Film festival rolls out the red carpet for first night
The 16th annual Newport Beach Film Festival got underway Thursday night with stars, city council members and a screening of Russell Crowe’s directorial debut, “The Water Diviner.”
“It’s just another terrific event and it gets better each year with the amount of diversity it features,” said Newport Beach Mayor Ed Selich, who added that he was most interested to watch Crowe’s film after reading the history about the 1915 World War I battle of Gallipoli in Turkey. “It’s a film buff’s dream to be here.”
Other notables who attended the evening’s red carpet event included Newport Beach city council members Diane Dixon, Kevin Muldoon and Tony Petros. Chef Pascal Olhats, who also was photographed, said he was happy to represent the culinary side of Orange County at the opening.
Karen Lanyon, the Australian Consul General Los Angeles, joined a few of the nation’s military members to commemorate the centennial anniversary of Australian and New Zealand troops landing in Gallipoli Cove.
Filmmakers who attended the event included director Yogi Roth and producer and editor Ed Borneman of “Life In A Walk,” a movie about a father and son’s journey along the Camino de Santiago in Spain.
“It’s surreal to be here,” said Borneman. “It’s a new experience for us and it’s a honor to be around creative talent.”
Roth said the true-story film, which will have its world premiere screening Saturday at Island Cinema with an additional screening Tuesday at Triangle Square, is about cherishing a walk he shared with his father after he learned his father was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
“I never wanted to say, ‘I wish I’d spent more time with my dad,’ so we booked a flight to take a walk together,” Roth said, adding that his father is now in good health. “He is excited to join me to watch a screening.”
Other celebrating filmmakers included a few members from the cast and crew of “Miss India America,” who said it was exciting for them to be surrounded by movie industry professionals.
The comedy tells the story about a woman graduating from an Orange County high school whose boyfriend falls for a beauty pageant winner. She enlists herself to run for Miss India National and learns that there maybe more to learn when a person loses.
“It’s fun for us to bring this story to a broader audience because it has a universal plot about what winning means to people,” said actress Anjali Bhimani, who grew up in Tustin.
A fashion show depicting the clothing worn in the film will be presented on a runway before the movie’s premiere Saturday at Lido Live.
After Thursday’s night movie, the festival was set to host an opening night gala at Fashion Island featuring culinary tastings from 25 Orange County restaurants.
About 55,000 people are expected to attend the festival, running until April 30. More than 350 films from 50 countries will be showcased at venues ranging from the Triangle in Costa Mesa to Edwards Big Newport and Lido Live Theatre.
“We’re excited to kick off the festival this year, and there are so many wonderful films,” said Todd Quartararo, the festival’s co-founder, who was photographed with Gregg Schwenk, CEO of the festival on the red carpet. “There’s something for everyone.”
For more information, visit newportbeachfilmfest.com.