KUDOS April 2019 Travel Issue

“HAVING GROWN UP HERE, BOTH TODD AND I FELT THAT
THERE WAS NO BETTER BACKDROP FOR AN
INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL THAN NEWPORT BEACH -
RIGHT UP THERE WITH CANNES AND ITS WATERFRONT
SETTING,” SAYS GREGG SCHWENK, CO-FOUNDER WITH
TODD QUARTARARO OF THE NEWPORT BEACH FILM
FESTIVAL, WHICH CELEBRATES 20 YEARS THIS APRIL.
As Schwenk remembers, “I was serving on the economic
development committee for the City of Newport Beach, and we sat
down in early 1999 with who we felt were the community
stakeholders in forming a film festival - the mayor, conference and
visitors bureau, local collegiate film schools, the Orange County
film commissioner - and formed a board and began planning our
first festival. By April, we launched.”
Continuing, Schwenk says, “We wanted the film festival to be in
April to capitalize on the Oscars. Plus, it was the off-season in
Newport Beach for hotels and visitors and the festival could give
the community a nice stream of revenue.”
Now, 20 years later, the eight-day Newport Beach Film Festival is
a major film festival and showcases more than 300 films from 50
countries, attracts more than 55,000 attendees and is the leading
luxury lifestyle film festivals in the nation. It presents an international
slate of studio and independent films from emerging and seasoned
filmmakers, featuring World, North American, U.S. and West Coast
premieres, as well as an International Spotlight Series celebrating
foreign language films. Through tributes, special screenings and
seminars, the festival has honored film industry notables, including
Aaron Sorkin, Robert Wise, Elmer Bernstein, Alan Arkin, Kate
Beckinsale, Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Orange
County’s own McG, and many more.
The festival has also made a name for its parties.
“We produce eight parties, one every night,” Quartararo says.
“The opening night party, the largest, attracts an average of 3,000
people, and we showcase live bands, 30 area restaurants’ offerings
and special performances from Las Vegas and Broadway. We call it
Orange County’s biggest party.”
2019 UK Honours in London, which recognized Downton Abbey creator, writer
and executive producer Julian Fellowes, center, with an Icon Award. Joining
him are NBFF Co-Founder/CEO Gregg Schwenk, left, and VIsit Newport
Beach President/CEO Gary Sherwin
Newport Beach Film Festval Co-Founders Gregg Schwenk and Todd Quartararo
FILM FESTIVAL CATEGORIES
The Newport Beach Film Festival prides itself on its diversity of
programming. Along with feature-length narrative films and
documentaries, programs have been introduced that set the festival
apart, along with the tried and true, such as the Action Sports Film
Series. Leslie Feibleman, director of Special Programs and
Community Cinema, has been on board the festival team since the
third year.
“Leslie has been an incredible part of the growth and evolution
of the film festival,” Schwenk says.
“My children have grown up with the festival,” Feibleman
admits.
Under her watch, an Environmental Film Series has been
introduced with a curated program of documentary films designed
to raise awareness of important issues affecting the planet.
Feibleman has overseen the Art, Architecture + Design Film Series,
NBFF's Director of Special Programs +
Community Cinema Leslie Feibleman, right, at
the film festival in 2011 with actor Robert
Patrick (”X-Files”, “Terminator 2”,
“Judgement Day”), who starred in the
festival's film, “Good Day For It” - Photo: Lou
Delgado
KUDOS Newport Beach | April 2019 33