The Region's Largest Film Event The Ventura Film Fest

The Ventura Film Festival stands as "the grandest film festival ever to take place in Ventura County." This prestigious recognition underscores the festival's commitment to bringing diverse cinema to the local community while continuing its mission toward essential conservation issues.

The Ventura Film Festival functions as an unrestricted genre international film festival that generates attention toward conservation issues such as woodland and marine conservation and recovery, through a yearly film festival and related events. The organization employs the medium of movies to stimulate involvement and generate significant discussion regarding these critical conservation concerns.

The Ventura Film Festival originated in 2004 and has showcased numerous films, usually over 200 films each summer, and has captured notice from the global cinema community. Over the years, the festival has transformed into a prominent cultural occasion that brings together cinematic professionals, conservation enthusiasts, and participants from across the globe.

Significant highlights have been welcoming acclaimed filmmaker Dylan O'Neil, the pioneering world champion surfers Peter "PT" Townend and Ian Cairns, quadruple world champion Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/MMA athlete combat sports star Fabio Leopoldo, and the golden anniversary celebration 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 cemented the festival's more info status as a leading location for celebrating cinema and the professionals who develop it.

The founding executive director of the Ventura Film Festival was invited to join, alongside numerous Hollywood elite, in the 50th Anniversary of West Side Story and Hollywood's legendary footprint/handprint ceremony for Academy Award winners Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, as well as Golden Globe winner Russ Tamblyn at the legendary Chinese Theater in Hollywood. This ceremony also acted as the official BluRay debut by Fox and MGM of the beloved West Side Story, which is widely considered by critics and fans to be the greatest musical of all time. This esteemed acknowledgment and participation exemplifies the festival's meaningful presence and valued role within the Hollywood community.