Newport Beach, CA (September 17, 2024) – The 25th annual Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) announced Tuesday that it will screen 112 films from 19 countries – including 16 World Premieres, 10 U.S. Premieres, 16 North American Premieres, 13 West Coast Premieres, and 10 Southern California Premieres – from October 17-24, 2024. Opening Night will be the World Premiere of Simon West’s “Old Guy.” NBFF Honors and Closing Night will be announced at a later date.
“This year’s programmed lineup unites exciting upcoming awards contenders with filmmakers from all over the world to create an incredible experience for our 25th-anniversary audience.” said Gregg Schwenk, CEO and Executive Director of NBFF. “We are honored to be sharing this selection of awe-inspiring storytelling with our loyal Orange County audience, and we are looking forward to announcing more events in the weeks approaching the Festival.”
Film Highlights
Centerpiece: NBFF has selected multiple Centerpiece films including Steve McQueen’s “Blitz,” an Apple Original Film starring Saoirse Ronan and Harris Dickinson; the World Premiere of “Lost & Found In Cleveland” directed by Marisa Guterman and Keith Gerchak starring Martin Sheen, June Squibb, Liza Weil and Dennis Haysbert. “Nightbitch,” directed by Marielle Heller and starring Amy Adams, Scoot McNairy, Arleigh Snowden, Emmett Snowden; “A Real Pain” directed by Jesse Eisenberg and starring Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin; Joshua Oppenheimer’s “The End” starring Tilda Swinton, Michael Shannon & George MacKay; and “The Piano Lesson” directed by Malcolm Washington and starring John David Washington, Danielle Deadwyler and Samuel L Jackson. The full list of Centerpiece films include:
- “Blitz” (United Kingdom), Director Steve McQueen
- “Bob Trevino Likes It” (United States), Director Tracie Laymon (Southern California Premiere)
- “Hard Truths” (United Kingdom), Director Mike Leigh
- “Lost & Found In Cleveland” (United States), Director Marisa Guterman & Keith Gerchak (World Premiere)
- “Love Me” (United States), Director Andrew Zuchero & Sam Zuchero
- “My Dead Friend Zoe” (United States), Director Kyle Hausmann-Stokes
- “Nightbitch” (United States), Director Marielle Heller
- “A Real Pain” (United States), Director Jesse Eisenberg
- “Porcelain War” (Australia, Ukraine, United States), Director Brendan Bellomo & Slava Leontyev
- “Sew Torn” (Switzerland), Director Freddy Macdonald (West Coast Premiere)
- “Small Things Like These” (Ireland), Director Tim Mielants
- “Stealing Pulp Fiction” (United States), Director Danny Turkiewicz (World Premiere)
- “The End” (Ireland), Director Joshua Oppenheimer
- “The Piano Lesson” (United States), Director Malcolm Washington
- “The Seed Of The Sacred Fig” (Germany), Director Mohammad Rasoulof
Spotlight: NBFF has selected nine international films are selected as part of their Spotlight section from countries including Australia, Brazil, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Spain and The United Kingdom, which include:
- “Everything’s Fifty Fifty” (Germany), Director Alireza Golafshan (North American Premiere)
- “Memoir Of A Snail” (Australia), Director Adam Elliot
- “Prodigies” (France), Director Frédéric & Valentin Potier (North American Premiere)
- “Rioja: The Land Of A Thousand Wines” (Spain), Director Jose Luis Lopez-Linares
- “Silvio” (Brazil), Director Marcelo Antunez (North American Premiere)
- “The Trainers” (Italy), Director Andrea Jublin (North American Premiere)
- “The Wise Guy” (United Kingdom), Director Sam O’Mahony (North American Premiere)
- “Waves” (Czech Republic), Director Jiří MÁDL (Southern California Premiere)
- “For The Last Journey” (Sweden), Directors Filip Hammar & Fredrik Wikingsson (North American Premiere)
Premieres: This year’s Festival will feature The World Premiere of “Pay Dirt: The Story of Supercross” directed by Paul Taublieb and narrated by Josh Brolin; the Opening Night World Premiere screening of “Old Guy” directed by Simon West and starring Christoph Waltz, Lucy Lui & Cooper Hoffman with West and Waltz in attendance for the screening; the West Coast Premiere of “Beyond the Gaze: Jule Campbell’s Swimsuit Issue” directed by Jill Campbell and starring Elle Macpherson, Kathy Ireland, Christie Brinkley & Tyra Banks; and a screening of “Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion” directed by Matthew Miele with subject Bob Mackie in attendance.
