That’s a wrap!
The 2026 Newport Beach Film Festival ended its eight-day run on October 22, having featured movie premieres, A-list talent, independent filmmakers, and memorable after-parties as part of the Festival’s 26th anniversary.
“The Newport Beach Film Festival has become the largest celebration of cinema in coastal Southern California,” stated...
The Lido Theater isn’t just for movies anymore, although the Newport Beach Film Festival used the historic, restored theater for its 2026 Festival last month.
As the Righteous Brothers demonstrated with their two sold-out shows in September, the Lido Theater has an outrageous sound system that’s perfect for live music.
With...
Pacific Symphony is launching its 2026-2027 Pops Season November 6 and 7 with Idina Menzel, the Tony Award-winning Broadway star who originated the role of Elphaba in “Wicked” and was the voice of Elsa in “Frozen.”
After that comes the return of fan-favorite Cody Fry, internationally acclaimed ensemble Pink Martini,...
The Newport Beach Film Festival is having quite the year.
The Festival’s second annual TV Fest in June featured sold-out panels featuring Seth McFarland, Sebastian Maniscalco, Andy Cohen, and the casts of “Landman” and “Shrinking.”
Then last month the Festival launched “The Process Unlocked,” a new SoCal PBS television conversation series...
So many films, so little time.
With over 300 films (many of them short subjects) in the 2026 Newport Beach Film Festival, it’s impossible to watch them all over the eight days of the Festival, which runs October 15-22. Here are a few that stand out.
Featuring The Houston Ballet, “The...
By Aya El-Djoundi | Special to the NB Indy
Life is a passing moment. We are all passing moments. We live through life’s moments.
I like to think of us as passing moments who bring something unique and special to the scene. Then suddenly everything becomes a memory. We obviously know...
By Faith Luevanos | Special to the NB Indy
From director Šimon Holý comes “Chica Checa,” a heartwarming film that steals the show at the 2026 Newport Beach Film Festival.
The film follows Zdena, a widow who lives a quiet, solitary life in a small Czech village. When her son Lukas...
By Sandra M. Borges | Special to the NB Indy
“I’m interested in ordinary people, doing extraordinary things,” said Yaniv Rokah, director of “Follow Me,” which screens October 18 and 20 at the Newport Beach Film Festival
The feature documentary offers an inside look into Gidon Lev’s life as a Holocaust...
By Camden Tucker | Special to the NB Indy
Christy Wegner’s feature documentary “All American Girls” tells the story of how American Girl creator Pleasant Rowland’s brand centered around messages of empowerment and encouraging girls to voice their opinions, later exploding into a phenomenon that has shaped the lives of...
The documentaries that focus on music run the gamut from smooth jazz to rock and roll to an intimate look at a musical songstress.
“Smooth World,” which has its World Premiere at the Newport Beach Film Festival, is described as an exploration of the critically loathed world of Smooth Jazz...
