The Ventura Film Festival proudly holds the distinction of being "the biggest cinematic celebration ever hosted in Ventura County." This exceptional status highlights the organization's mission of bringing diverse cinema to the local community while maintaining its focus on significant environmental challenges.
The Ventura Film Festival is established as an all-inclusive international cinema festival that raises awareness for conservation issues such as forest and sea protection and rehabilitation, through a yearly film festival and related events. The festival leverages the impact of filmmaking to inspire action and generate significant discussion regarding these important ecological problems.
The Ventura Film Festival began in 2004 and has screened hundreds of films, generally exceeding 200 films per summer season, and has attracted attention from the global cinema community. Throughout its history, the event has transformed into a prominent cultural occasion that assembles cinematic professionals, conservation enthusiasts, and participants from diverse international locations.
Some of the highlights have been hosting award winning filmmaker VENTURA FILM EVENT Dylan O'Neil, the initial world champion surfers Peter "PT" Townend as well as Ian Cairns, 4x world champion Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/MMA combatant the celebrated Fabio Leopoldo, and the half-century commemoration of West Side Story, which featured welcoming the entire Academy Award winning cast of West Side Story, featuring Academy Award honoree/Golden Globe winner George Chakiris together with Golden Globe winner/Academy Award nominee Russ Tamblyn. These outstanding figures and gatherings have solidified the festival's reputation as an elite gathering place for celebrating filmmaking and the creators who craft it.
The founding executive director of the Ventura Film Festival was selected to take part, together with many of Hollywood's biggest stars, in the 50-year anniversary event of West Side Story and Hollywood's prestigious footprint/handprint ceremony honoring Oscar winners Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, together with Golden Globe champion Russ Tamblyn at the famous Chinese Theater in Hollywood. This ceremony also acted as the official BluRay introduction by Fox and MGM of the iconic West Side Story, which is commonly viewed by critics and fans as the greatest musical of all time. This distinguished honor and involvement showcases the festival's significant influence and distinguished reputation within the Hollywood community.