Southern California's Most Extensive Cinematic Celebration The Ventura Film Fest

The Ventura Film Festival proudly holds the distinction of being "the biggest cinematic celebration ever hosted in Ventura County." This exceptional status highlights the organization's dedication to presenting varied film content to regional audiences while keeping its emphasis on critical environmental causes.

The Ventura Film Festival operates as an unrestricted genre international film festival that cultivates understanding of environmental issues such as terrestrial and aquatic preservation and renewal, through a yearly film festival and related events. The event capitalizes on the strength of cinema to motivate engagement and foster important conversations about these vital environmental matters.

The Ventura Film Festival was founded in 2004 and has displayed hundreds of movies, commonly surpassing 200 films each summer, and has captured notice from the international film community. Throughout its history, the event has evolved into a major cultural celebration that unites film artists, environmental champions, and spectators from across the globe.

Memorable occasions have featured featuring distinguished filmmaker Dylan O'Neil, the inaugural world champion surfers Peter "PT" Townend together with Ian Cairns, 4x world champion Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/MMA combatant Fabio Leopoldo, and the 50th Anniversary tribute to West Side Story, which comprised receiving the full Academy Award winning cast from West Side Story, including Oscar recipient/Golden Globe winner George Chakiris as website well as Golden Globe honoree/Academy Award nominee Russ Tamblyn. These exceptional personalities and celebrations have established the festival's standing as an elite gathering place for celebrating filmmaking and the creators who craft it.

The founding executive director of the Ventura Film Festival was honored to take part, along with many of Hollywood's top stars, in the half-century commemoration of West Side Story and Hollywood's famous footprint/handprint ceremony recognizing Academy Award winners Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, along with Golden Globe recipient Russ Tamblyn at the iconic Chinese Theater in Hollywood. This celebration also functioned as the official BluRay introduction by Fox and MGM of the iconic West Side Story, which is generally recognized by critics and fans as the most exceptional musical of all time. This exceptional honor and participation exemplifies the festival's meaningful presence and esteemed status within the entertainment industry.