The 2024 Newport Beach Film Festival featured movie premieres, A-list talent, independent filmmakers, and memorable after-parties as part of the Festival’s 25th anniversary.
Not to be outdone, this year’s 26th edition of the Newport Beach Film Festival managed to exceed expectations and actually outdo last year’s impressive edition.
From October 16 through 23, the Festival screened an international selection of more than 100 feature films and 250 short subjects, from narrative dramas and fascinating documentaries to exciting action sports features and culinary exposés.
The 26th annual Newport Beach Film Festival opened October 16 with a screening of Richard Linklater’s “Blue Moon” starring Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, Bobby Canavalle and Andrew Scott.
Billed as a comedy drama, Oscar buzz was in the air for Hawke, who was nearly unrecognizable as Lorenzo Hart, half of the famed theatrical musical composers Richard Rodgers and Hart. The film takes place in 1943 on the opening night of “Oklahoma,” a musical written by Rodgers and his new partner, Oscal Hammerstein II.
The setting is the famed Sardi’s restaurant, where an opening night party is being prepared. Hawke, as Hart, ruminates on his life and on those he loves.
“Blue Moon” opened in theaters October 17 and will be available to stream on Amazon later this month.
Prior to the opening night film, actor Jacob Elordi – the star of Guillermo del Toro’s exciting version of “Frankenstein” which closed out the Festival on October 23 – was interviewed as part of The Hollywood Reporter’s “Awards Chatter” to discuss his role in “Frankenstein.”
After the screening of “Blue Moon,” the Film Festival hosted a gala event at Fashion
Island that featured more than 20 restaurants plus bars serving Tito’s Vodka cocktails.
The Film Festival partnered with Style Week OC for two films on fashion: “Akris: Fashion With a Heritage” and “Thom Browne: The Man Who Tailors Dreams.”
The Festival concluded on Thursday, Oct. 23 with director Guillermo del Toro’s sensational “Frankenstein.”
Next up for the Newport Beach Film Festival: the Second Annual Newport Beach TV Fest, taking place in June 2026. And of course, the 27th annual edition of the Newport Beach Film Festival, which returns October 15-22, 2026.
For more information, visit https://newportbeachfilmfest.com.
And The Award Goes To…
The Newport Beach Film Festival has released its list of 2025 award winning films:
AUDIENCE AWARDS
Best US Feature: “Undercard”
Best International Feature: “Song of the Fireflies” and “Köln 75”
Best Animated Feature: “Arco”
Best Comedy Feature: “Lemonade Blessing” and “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”
Best Action Sports Feature: “Harbour Chronicles: Shaping a Legacy”
Best AA+D Feature: “The Pantone Guy (The King of Color)”
Best Irish Feature: “Báite”
Best International Documentary: “Sicilia”
Best US Documentary: “Blue Zeus” and “An Uncommon Kindness: Saint Damien of Molokai”
Best Narrative Short: “iChild”
Best Documentary Short: “Misfire: The People vs. Ari Aki Young”
Best Animated Short: “Ball Lightning”
Best Action Sports Short: “First In, Last Out”
Best AA+D Short: “Oh Yeah!”
JURY AWARDS
Best Feature Narrative: “Christy” (US)
Best Feature Narrative Director: “Omaha” — Cole Webley
Best Feature Narrative Actor: “Omaha” — John Magaro
Best Feature Narrative Actress: “Christy” — Sydney Sweeney
Best Supporting Actor: “Christy” — Ben Foster
Best Supporting Actress: “Christy” — Merritt Wever
Best Feature Narrative Ensemble: “Sentimental Value”
Best Documentary: “On the Wave”
Honorable Mention Documentary: “Steve Schapiro: Being Everywhere”
Best First Feature: “Cutting Through Rocks”
Best Documentary Short: “Vita 2.0”
Best Narrative Short: “Miriam”
Best Animated Short: “Home”
FESTIVAL HONORS
Outstanding Feature Narrative: “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”
Outstanding Feature Ensemble: “Adult Children”
Outstanding International Feature: “No Other Choice”
Outstanding Screenplay: “Nouvelle Vague”
Outstanding Irish Feature: “Christy”
Outstanding Performance: “The Secret Agent” (Wagner Moura)
Outstanding Performance: “Sentimental Value” (Renate Reinsve)
Outstanding Horror: “Theater is Dead”
Outstanding Action Sports: “Antarctica – Domain One”
Outstanding Fashion Documentary: “Akris: Fashion With a Heritage”
Outstanding Editing Feature: “No Other Choice”
Outstanding International Documentary: “From That Small Island” and “The Unsinkable Entrepreneur”
Outstanding Cinematography: “Frankenstein”
Outstanding Original Score: “Sinners”
Outstanding Animated Short: “Retirement Plan”
