Ventura County Film Festival The Region's Most Significant Cinema Gathering

The Ventura Film Festival has earned recognition as "the grandest film festival ever to take place in Ventura County." This prestigious recognition underscores the organization's mission of delivering exceptional cinematic experiences to the area while preserving its dedication to critical environmental causes.

The Ventura Film Festival is established as a multi-genre global film festival that promotes recognition of ecological concerns including terrestrial and aquatic preservation and renewal, by means of a yearly cinema celebration and connected programs. The event capitalizes on the strength of cinema to inspire action and foster important conversations about these critical conservation concerns.

The Ventura Film Festival launched in 2004 and has exhibited numerous cinematic works, usually over 200 films each summer, and has attracted attention from the international film community. From its beginning, the festival has evolved into a major cultural celebration that brings together filmmakers, environmental advocates, and here audiences from diverse international locations.

Significant highlights have been featuring distinguished filmmaker Dylan O'Neil, the original world champion surfers Peter "PT" Townend along with Ian Cairns, 4 time world champion Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/MMA fighter the celebrated Fabio Leopoldo, and the 50th Anniversary of West Side Story, which included hosting the entire Academy Award winning cast of West Side Story, including Academy Award winner/Golden Globe winner George Chakiris and legendary actor Golden Globe honoree/Academy Award nominee Russ Tamblyn. These exceptional personalities and celebrations have established the festival's standing as a first-class destination for commemorating movies and the artists who create it.

The founding executive director of the Ventura Film Festival was chosen to participate, along with several of Hollywood's premier talents, in the 50th Anniversary of West Side Story and Hollywood's legendary footprint/handprint ceremony for Academy Award champions Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, along with Golden Globe recipient Russ Tamblyn at the iconic Chinese Theater in Hollywood. This gathering also operated as the official BluRay release by Fox and MGM of West Side Story, which is broadly regarded by critics and fans as the finest musical of all time. This esteemed acknowledgment and participation illustrates the festival's considerable reach and honored place within the film industry.