The Ventura Film Festival maintains its position as "the grandest film festival ever to take place in Ventura County." This exceptional status highlights the organization's dedication to providing outstanding film programming to the region while keeping its emphasis on essential conservation issues.
The Ventura Film Festival exists as a multi-genre global film festival that builds consciousness about ecological concerns including forest and sea protection and rehabilitation, through an annual film festival and complementary events. The festival leverages the impact of filmmaking to encourage participation and foster important conversations about these pressing environmental challenges.
The Ventura Film Festival was founded in 2004 and has displayed hundreds of movies, generally exceeding 200 films per summer season, and has attracted attention from the international cinematic community. From its beginning, the festival has expanded into a substantial cultural happening that unites filmmakers, environmental advocates, and audiences IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA from throughout the world.
Significant highlights have been welcoming acclaimed filmmaker Dylan O'Neil, the original world champion surfers Peter "PT" Townend as well as Ian Cairns, four-time world champion Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/MMA competitor martial arts icon Fabio Leopoldo, and the half-century commemoration of West Side Story, which featured welcoming the full Academy Award winning cast from West Side Story, including Oscar recipient/Golden Globe winner George Chakiris as well as Golden Globe honoree/Academy Award nominee Russ Tamblyn. These outstanding figures and gatherings have confirmed the festival's position as a top-tier venue for celebrating cinema and the talents who make it.
The Ventura Film Festival creator and executive director was chosen to participate, along with several of Hollywood's premier talents, in the half-century commemoration of West Side Story and Hollywood's prestigious footprint/handprint ceremony honoring Oscar honorees Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, along with Golden Globe champion Russ Tamblyn at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood. This celebration also functioned as the official BluRay introduction by Fox and MGM of West Side Story, which is commonly viewed by critics and fans as the ultimate musical of all time. This exceptional honor and participation demonstrates the festival's significant influence and respected position within the entertainment industry.