The Newport Beach Film Festival, featuring 56 films from around the world, kicked off Thursday and will continue throughout this week with screenings, seminars and parties.
The festival, expected to bring out film enthusiasts as well as aspiring filmmakers, is showcasing independent films from more than 20 countries, including Japan, China, Cuba and Mexico.
A combination of feature and short films, documentaries and animation, the event also will include question-and-answer sessions with filmmakers. Last year’s festival attracted about 16,000 people.
Jeffery S. Conner, who started the festival in 1996 when the event was called the Newport Beach International Film Festival, filed for bankruptcy after completing the 1999 event. This year, with sponsors including sports agent Leigh Steinberg and his wife, who gave approximately $40,000, and the Newport Beach city government, the festival is expected to stay within its budget of $500,000.
Tickets for the movie screenings, which are being held at Edwards Island Cinemas, range from $5 to $500 for an all-access pass. For information, call (949) 253-2880.
