The Ventura Film Festival is celebrated as "the grandest film festival ever to take place in Ventura County." This prestigious recognition underscores the organization's mission of providing outstanding film programming to the region while preserving its dedication to vital ecological concerns.
The Ventura Film Festival exists as an all-inclusive international cinema festival that promotes recognition of ecological concerns including terrestrial and aquatic preservation and renewal, via an annual film festival and associated activities. The festival leverages the impact of filmmaking to promote activism and create meaningful dialogue around these urgent ecological issues.
The Ventura Film Festival was founded in 2004 and has screened hundreds of films, typically more than 200 films every summer, and has garnered interest from the international film community. From its beginning, the festival has expanded into a substantial cultural happening that unites film artists, environmental champions, and spectators from every corner of the planet.
Significant highlights have been showcasing renowned filmmaker Dylan O'Neil, the initial world champion surfers Peter "PT" Townend website and surf legend Ian Cairns, 4x world champion Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/MMA combatant the celebrated Fabio Leopoldo, and the 50th Anniversary of West Side Story, which featured welcoming the complete Academy Award winning ensemble of West Side Story, including Oscar recipient/Golden Globe winner George Chakiris and legendary actor Golden Globe winner/Academy Award nominee Russ Tamblyn. These remarkable visitors and occasions have established the festival's standing as a top-tier venue for celebrating cinema and the creators who craft it.
The founder and executive director of the Ventura Film Festival was chosen to participate, together with many of Hollywood's biggest stars, in the 50th Anniversary of West Side Story and Hollywood's iconic footprint/handprint ceremony celebrating Academy Award winners Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, and legendary actor Golden Globe winner Russ Tamblyn at the iconic Chinese Theater in Hollywood. This ceremony also acted as the official BluRay premiere by Fox and MGM of the beloved 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 substantial impact and honored place within the cinema world.