The 26th annual Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) has unveiled its lineup for this year’s festival, set to take place from Oct. 16 to Oct. 23. This year’s event will screen over 100 feature films and 250 shorts from 32 countries.
The festival will open with a screening of Richard Linklater’s “Blue Moon” starring Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, Bobby Canavalle and Andrew Scott. The closing night film will include a screening of Guillermo Del Toro’s “Frankenstein,” starring Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Oscar Isaac & Christoph Waltz.
Some of the buzziest titles in this year’s lineup will include Nia DaCosta’s “Hedda” starring Tessa Thompson, Linklater’s “Nouvelle Vague,” Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value,” and Rian Johnson’s “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” starring Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack and Thomas Haden Church.
In addition to screenings, Newport Beach Film Festival will partner with Fashion Island and StyleWeekOC to celebrate fashion and film throughout Southern California. On Saturday, Oct. 18, Sophie Ansari, Penn Badgley, and Nava Kavelin will host an exclusive conversation and book signing for their latest release titled “Crushmore: Essays on Love, Loss, and Coming-of-Age.”
“As we celebrate our 26th year, this lineup unites the season’s most exciting films with visionary filmmakers from around the world. Newport is continuing in its tradition of spotlighting the films that go on to become massive award contenders throughout the season,” said Gregg Schwenk, CEO and Executive Director of NBFF in a press release. “We’re thrilled to share this dynamic program with our loyal Orange County audience and can’t wait to reveal even more special events as the Festival approaches.”
Read the full festival lineup below.
Centerpiece
“Adult Children” (United States, California Premiere)
Director: Rich Newey
“Arco” (France)
Director: Ugo Bienvenu
“Bad Haircut” (United States)
Director: Kyle Misak
“Billy Knight” (United States, West Coast Premiere)
Director: Alec Griffen Roth
“Cutting Through Rocks” (United States, Iran, Germany, Chile, Qatar, Southern California Premiere)
Directors: Sara Khaki, Mohammadreza Eyni
“Furcy” (France, North American Premiere)
Director: Abd Al Malik
“Hedda” (United States)
Director: Nia DaCosta
“King Ivory” (United States, U.S. Premiere)
Director: John Swab
“The Mastermind” (United States)
Director: Kelly Reichardt
“No Other Choice” (Republic of Korea)
Director: Park Chan-Wook
“Nouvelle Vague” (France, United States)
Director: Richard Linklater
“Renoir” (Japan, West Coast Premiere)
Director: Chie Hayakawa
“Sentimental Value” (Norway, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, France)
Director: Joachim Trier
“She Dances” (United States)
Director: Rick Gomez
“Sirât” (Spain)
Director Olivier Laxe
“Wake Up Dead Man” (United States)
Director Rian Johnson
“Báite” (Ireland), Director Ruán Magan (North America Premiere)
International Spotlight
“Blazing Fists” (Japan, West Coast Premiere),
Director: Takashi Miike
“Broken Voices” (Czech Republic, Slovakia, West Coast Premiere),
Director: Ondřej Provazník
“Christy” (Ireland, United Kingdom, North American Premiere),
Director: Brendan Canty
“Frieda’s Case” (Switzerland)
Director: Maria Brendle
“If He Dies, He Dies: Dolph Lundgren” (Sweden, North American Premiere),
Director: Andrew Holmes
“Köln 75” (Germany, Belgium, Poland, West Coast Premiere),
Director: Ido Fluk
The Man Who Saw the Bear” (France, West Coast Premiere)
Director: Pierre Richard
“Peg O’ My Heart” (Hong Kong)
Director: Nick Cheung
“The Raftsmen” (Australia, West Coast Premiere)
Director: Chadden Hunter
“Rock, Weed and Wheels” (Mexico)
Director: J.M. Cravioto
“The Secret Agent” (Brazil, France)
Director Kleber Mendonça Filho
· “A Sip of Irish” (Ireland, United Kingdom, France, United States, North American Premiere)
Director: Frank Mannion
“Song of the Fireflies” (Philippines, West Coast Premiere),
Director: King Palisoc
“The Unsinkable Entrepreneur” (Ireland, World Premiere),
Director: Craig Stuart Garfinkle
“When Mom is Away… With The In-Laws” (Italy, United States Premiere)
Director: Alessandro Genovesi
Additional Films
“25 Cats From Qatar” (United States, Qatar),
Director: Mye Hoang (California Premiere)
“Akris: Fashion With a Heritage” (Germany)
Director: Reiner Holzemer (West Coast Premiere)
“American Clown” (United States)
Directors: Guilford Adams, Caset Pinkston
“Antarctica – Domain One” (Argentina)
Directors: Joaquin Azulay, Julian Azulay (North America Premiere)
“Bird Boy” (South Africa, United States),
Director: Joel Soissen (Southern California Premiere)
“Blue Zeus” (United States)
Directors: Rocky Romano, Miranda Winters (California Premiere)
“Bob Gurr: Living By Design” (United States)
Director: Frank H. Woodward
“Cabali And The Tiki Mug Obsession” (United States)
Director Josh Dragotta (World Premiere)
“Chaplin | Spirit of The Tramp” (France, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom)
Director: Carmen Chaplin (West Coast Premiere)
“Charles Grodin: Rebel with a Cause” (United States)
Director: James L. Freedman
“Diamond Diplomacy” (United States, Japan)
