Andrew Friedenberg—Producer and Co-Executive Director of Coronado Island Film Festival (CIFF)—announced today the festival’s opening-night film, Walt Disney Pictures’ January 29th release, The Finest Hours. The film stars Chris Pine (the Star Trek films), Academy Award® and Golden Globe®-nominee Casey Affleck (Interstellar), Ben Foster (3:10 to Yuma), Holliday Grainger (Cinderella), John Ortiz (Silver Linings Playbook), and Eric Bana (Lone Survivor). The film is directed by Craig Gillespie (The Million Dollar Arm) and is produced by Jim Whitaker (American Gangster) and Dorothy Aufiero (The Fighter). Opening night will be held on January 15, 2016 with passes on sale now at Coronado Island Film Festival. The evening will be preceded by an opening-night reception and followed by a Q&A with filmmakers. As a heroic action-thriller, The Finest Hours is the remarkable true story of the greatest small boat rescue in Coast Guard history. Audiences will be transported to the heart of the action through a fully-immersive cinematic experience of epic proportions made possible by Digital 3D and IMAX® 3D.
The festival will close with the critically acclaimed Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear award-winning feature, 45 Years. Distributed by IFC Films, the feature provides a profound look at marriage and secrets and stars Charlotte Rampling (Restless) and Tom Courtenay (Doctor Zhivago) and is directed by Andrew Haigh (Weekend, Looking). A Q&A and reception will follow the screening on January 18.
“We could not be happier with the way the festival roster of programming and films are shaping up” stated festival Founder and Co-Executive Director, Doug St. Denis.
The festival’s Presenting Sponsor, the iconic Hotel del Coronado, will host numerous events including the festival’s closing-night bonfire celebration of the feature film, Some Like It Hot, to be screened on the same beach where it was filmed in 1958.
Highlights of the festival’s world-class programming include:
Family Programming:
• Inside Out with appearance by producer Jonas Rivera
• Home with appearances by director Tim Johnson and producer Suzanne Buirgy
• Kung Fu Panda 3 sneak peak/advanced presentation with a special on-screen greeting by Jack Black
Narrative Feature Programming:
• Waffle Street starring Danny Glover and James Lafferty
• East Side Sushi, with director Anthony Lucero
• Coming Through The Rye with director, James Sadwith
International Feature Programming:
• 1,000 Times Good Night (Norway)
• Marie’s Story (France)
• India’s Daughter (India) with appearance by filmmaker Leslee Udwin
Documentary Features Programming:
• Meet the Patels
• Harry and Snowman
• OMO Child: The River and the Bush with appearance by filmmaker John Rowe
• Great Voices Sing John Denver with appearance by conductor, composer and arranger, Lee Holdridge
The Ultimate Shark Movies Ever, at Midnight Programming:
• Sharknado: Enough Said
• Sharknato 2: The Second One
• Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!
Shorts Programming:
• Student and Documentary Shorts covering various topics such as Women, Relationships, Family and Current Events
Seminar Programming:
• Critics Panel including Anders Wright of The San Diego Union Tribune, Leonard Maltin and others
• Animation Panel including Tim Johnson, Jonas Rivera, and Leonard Maltin
• Military in the Movies Panel including representatives from the Coast Guard, Navy and others
• The Producers Panel including Lisa Bruce and Suzanne Buirgy
Parties and Celebrations:
• Opening Night Celebration of Coronado and the Hotel del Coronado
• Awards Ceremony and a special screening of Some Like It Hot on the beach with an introduction by Chris Lemmon—Jack Lemmon’s son—and hosted by Leonard Maltin.
Additionally, there will be a salute to Civil Rights filmmaker, Laurens Grant, who will be attending with three of her award-winning documentaries: Jesse Owens, The Freedom Riders, and The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution.
The festival—launching this year—was designed as a discovery festival of new and iconic films. With numerous members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences living in and around Coronado Island—and numerous other Academy members considering it as a second home— the founders and leadership of the festival view it as a likely and hopeful stop en route to Awards season. Coronado has been a go-to spot for stars since the days when the likes of Errol Flynn, Clark Gable, Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin strolled the Avenue. That same avenue, with its unique shops, blooming gardens, and alfresco dining, was recently named one of America’s five “Most Romantic Main Streets” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Additional activities and events around the festival will include:
• The welcoming of The Hollywood Reporter as a Festival Media Sponsor
• An extraordinary jury comprised of Leonard Maltin (movie critic, author and film historian) who will serve as the festival’s Honorary Head Juror; Lisa Bruce (producer, The Theory of Everything) who will serve as Head Juror for Narrative Films; Academy Award®-winner Ira Wohl (director, Best Boy) who will serve as Head Juror for Documentaries; and Jim Gallagher (Head of Theatrical Marketing, DreamWorks Animation SKG) who will serve as Head Juror for Shorts (Animated and Live Action).
Previously announced programming includes:
• The timeless classic, Some Like It Hot, filmed at the Del in 1958, will be shown at the Del Beach and introduced by Jack Lemmon’s son, Chris Lemmon. In addition, Chris will give two live performances of his one-man musical show A Twist of Lemmon in character as his father, Jack. The well-reviewed show—currently on tour—is based on Chris’ 2008 memoir of the same name.
• The quirky and brilliant The Stunt Man (1979)—starring Peter O’Toole and also filmed at the Del—will be introduced by its director, Richard Rush, who has been nominated for three Academy Awards®, including Best Director. Rush will remain after the showing for a Q&A.
• Errol Flynn’s 1939 Dive Bomber, featuring scenes of the Del and Coronado’s Naval Air Station North Island, will be introduced by Flynn’s daughter, Rory Flynn, and his grandson, actor Sean Flynn. They will remain after the showing for a Q&A.
Pass Options and Information:
Please visit Coronado Island Film Festival or http://coronadoislandfilmfest.com for Festival Pass purchases.
About Coronado Island Film Festival:
CIFF is a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) corporation whose mission is to celebrate the magical art of visual storytelling: THE MOVIES.