Newport Beach, CA (October 1, 2026) – The Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) announced today that Oscar-nominated director/writerTony Gilroy’s “Behemoth!,” starring Pedro Pascal, will close the 27thannual festival on Thursday, October 22. The festival runs from October 15-22, 2026.
“Behemoth!,” follows Alex Serian (Pascal), a gifted cellist who returns home to Los Angeles after 20 years on the road. Music — the constant, all-consuming river that has carried Alex his entire life — pulls him into an adventure that will change him forever. Utilizing an unprecedented nine composers, Behemoth! is a love letter to movie scoring and the dizzying power music holds on our memories and imaginations. Director/writer Tony Gilroy and production designer Jade Healy will attend Closing Night and take part in a conversation before the screening.
“We couldn’t have picked a better way to celebrate 27 years of Newport than closing with a filmmaker as exciting as Tony Gilroy,” said Gregg Schwenk, CEO and Executive Director of NBFF. “This film has a deeply personal story about what music demands of the people who live inside it — and having Tony and Jade here in person for Q&A is exactly the kind of up-close experience that makes Newport unlike any other festival in the country.”
Additional highlights of the festival line-up include “A Talent for Murder,” “Ink,” “Josephine,” “La Bola Negra,” “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York,” “Paper Tiger,” and “Wild Horse Nine”.
Attracting over 50,000 attendees to Orange County, CA, the Newport Beach Film Festival is the largest international cinema event in coastal Southern California, connecting its audience with the very best in independent and international films. In addition to the programmed selection of films, the Festival also presents nightly parties and events featuring more than 60 culinary partners with their finest tastings.
For more information on the complete line-up and to purchase tickets, please visit https://newportbeachfilmfest.com. NBFF Honors and additional films will be announced at a later date.
About Newport Beach Film Festival
Celebrating its 27th anniversary, the Newport Beach Film Festival is one of the largest luxury lifestyle film festivals in the United States. The event brings an internationally curated collection of films and vibrant cultural gatherings to the beautiful Southern California coast. Committed to championing the work of original storytellers from around the globe, the Festival celebrates contemporary screen culture and cinematic excellence, engaging the community in compelling conversations with filmmakers and artists. The Newport Beach Film Festival founding sponsors are the City of Newport Beach & Visit Newport Beach along with premiere sponsors Cadillac, Citizens Private Bank, UCI Health & Fashion Island. The Festival takes place October 15–22, 2026. For passes and tickets, visit www.NewportBeachFilmFest.com.
