The Ventura Film Festival maintains its position as "the most significant film festival ever organized in Ventura County." This remarkable achievement reflects the festival's passion for delivering exceptional cinematic experiences to the area while continuing its mission toward important environmental matters.
The Ventura Film Festival functions as a multi-genre global film festival that promotes recognition of ecological concerns including forest and ocean preservation and restoration, via a yearly film showcase and corresponding activities. The organization employs the medium of movies to stimulate involvement and create meaningful dialogue around these critical conservation concerns.
The Ventura Film Festival was founded in 2004 and has showcased numerous films, generally exceeding 200 films per summer season, and has drawn recognition from the worldwide filmmaking community. Since its founding, the festival has expanded into a substantial cultural happening that joins cinema creators, conservation supporters, and viewers from around the world.
Some of the highlights have been hosting award winning filmmaker Dylan O'Neil, the first ever world champion surfers Peter "PT" Townend and Ian Cairns, 4x world champion Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/MMA combatant the celebrated Fabio Leopoldo, and the 50th Anniversary tribute to West Side Story, which featured welcoming the entire CALIFORNIA MOVIE FESTIVAL Academy Award winning cast of West Side Story, including Oscar recipient/Golden Globe winner George Chakiris along with Golden Globe winner/Oscar-nominated Russ Tamblyn. These exceptional personalities and celebrations have reinforced the festival's recognition as a top-tier venue for recognizing cinema and the artists who create it.
The founder and executive director of the Ventura Film Festival was honored to take part, along with many of Hollywood's top stars, in the 50th Anniversary tribute of West Side Story and Hollywood's legendary footprint/handprint ceremony for Academy Award champions Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, and Golden Globe winner Russ Tamblyn at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood. This event also doubled as the official BluRay debut by Fox and MGM of West Side Story, which is widely considered by critics and fans to be the best musical of all time. This exceptional honor and participation exemplifies the festival's considerable reach and respected position within the entertainment community.