Director: Yuriko Gamo Romer (Southern California Premiere)
“Dickens of a Christmas” (United States)
Director: Gillian McKercher (World Premiere)
“Everest Dark” (Canada)
Director: Jereme Watt (Southern California Premiere)
“Farmacy of Light: A Quantum Leap In Healing” (United States)
Director: Ryan Wirick (West Coast Premiere)
“The Floaters” (United States)
Director Rachel Israel (Southern California Premiere)
“Forge” (United States), Director Jing Ai Ng
“Frankenstein” (United States, Mexico)
Director: Guillermo del Toro
“From That Small Island” (Ireland),
Directors: Rachael Moriarty, Peter Murphy (North America Premiere)
“Golden Era of Skateboarding” (United States),
Directors: Eddie “El Gato” Elguera, Alfredo M.R. Vicente (North America Premiere)
“Harbour Chronicles: Shaping a Legacy” (United States),
Director: Chris Joesph Sardelis (World Premiere)
“The Harvard Five” (United States)
Director: Devon Chivvis (West Coast Premiere)
“Honey Bunch” (Canada, United Kingdom)
Directors: Dusty Mancinelli, Madeleine Sims-Fewer
“I Hope We Can Still Be Friends” (Ireland)
Director: Aisha Tyler (North America Premiere)
“Idiotka” (United States)
Director: Nastasya Popov
“In Our Blood” (United States)
Director: Pedro Kos
“The Last Dive” (United States, Mexico)
Director: Cody Sheehy (California Premiere)
“Leave One Day” (France)
Director: Bonnin Amélie (Southern California Premiere)
“Lemonade Blessing” (United States)
Director: Chris Merola (West Coast Premiere)
“Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” (United States)
Director: Elizabeth Guest (World Premiere)
“Reading Lolita In Tehran” (Israel, Italy)
Director: Eran Riklis
“Lone Samurai” (Indonesia, Japan, United States)
Director: Josh C. Waller
“Looking Up” (United States)
Director: Elena Neuman (California Premiere)
“Magic Hour” (United States)
Director: Katie Aselton (Southern California Premiere)
“Memory for Burial” (France)
Directors: Charlotte Jarrix, Maud Guillaumin (U.S. Premiere)
“The Nation of Namul” (Republic of Korea)
Director: Songyi Park (West Coast Premiere)
“The Negotiator” (Northern Ireland)
Director: Trevor Birney (North America Premiere)
“Never Get Busted!” (Australia)
Directors: David Anthony Ngo, Stephen Mccallum (West Coast Premiere)
“The OC Effect: Surf-Skate Business Evolution” (United States)
Directors: Terry Corwin, Scott Hays (World Premiere)
“Omaha” (United States)
Director: Cole Webley (West Coast Premiere)
“On The Wave” (Germany)
Directors: Peter Wolf, Axel Gerdau (North America Premiere)
“One Stupid Thing” (United States)
Director: Linda Yellen (West Coast Premiere)
“Out of Plain Sight” (United States)
Directors: Rosanna Xia, Daniel Straub (West Coast Premiere)
“The Pantone Guy” (United States)
Director: Patrick Creadon (California Premiere)
“Paul & Paulette Take a Bath” (United Kingdom)
Director: Jethro Massey (North America Premiere)
“Peacock” (Austria, Germany)
Director: Bernhard Wenger
“A Promise to a Friend; The Story of Gale Webb” (United States)
Director: Billy Henrickle (World Premiere)
“The Queen’s Jewels” (United States),
Director: Joshua Friedman (West Coast Premiere)
“Queens of the Dead” (United States)
Director: Tina Romero
“A Quiet Love” (Ireland)
Director: Garry Keane (United States Premiere)
“Raoul’s, A New York Story” (United States)
Directors: Greg Olliver, Karim Raoul (West Coast Premiere)
“Retirement Plan” (Ireland)
Director: John Kelly
“Rising Phoenix: A New Revolution” (United Kingdom)
Director: Sheridan O’Donnell
“Rosemead” (United States)
Director: Eric Lin
“Sequoias of the Sea” (United States)
Directors: Natasha Benjamin, Ana Blanco (Southern California Premiere)
“Sicilia” (Italy, United States)
Directors: Colin West, Rupert Critchley (North America Premiere)
“Sin City: Newport Beach” (United States)
Director: Ed Olen (World Premiere)
“Stand Together as One” (United States, Ethiopia)
Director: Chip Duncan (West Coast Premiere)
“Steve Schapiro: Being Everywhere” (United States),
Director: Maura Smith (Southern California Premiere)
“Stronger Than You Think” (United States)
Directors: Janice C. Molinari, Melissa Forman (West Coast Premiere)
“Theater is Dead” (United States)
Director: Katherine Dudas (West Coast Premiere)
“Thom Browne: The Man Who Tailors Dreams” (Germany, Italy),
Director: Reiner Holzemer (West Coast Premiere)
“To the Hands” (United States)
Directors: Robert Istad, Marty Austin Lamar (North America Premiere)
“Tokito” (Japan)
Director: Aki Mizutani
“Tow” (United States)
Director: Stephanie Laing (West Coast Premiere)
“Trango” (United States)
Director: Leo Hoorn (West Coast Premiere)
“Two to One” (Germany)
Director: Natja Brunckhorst
“An Uncommon Kindness: St. Damien of Molokai” (United Kingdom),
Directors: Stephanie J. Castillo, Walter Josten, Daniel Marra (World Premiere)
“Undercard” (United States),
Director: Tamika Miller (West Coast Premiere)
“Underland” (United States, United Kingdom)
Director: Rob Petit
“Viva Verdi!” (United States)
Director: Yvonne Russo (West Coast Premiere)
“Volcanoes and Us” (Republic of Korea)
Director: Byoung-Gil Park (North America Premiere)
“Wealth Untold” (United States, Belize)
Director: Eladio Arvelo (North America Premiere)
“William Wyler, Willie Forty Takes” (France)
Director: Bertrand Tessier