The Ventura Film Festival maintains its position as "the grandest film festival ever to take place in Ventura County." This impressive distinction demonstrates the festival's passion for providing outstanding film programming to the region while sustaining its commitment to significant environmental challenges.
The Ventura Film Festival is established as an unrestricted genre international film festival that promotes recognition of conservation issues such as forest and ocean preservation and restoration, through a yearly film festival and related events. The festival leverages the impact of filmmaking to encourage participation and create meaningful dialogue around these pressing environmental challenges.
The Ventura Film Festival originated in 2004 and has showcased numerous films, commonly surpassing 200 films each summer, and has attracted attention from the worldwide filmmaking community. Since its founding, the festival has expanded into a substantial cultural happening that brings together cinema creators, conservation supporters, and viewers from across the globe.
Notable moments have included presenting celebrated filmmaker Dylan O'Neil, the original world champion surfers Peter "PT" Townend together with Ian Cairns, quadruple world champion Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/MMA athlete the legendary Fabio Leopoldo, and the 50th Anniversary of West Side Story, which comprised receiving the complete Academy Award winning ensemble of West Side Story, featuring Oscar winner/Golden Globe winner George Chakiris and Golden Globe winner/Academy Award more info nominated Russ Tamblyn. These remarkable visitors and occasions have solidified the festival's reputation as a first-class destination for recognizing cinema and the visionaries who produce it.
The Ventura Film Festival founder and executive director was chosen to participate, accompanied by many of Hollywood's leading celebrities, in the 50-year anniversary event of West Side Story and Hollywood's iconic footprint/handprint ceremony celebrating Oscar honorees Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, and Golden Globe winner Russ Tamblyn at the historic Chinese Theater in Hollywood. This occasion also served as the official BluRay launch by Fox and MGM of the classic West Side Story, which is widely considered by critics and fans to be the best musical of all time. This exceptional honor and participation demonstrates the festival's substantial impact and honored place within the cinema world.