Newport beach film fest 2023
24th ANNUAL NEWPORT BEACH FILM FESTIVAL (NBFF) ANNOUNCES ITS FESTIVAL LINE-UP
Centerpiece Screenings include Netflix Films “May December,” “NYAD,” and “Rustin”;
Special Events include Book Talks with Rainn Wilson and Bobby Berk; a Culinary Event with Susan Feniger; and an Anniversary Screening of “In the Name of the Father” with director Jim Sheridan.
The 24th annual Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) announced Tuesday that it will screen 91 films from 19 countries - including 14 World Premieres, 14 U.S. Premieres, 6 North American Premieres, 15 West Coast Premieres, and 5 Southern California Premieres - from October 12-19, 2023. Opening and Closing Night will be announced at a later date.
“Eclectic and awe-inspiring, this year’s programmed lineup unites exciting upcoming awards contenders with that spectacle of global filmmaking which our audience treasures,” said Gregg Schwenk, CEO and Executive Director of NBFF. “We are honored to be sharing this selection of extraordinary talent and supreme storytelling with our loyal Orange County audience, and we are looking forward to announcing more events in the weeks approaching the Festival.”
Centerpiece and Spotlight Films
NBFF has selected three Netflix titles as Centerpiece films including May December, directed by Todd Haynes and starring Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore and Charles Melton; NYAD directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, and starring Annette Bening, Jodie Foster, and Rhys Ifans; and Rustin directed by George C. Wolfe and starring Colman Domingo. Apple Original Films’ Fingernails directed by Christos Nikou and starring Jeremy Allen White, Riz Ahmed, Annie Murphy, Jessie Buckley and Luke Wilson is another Centerpiece screening. Fifteen international films are selected as part of their Spotlight section from countries including Canada, China, Germany, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and Sweden. These Centerpiece and Spotlight films include:
Double Blind (Ireland), Director Ian Hunt-Duffy
The First Day of My Life (Italy), Director Paolo Genovese
Fingernails (United States), Director Christos Nikou
Freelance (United States), Director Pierre Morel
Frontiers (Canada), Director Guy Édoin
Gentleman (South Korea), Director Kyoung-Won Kim
Honey Sweet (Republic of Korea, South Korea), Director Lee Han
In the Name of the Father (Ireland), Director Jim Sheridan
Live (Vietnam)
May December (United States), Director Todd Haynes
Monster (Japan), Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
NYAD (United States), Directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin
Only the River Flows (China), Director Wei Shujun
Radical (Mexico), Director Zalla Christopher
Rustin (United States), Director George C. Wolfe
Second Act (Sweden), Director Mårten Klingberg
Verdigris (Ireland), Director Patricia Kelly
A Whole Life (Germany), Director Hans Steinbichler
Without Her (Iran/Italy), Director Arian Vazirdaftari
Woken (Ireland), Director Alan Friel
Special Events
On Saturday, October 14, the Festival will host a conversation and book signing with the award winning actor, two-time New York Times Best Selling author, Founder of the non-profit Lidé Haiti and climate activist, Rainn Wilson for his new book “Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution.” Rainn Wilson, co-founder of the media company SoulPancake, explores the problem-solving benefits that spirituality provides to create solutions and ultimately find happiness in an increasingly challenging world. In this book, Rainn Wilson speaks to the possibility and hope for a spiritual revolution, a “Soul Boom,” to find a healing transformation on both a personal and global level. Though a serious and essential pursuit, he brings great humor and his own unique perspective to the conversation.
Director and writer Jim Sheridan will attend a special retrospective screening of In the Name of the Father on Sunday October 15th. The 1993 biographical crime drama is based on the true story of the Guildford Four, four people falsely convicted of the 1974 Guildford pub bombings that killed four off-duty British soldiers and a civilian. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards and stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Emma Thompson and Pete Postlethwaie.
This year, the Festival will be holding a culinary reception on Tuesday, October 17 to celebrate the premiere of Susan Feniger. Forked, a documentary film chronicling Susan’s personal journey of opening her first solo restaurant. The event features signature bites from James Beard award-winner Susan Feniger, a brief Q&A alongside her partner, filmmaker and Emmy Award winner Liz Lachman, and leads into the screening of the film.
Additionally, on Wednesday, October 18, the Festival will feature Bobby Berk, interior design expert and Emmy-nominated TV host of Netflix’s Queer Eye, at a 30-minute Q&A for his new book, "Right at Home: How Good Design Is Good for the Mind". In the book, Berk shows you how to set up your space so that it takes care of you. Learn how to follow your happiness to find your style, optimize the function of every room, organize your space, and so much more.
Film Highlights
Highlights for this year include the World Premiere of Brave the Dark directed by Damian Harris with Jared Harris and Nicholas Hamilton; the U.S. premiere of Mr. Blake At Your Service! directed by Gilles Legardinier and starring John Malkovich. Other films screening include Clawfoot directed by Michael Day with Francesca Eastwood, Milo Gibson & Olivia Culpo; the World Premiere of The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout directed by William Nunez with Sophie Okonedo, Patrick Wayne, and Barrie Chase; the West Coast Premiere of Hard Miles directed by R. J. Daniel Hanna with Matthew Modine, Sean Astin, and Cynthia Kaye McWilliams; the West Coast Premiere of The Hidden Power of Purpose directed by Elliot V. Kotek with Debbie Allen; Hot Potato: The Story of the Wiggles directed by Sally Aitken; the World Premiere of The Man in the White Van directed by Warren Skeels with Madison Wolfe, Brec Bassinger, Ali Larter and Sean Astin; The Mattachine Family directed by Andy Vallentine with Nico Tortorella, Juan Pablo Di Pace, and Emily Hampshire; Radical directed by Zalla Christopher with Eugenio Derbez; and the West Coast Premiere of William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill, directed by Alexandre O. Philippe
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.
About Newport Beach Film Festival
Recognized as one of the largest luxury lifestyle film festivals in the United States, the Newport Beach Film Festival 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, cinematic excellence, engaging the community in compelling conversations with filmmakers and artists. The Newport Beach Film Festival is sponsored in part by UCI Health, Los Angeles Times, The Macallan, Fashion Island, and the City of Newport Beach. For Festival passes, tickets and safety information, visit www.NewportBeachFilmFest.com.
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.