Posted by Larry Gleeson

Sixth Annual Coast Film & Music Festival in Laguna Beach Announces Film Slate, Additional Programming, and Filmmaker Awards

Lineup Includes 15 Features and 53 Shorts; Events Include Keynotes, Panels, Workshops, Activities, Live Music, & Art Exhibitions; Student Filmmaker Program and Scholarship Support Young Talent

Ticketing options available here

Laguna Beach, CA (November 4, 2024)—The Coast Film & Music Festival (CFMF) has unveiled the final film slate for its 2024 event, taking place Saturday, November 9 through Sunday, November 17. The schedule will include 15 feature films and 53 shorts broken into thematic categories, paired with features, or playing individually. Events will take place across four venues in Laguna Beach, California: the Rivian South Coast Theater and the Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters will serve as the main locations for feature films, live music performances, art exhibitions, and the “Do Good Village;” the Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center will be the home for short films and special presentations; and Hobie Surf Shop Laguna Beach will host its annual “locals night.”

Opening Night kicks off with a screening of the award-winning festival favorite Porcelain War, from Brendan Bellomo and Slava Leontyev, accompanied by a live performance from Ukrainian pianist Leyena Antonyicq. Porcelain War documents the stories of Ukrainian artists Slava, Anya, and Andrey as they stay behind to fight in the ongoing conflict. Amidst the chaos of war, they grapple with their dual identities as artists and soldiers. The film captures their defiant quest to find beauty and maintain their passion for life, even as fighter jets roar overhead and missiles strike. The powerful documentary showcases the resilience of the human spirit in the face of destruction. “We couldn’t be more excited to co-present the multi-award-winning documentary Porcelain War with the World Affairs Council of Orange County on Opening Night of Coast Film & Music Festival 2024,” says CFMF co-founder and director Ben Warner. “It’s films like this and others in our lineup that we hope to spark conversations, educate, and raise awareness about the global impact of war and cultural diplomacy.”

The festival will conclude with two Closing Night Films, Todd Jones’ Falling into Place: The Kai Jones Story and Ben Sturgulewski’s Champions of the Golden Valley. Falling into Place: The Kai Jones Story chronicles a young skiing prodigy’s journey from viral fame to devastating injury. Born into the extreme sports world, Kai faces online hate, achieves acclaim, and then suffers a near-career-ending setback. The film captures his inspiring comeback attempt in Jackson Hole and Alaska. Champions of the Golden Valley follows young Afghan skiers from rival ethnic groups as they unite through sport in remote Bamyan. Coach Alishah Farhang organizes a thrilling race with makeshift equipment. After Afghanistan’s collapse, the displaced athletes apply mountain-learned resilience to rebuild their lives as refugees, redefining what it means to be a champion.

Additional feature films include: John Shenk and Bonni Cohen’s In Waves and War; Ben McQueen’s Let It Kill You: The Arto Saari Story; Jeremy Regimbal’s Between the Mountain and the Sky; John Makens’ Art and Life: The Story of Jim Phillips; Todd Jones’ Beyond the Fantasy; Brendan Fairclough’s Death Grip 2 directed by Clay Porter and Chris Seager; Matt Costa’s Explorations of Site and Sound; Ken Etzel’s Fire Lines; Harrison Roach’s NØ WAY; Pete Chelkowski and Jim Wicken’s One with the Whale; Brendan Hall’s Out There: A National Parks Story; and Charles Francis and Daniel Kinnane’s Water Brother: The Sid Abbruzzi Story.

 The short film program is broken up into four thematic blocks: “Our Lands,” which showcases the beauty of diverse landscapes and explores the challenges and importance of land conservation; “Our Oceans,” which highlights the beauty, power, and importance of the world’s oceans with inspiring stories of environmental stewardship and preservation; “Every Day Wonders,” which celebrates the beauty and magic found in each day, focusing on the discovery, joy, awe, and impact of life’s simple moments; and “Healed by Nature,” which features individuals transformed by their connection with nature and inspires viewers to reflect on their relationship with natural spaces.

“Our Lands” includes Isabela Zawistowska’s Don’t Doubt the Trout; Brian Davis’ High Frequency: Interpretations of Hardrock 100; Taliesin Black-Brown’s I Am the Nature; Darcy Hennesey’s Jamie; Brody Kuhar and Joshua Cannon’s Mama’s Sundry; Ben Knight’s Mirasol, Looking at the Sun; Shane Anderson’s Undammed: Amy Cordalis and the Fight to Free the Klamath; and Brooke Raines’ Weeklong.

“Our Oceans” includes Sandra Winther’s A New Wave; Alia Marriner’s Aqua Groms; Mike Coots’ The Call; Matt Raimondo’s Here and There; Ben Lalande’s Obibini; Lindsey Hagen’s Oyster; Lawn Sanches’ PLSTC; Danny Hardesty’s Ocean State of Mind; and Palmer Morse and Matt Mikkelsen’s Usugilix Awakun.

“Every Day Wonders” includes Mattias Evangelista’s Actual Air; Matteo Moretti’s Cicada; Guigo Foggiatto’s Hado; Matt Raimondo’s Ian; Ben Ivers and Christian May’s Limbo; Robyn Stoop, Jolaya Gillams, and Yinzhi (Peter) Pan’s Sincero; Griffin Glendinning’s Stasis; Laura Basil Duncan’s Tether; Jeremy Grant’s Time is a Funny Place; and Brendan Young’s To Know A Place.

“Healed by Nature” includes Adam De Silva’s Above the Noise; Noah Carlson’s An Abundant Life; Anna Wilder Burns and Jordyn Romero’s Beyond Normal; Stephen Michael Simon’s Far West; Jordyn Romero’s Nature Always Finds A Way; Ben Weiland and Brian Davis’ Savoring Joy; and Zeppelin Zeerip’s Taras.

Additional shorts programmed with other screenings or individually include: Henry Charles Behel’s 26,000 Days; Scott Ballew’s All That Is Sacred; Alexis Berg and Julien Raison’s A Team Sport; Dana Shaw’s Against the Current; Mark Tesi and Phillip Mansfield’s The Body Follows the Mind; Jeff Orlowski-Yang and Sarah Keo’s Chasing Time; Michael Haunschmidt and Mathias Kögel’s Descendance; Craig Gouweloos’ Great Alaskan Adventure; Scott Secco’s Jackson Goldstone: Solo; Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers’