Newport is ready to roll for 18th annual film festival
The red carpet will be rolled out for stars, city officials and movie executives at the Edwards Big Newport 6 cinemas April 20 for the opening of the 18th annual Newport Beach Film Festival and the premiere of “Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton.â€
The festival, running April 20 to 27, will present more than 350 films from 50 countries. They will play at the Regency Lido Theater and Island Cinemas at Fashion Island, both in Newport Beach, and the Starlight Triangle 8 Cinemas in Costa Mesa, among other venues, to accommodate the multiple screenings each day.
The eight-day festival, which organizers expect to welcome 55,000 guests, also will present nightly events, galas and seminars featuring conversations with filmmakers.
Gregg Schwenk, chief executive of the festival, said this year’s total of more than 2,500 applications was a record.
“We offer a number of special opportunities and experiences for the community, and what’s wonderful is that people can interact with members in the industry,†Schwenk said.
The festival will spotlight several films with Orange County connections, including “Augie,†a documentary about a Corona del Mar resident diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease; “Under an Arctic Sky†with Huntington Beach surfer Tim Reyes; “Henry T. Segerstrom: Imagining the Future,†a film about the life of the Orange County entrepreneur, philanthropist and cultural leader; and “Cassette: A Documentary Mixtape,†featuring Burger Records of Fullerton.
“Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton,†which will be shown on opening night of the festival, tells the story of the surfer as he explores fear, courage, ambition and talent and the costs that come with pursuing his goals.
It will be screened at 7:30 p.m. April 20 at Edwards Big Newport, 300 Newport Center Drive. A gala reception will follow at Fashion Island.
The festival will close with “The Exception,†starring Christopher Plummer, Lily James and Jai Courtney. The story follows a German soldier who tries to determine whether the Dutch resistance has planted a spy to infiltrate the home of Kaiser Wilhelm in Holland during World War II.
The screening will be at 8:15 p.m. April 27 at the Lido Theater, 3459 Via Lido, Newport Beach.
For the full schedule information and tickets, visit newportbeachfilmfest.com.
Twitter: @KathleenLuppi
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