Special Events
This year, the Festival will be holding a Series Spotlight featuring three of this season’s biggest shows. On Friday, October 18, David Alan Grier & Wendi McLendon Covey will be honored with the Outstanding Achievement in Comedy Award and participate in a Q&A following a screening of their new show, NBC’s “St. Denis Medical.” On Tuesday, October 22 Jane Lynch will attend a special screening of an episode from season four of Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building.” She will also be presented with the Outstanding Achievement in Comedy Award and participate in a Q&A following the screening. Lastly, the Festival will host a screening of the season five premiere episode of Paramount+ and CBS Studios’ “Star Trek: Lower Decks.” The screening will be followed by a discussion with creator and executive producer Mike McMahan and voice actors Noël Wells, Eugene Cordero, & Jerry O’Connell.
In addition, the Newport Beach Film Festival will partner with Fashion Island to not only celebrate fashion and film but will also introduce a new era of luxury and lifestyle shopping in Southern California. On Saturday, October 19, two-time New York Times Best Selling author, Stassi Schroeder will join a conversation and book signing for her new book “You Can’t Have It All: The Basic B*tch Guide to Taking the Pressure Off.” On Sunday, October 20, Academy Award® Winning Costume Designer Colleen Atwood will be presented with the Career Achievement Award in Costume Design along with a Q&A discussion and costume display from the box office sensation Warner Bros’ “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” and Apple TV+’s mini-series “Masters of the Air.”
The additional list of films screening at NBFF include (in alphabetical order):
- “Pay Dirt: The Story of Supercross” (United States), Director Paul Taublieb (World Premiere)
- “7 Beats Per Minute” (Canada), Director Yuqi Kang (Southern California Premiere)
- “76 Days Adrift” (United States) Director Joe Wein
- “American Cats: The Good, The Bad, and The Cuddly” (United States), Director Todd Bieber (West Coast Premiere)
- “Another German Tank Story” (Germany) Director Jannis Alexander Kiefer (U.S. Premiere)
- “Ari’s Theme” (Canada), Director Jeff Lee & Petry Nathan Drillot (U.S. Premiere)
- “Art and Life: The Story of Jim Phillips” (United States), Director John Edward Makens
- “Arze” (Lebanon), Director Mira Shaib (West Coast Premiere)
- “Bastards of Soul” (United States), Director Paul Levatino
- “Beyond the Gaze: Jule Campbell’s Swimsuit Issue” (United States), Director Jill Campbell (West Coast Premiere)
- “Bigger Than Art” (Spain), Director Alvaro Porras & Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordova (World Premiere)
- “Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion” (United States), Director Matthew Miele
- “Bob Noto, World’s Finest Palate” (Italy), Director Francesco Catarinolo (North American Premiere)
- “Bonjour Switzerland” (Switzerland), Director Peter Luisi
- “Bound” (United States), Director Isaac Hirotsu Woofter
- “Breakup Season” (United States), Director H. Nelson Tracey (California Premiere)
- “Brooklyn, Minnesota” (United States) Director Jessica Blank & Erik Jensen (West Coast Premiere)
- “Bull Run” (United States), Director Alfredo Barrios (World Premiere)
- “Butterfly Tale” (Canada), Director Sophie Roy
- “Champions of the Golden Valley” (United States), Director Ben Sturgulewski (California Premiere)
- “Counted Out” (United States), Director Vicki H Abeles (Southern California Premiere)
- “Daughters of Ghafouri” (United States), Director Matthew Charles Hall (World Premiere)
- “Finding Happy” (United States), Director Maria Bertrand
- “For The Living” (United States), Director Marc Bennett & Tim Roper (World Premiere)
- “Hunting Matthew Nichols” (Canada), Director Markian Tarasiuk (World Premiere)
- “Hvaldimir, Conversation with a Spy Whale” (France), Director Jerôme Delafosse & Fabrice Schnöller
- “I Need You: 53 Years of the Band America” (United States), Director Dustin Elm & David Breschel (World Premiere)
- “Ice Maiden” (Australia), Director Nathaniel C.T. Jackson & James Blannin-Ferguson
- “Isabel’s Garden” (United States), Director Kit Rich
- “Jazzy” (United States), Director Morrisa Maltz (Southern California Premiere)
- “Just a Bit Outside: The Story of the 1982 Milwaukee Brewers” (United States), Director Sean Hanish (West Coast Premiere)
- “Kiss of the Con Queen” (Thailand), Director Tom Waller (Southern California Premiere)
- “Laws of Man” (United States), Director Phil Blattenberger (North American Premiere)
