The Newport Beach Film Festival is the leading luxury lifestyle film festival in the nation
“Having grown up here, both Todd and I felt that there was no better backdrop for an international film festival than Newport Beach – right up there with Cannes and its waterfront setting,” says Gregg Schwenk, co-founder with Todd Quartararo of the Newport Beach Film Festival, which celebrates 20 years this April.
As Schwenk remembers, “I was serving on the economic development committee for the City of Newport Beach, and we sat down in early 1999 with who we felt were the community stakeholdersin forming a film festival – the mayor, conference and visitors bureau, local collegiate film schools, the Orange County film commissioner – and formed a board and began planning our first festival. By April, we launched.”
Newport Beach Film Festval Co-Founders Gregg Schwenk and Todd Quartararo 
LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 07: Gregg Schwenk, Julian Fellowes and Gary Sherwin attend the Fifth annual Newport Beach Film Festival UK Honours at The Langham Hotel on February 07, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Newport Beach & Company) 
Continuing, Schwenk says, “We wanted the film festival to be in April to capitalize on the Oscars. Plus, it was the off-season in Newport Beach for hotels and visitors and the festival could give the community a nice stream of revenue.”
Now, 20 years later, the eight-day Newport Beach Film Festival is a major film festival and showcases more than 300 films from 50 countries, attracts more than 55,000 attendees and is the leading luxury lifestyle film festivals\ in the nation. It presents an international slate of studio and independent films from emerging and seasoned filmmakers, featuring World, North American, U.S. and West Coast premieres, as well as an International Spotlight Series celebrating foreign language films. Through tributes, special screenings and seminars, the festival has honored film industry notables, including Aaron Sorkin, Robert Wise, Elmer Bernstein, Alan Arkin, Kate Beckinsale, Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Orange County’s own McG, and many more.
2018 Opening Night Gala party at Fashion Island/Photo – Chris Holmes 
2018 Saturday Night Centerpiece Celebration at Newport Beach Country Club 
Sunset Reception at The Resort at Pelican Hill sponsored by Compass. Event guests included 2018 Newport Beach Film Festival filmmakers, partners, sponsors and more
The festival has also made a name for its parties.
“We produce eight parties, one every night,” Quartararo says. “The opening night party, the largest, attracts an average of 3,000 people, and we showcase live bands, 30 area restaurants’ offerings and special performances from Las Vegas and Broadway. We call it Orange County’s biggest party.”
Film Festival Categories
Storm troopers in front of Lido Theater for a 2007 Star Wars screening
The Newport Beach Film Festival prides itself on its diversity of programming. Along with feature-length narrative films and documentaries,programs have been introduced that set the festival apart, along with the tried and true, such as the Action Sports Film Series. Leslie Feibleman, director of Special Programs and Community Cinema, has been on board the festival team since the third year.
“Leslie has been an incredible part of the growth and evolution of the film festival,” Schwenk says.
“My children have grown up with the festival,” Feibleman admits.
Under her watch, an Environmental Film Series has been introduced with a curated program of documentary films designed to raise awareness of important issues affecting the planet. Feibleman has overseen the Art, Architecture + Design Film Series, launched in 2009, which highlights icons of the creative world whose achievements have influenced and inspired a multitude of designers, curators, artists and independent filmmakers. Launched in 2018, the Culinary Film Series celebrates emerging and prominent gourmet chefs, the art of gastronomy, international food culture and the craft of winemaking and distilling. The Action Sports Film Series, introduced in 2005 in the festival’s early years, has emerged as the largest action sports film event in the country.
“Our community is the epicenter of a thriving action sports industry, so it has been a natural fit for us,” Feibleman says. “The festival boasts an enthusiastic audience base dedicated to action sports cinema, culture and lifestyle.”
The Shorts Program has been a major showcase since the festival’s beginnings.
Newport Beach Film Festival April 25 to May 2 Visit NewportBeachFilmFest.com for details. Tickets will be available on April 1
“It is the largest shorts program within a major film festival in the U.S.,” Quartararo says proudly. “NBFF accepts and screens well more than 200 short movies culled from submissions received from all over the world. During the festival, up to 40 shorts programs are presented each year.”
The Family Film Series, launched in 2003, has been a popular series with films geared to filmgoers of all ages. It particularly gives young filmgoers an interactive and educational experience through Q&A sessions, school visits, workshops, live entertainment and autograph sessions.
The Music Film Series explores the irrevocable experience that links music and film through highlighting performances, historical headlines and struggling musicians and their stories propelled by music. The Music Video Series, created in 2013, celebrates music as a cinematic art form and features all forms of musical talent and filmmaking styles from around the world.
Addressing young filmmakers has been a mission for NBFF since 2004, when it introduced the Collegiate Showcase, which gives local colleges and universities an opportunity to showcase student-created short films on the big screen at the festival. It also offers student filmmakers a chance to interface with film industry professionals, alumni, media and other filmmakers. A sampling of participating schools include Chapman University, UCI, Cal State Fullerton, UCLA, USC and OCC. The following year, the Youth Film Showcase was launched, which spotlights short films, music videos and PSA’s created by filmmakers 18 years and younger.
“We are big fans of supporting the filmmakers of tomorrow,” Quartararo says.
Kate Beckinsale 
Aaron Sorkin 
Keira Knightley 
Actor Benedict Cumberbatch attended the pre-BAFTA 2015 NBFF UK Honours in London, represening “The Imitation Game.”
The Seminar Series, sponsored by the City of Newport Beach Arts Commission, presents a series of interactive panels that focus on the art of filmmaking. The series is free and features talented and distinguished film industry professionals. This year’s theme is “Vision and Craft: The Art of Filmmaking.”
The well-received Community Outreach Program partners with more than 40 non-profit organizations and pairs each one with a film that aligns with its mission.
The NBFF’s International Spotlight series features screenings this year of feature films from the Pacific Rim – Japan and China – as well as a European showcase from Sweden, France, Ireland, France, Italy and Germany. The Latino showcase features Chile, Brazil and Mexico, and the U.K. and Ireland have their own spotlights.
Beginning in 2015, the NBFF and Visit Newport Beachhave partnered to present the UK Honours, held in London just prior to the BAFTA (British Academy Film Awards) award ceremony. The star-studded celebration includes the best of UK talent from film, television and music, and starting in 2017, Varietyhas partnered to recognize its annual list of 10 Brits to Watch.
Orange County Film Society and Cinema Orange
The Orange County Film Society was created in 2006 to give film festival goers a year-round festival experience.
“We have many Academy and Screen Actors Guild voters in our membership,” Quartararo says. “Many of the films we showcase go on to become Oscar contenders and winners.”
Cinema Orange, created and curated by Feibleman since 2004, is in partnership with Orange County Museum of Art and presents a monthly documentary film series with filmmaker appearances at the museum’s temporary space in Santa Ana.
In conclusion
Twenty years later, Gregg and Todd reminisce about their creation, with Gregg saying, “We are truly humbled by the positive accolades from both the community here in Newport Beach and the entertainment community around the world.” With Todd adding, “I gotta say the festival has grown far beyond our expectations, and we are thrilled to see what it is today.”