culture Center, Forest Avenue and the Irvine Bowl hosting screenings, performances, art installations, outdoor experiences and community gatherings
The film program will showcase independent films spanning adventure, environment, surf, outdoor culture and music, many paired with post-screening conversations featuring the filmmakers, athletes and subjects behind the stories.
Films on Forest will bring film, music and culture to the public promenade in the heart of downtown Laguna Beach.
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At the Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center on Saturday, Oct. 17, Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament will showcase a film he stars in and scores, “Montana Grind,” a documentary about 11 years of building skateparks in small towns and on reservations across Montana.
At the Rivian South Coast Theater on Sunday, Oct. 18, a screening of the documentary “Los Lobos: Native Sons” will precede a live performance with the East LA band that has been together for 50 years.
Some of the surf films on the docket include: “SURFILMUSIC,” featuring Jack Johnson and directed by LA-born-and-raised filmmaker Emmett Malloy; “One Perfect Little Right,” featuring pro-surfer John John Florence; and “Searching for the SuperCrust: The Lost Tapes” by legendary surf photographer Chris Burkard.
“Concerts in the Canyon” during the festival’s final weekend has been expanded to three nights. The live music series in the historic Irvine Bowl Amphitheater features a headliner showcasing Ben Harper, with Donavon Frankenreiter, G. Love and Lily Meola on Oct. 24.
There’s also a Coast Summit on Oct. 22, which will have a gathering of innovators, filmmakers and changemakers who will discuss this year’s theme “Intelligence of Nature,” exploring “what the natural world can teach us about how we live, create, design and build the future.”
A Follow the Light Awards ceremony will take place on Oct. 17 from noon to 2 p.m. at Surfing Heritage and Culture Center, a chance for surf photographers to take center stage.
The final film festival will be held in the next coastal town south, Dana Point, from Oct. 29 through Nov. 1. It’s the youngest of the festivals, started in 2023.
The Dana Point Film Festival has an ocean focus, and will showcase 30 films along with filmmakers events, youth awards and community gatherings over the four days.
Festival screenings will be held at the Porthole Theater at Dana Hills High School. Special gatherings and celebrations will also take place at Dana Point venues including White Rooster, Killer Dana Surf Shop, and Craft House.
The festival will close with the screening of “Harbour Chronicles: Shaping the Legacy,” produced by surf photographer Chris Sardelis about the life of Seal Beach surfboard maker Rich Harbour.
“We’re reminded every day that Dana Point sits on the doorstep of the Pacific, and of the power, wonder, and responsibility that come with our relationship to the ocean and Mother Nature,” Lloyd Molander, managing director and founder of the Dana Point Film Festival said in a statement. “These films celebrate the joy and harmony the ocean brings while exploring conservation, the respectful use of its resources, and the need to protect the ecosystem it holds. That’s why these visual stories matter now more than ever.”
A Meet the Filmmaker night will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 29 and the opening night film, “The OC Effect,” will be screened at 6 p.m. on Oct. 30.
Five curated shorts programs will be shown Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, with the Oct. 31 night spotlight “Don’t Be Prey” to be held at 4 p.m., followed by SURFER’s “Hauntolulu” surf and ocean movie costume party at Killer Dana Surf Shop.
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If you want to go
Newport Beach Film Festival:
- When: Oct. 15-22
- What: 100 feature films, awards and discussions with filmmakers, Style Week OC events
- Where: Screenings takes place in theaters around Newport Beach, including Fashion Island’s THE LOT, Regal’s Big Edwards Newport, and Starlight Cinemas.
- More info and tickets: newportbeachfilmfest.com
Coast Film & Music Festival:
- When: Oct. 16-25
- What: Outdoor and action sports films, a Concerts in the Canyon music series, outdoor activities and a Coast Summit
- Where: The main hub is at the Festival of Arts, with events and films shown at Rivian South Coast Theater, Hobie Surf Shop, Surfing Heritage and Culture Center, and the Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center.
- More info and tickets: coastfilmfestival.com
Dana Point Film Festival:
- When: Oct. 29 through Nov. 1
- What: 30 films, filmmakers events, youth awards, surf culture and community gatherings
- Where: Films will be shown at the Porthole Theater at Dana Hills High School. Events will also take place at Dana Point venues, including White Rooster, Killer Dana Surf Shop and Craft House.
- More info and tickets: danapointfilmfestival.org