- “Life’s A Bitch” (Belgium ), Director Xavier Seron (U.S. Premiere)
- “Lost Nation” (United States), Director Jay Craven
- “Luther: Never Too Much” (United States), Director Dawn Porter
- “Luto” (Ireland, Mexico), Director Andres Arochi Tinajero (North America)
- “Max Dagan” (United States), Director Terre Weisman
- “Maxxie LaWow: Drag Super-shero” (United States), Director Karen Drastal, JP Karliak & Anthony Hand (Southern California Premiere)
- “Mistura” (Peru), Director Ricardo de Montreuil (Southern California Premiere)
- “Modernism, Inc.” (United States), Director Jason Andrew Cohn
- “New England Modernism: Revolutionary Architecture in the 20th Century” (United States), Director Jake Gorst
- “Newport and Me: Seymour Beek” (United States), Director Celeste Dennerline & Edward Olen
- “Old Guy” (United States), Director Simon West (World Premiere)
- “Our Blue World” (Ireland), Director Ruán Magan (U.S. Premiere)
- “Paper Flowers” (United States), Director Mahesh Pailoor
- “Peace for Armenia: The Plot to Destroy the First Christian Nation” (United States), Director Douglas Kalagian (California Premiere)
- “Poison” (Luxembourg), Director Désirée Nosbusch
- “Poultry Form Chelladurai” (India), Director Seenu Ramasamy (World Premiere)
- “Queen of the Ring” (United States), Director Ash Avildsen (West Coast Premiere)
- “Ransom ’79” (Ireland), Director Colm Quinn (North American Premiere)
- “Reawakening” (United Kingdom), Director Virginia Gilbert (U.S. Premiere)
- “Renee Gracie – Fireproof” (Australia), Director Frances Elliott & Samantha Marlowe (North American Premiere)
- “Ronnie O’Sullivan; The Edge of Everything” (United Kingdom), Director Sam Blair (U.S. Premiere)
- “Saturn” (United States), Director Eric Esau (West Coast Premiere)
- “Schindler Space Architect” (United States), Director Valentina Ganeva (West Coast Premiere)
- “Séance” (United States), Director Vivian Kerr (World Premiere)
- “Shaping the Future” (United States), Director Robert Helphand (World Premiere)
- “Sharko” (Australia), Director, Luke Graham (North American Premiere)
- “Sidelined: The QB and Me” (United States), Director Crystal Ferreiro & Mary Gulin
- “Sitting Still” (United States), Director Gina Angelone (California Premiere)
- “Six Inches of Soil” (United Kingdom), Director Colin Ramsay (U.S. Premiere)
- “Sono Lino” (United States), Director Jacob Patrick (Southern California Premiere)
- “Space Cowboy” (United States), Director Bryce Leavitt & Marah Strauch
- “Takin’ Care of Business” (United States), Director Tyler Measom (West Coast Premiere)
- “The Best of the Best: Jazz From Detroit” (United States), Director Daniel Loewenthal (West Coast Premiere)
- “The Blind Sea” (Australia), Director Daniel Fenech (North American Premiere)
- “The Cigarette Surfboard” (United States), Director Ben Judkins (California Premiere)
- “The Donn of Tiki” (United States), Director Alex Lamb & Max Well
- “The G” (Canada), Director Karl R. Hearne (U.S. Premiere)
- “The Last of the Sea Women” (United States), Director Sue Kim
- “The Paper Bag Plan” (United States), Director Anthony Lucero (West Coast Premiere)
- “The Short Game” (United States), Director Frank Sanza (World Premiere)
- “The Strangers’ Case” (Jordan), Director Brandt Andersen
- “The Trouble with Mr Doodle” (United Kingdom), Director Jaimie D’Cruz, Ed Perkins & Alex Nott
- “The Wedge” (United States), Director Brent Weldon (World Premiere)
- “The Wonder and the Worry” (United States), Director David Baker (California Premiere)
- “Thirsty” (United States), Director Emily Abt (World Premiere)
- “Tracing the Divide” (United States), Director Jack Zakrajsek (Southern California Premiere)
- “Trigger Happy” (United States), Director Tiffany Kim Stevens (Southern California Premiere)
- “Unega | Tales of the Guardians” (United States), Director Nikola Lakic (California Premiere)
- “Whatever It Takes” (United Kingdom), Director Jenny Carchman
- “Why Dinosaurs?” (United States), Director Tony & James Pinto (California Premiere)
- “Women of Carbon” (United States), Director Basia Myszynski & Leonard Myszynski (California Premiere)
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. Additional films and honorees will be announced prior to the event.
About Newport Beach Film Festival
Celebrating its 25th 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 is sponsored in part by UCI Health, KIA, Los Angeles Times, GAMFF, Fashion Island, and Visit Newport Beach. Festival dates are October 17-24, 2024. For Festival passes and tickets, visit www.NewportBeachFilmFest.com.
