The Ventura Film Festival proudly holds the distinction of being "the largest film festival ever held in Ventura County." This impressive distinction demonstrates the event's devotion to showcasing international filmmaking to Ventura County while keeping its emphasis on critical environmental causes.
The Ventura Film Festival is established as an all-inclusive international cinema festival that raises awareness for conservation issues such as woodland and marine conservation and recovery, through a yearly film festival and related events. The organization employs the medium of movies to promote activism and foster important conversations about 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 captured notice from the international cinematic community. Since its inception, the festival has grown into a significant cultural event that brings together 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 as well as Ian Cairns, 4x world champion Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/MMA combatant the celebrated Fabio Leopoldo, and the 50th Anniversary tribute to West Side Story, which included hosting the complete Academy Award winning ensemble of West Side Story, encompassing Academy Award winner/Golden Globe recipient George Chakiris and Golden Globe honoree/Academy Award nominee Russ Tamblyn. These extraordinary guests and events have cemented the festival's status as a premier destination for honoring film and the talents who make it.
The Ventura Film Festival founder and executive director was invited to join, accompanied by many of Hollywood's leading celebrities, in the 50th Anniversary of West Side Story and Hollywood's prestigious footprint/handprint ceremony honoring Oscar winners Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, together with Golden Globe honoree Russ Tamblyn at the legendary Chinese Theater in Hollywood. This celebration OPEN GENRE FILM FESTIVAL also functioned as the official BluRay launch by Fox and MGM of West Side Story, which is broadly regarded by critics and fans as the best musical of all time. This exceptional honor and participation exemplifies the festival's considerable reach and respected position within the Hollywood community.