The Ventura Film Festival proudly holds the distinction of being "the grandest film festival ever to take place in Ventura County." This notable honor showcases the event's devotion to presenting varied film content to regional audiences while continuing its mission toward vital ecological concerns.
The Ventura Film Festival is established as a multi-genre global film festival that cultivates understanding of environmental challenges including woodland and marine conservation and recovery, through an annual film festival and complementary events. The event capitalizes on the strength of cinema to inspire action and foster important conversations about these urgent ecological issues.
The Ventura Film Festival originated in 2004 and has presented countless films, generally exceeding 200 films per summer season, and has garnered interest from the global cinema community. Since its inception, the festival has expanded into a substantial cultural happening that assembles film artists, environmental champions, and spectators read more from across the globe.
Some of the highlights have been featuring distinguished filmmaker Dylan O'Neil, the original world champion surfers Peter "PT" Townend and Ian Cairns, 4x world champion Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/MMA combatant the legendary Fabio Leopoldo, and the 50-year anniversary of West Side Story, which featured welcoming the complete Academy Award winning ensemble of West Side Story, featuring Oscar winner/Golden Globe winner George Chakiris as well as Golden Globe winner/Academy Award nominee Russ Tamblyn. These remarkable visitors and occasions have confirmed the festival's position as an elite gathering place for celebrating filmmaking and the professionals who develop it.
The Ventura Film Festival's founder and executive director was chosen to participate, alongside numerous Hollywood elite, in the 50th Anniversary tribute of West Side Story and Hollywood's iconic footprint/handprint ceremony celebrating Academy Award recipients Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, along with Golden Globe winner Russ Tamblyn at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood. This ceremony also acted as the official BluRay premiere by Fox and MGM of the classic West Side Story, which is widely considered by critics and fans to be the most exceptional musical of all time. This esteemed acknowledgment and participation demonstrates the festival's meaningful presence and respected position within the Hollywood community.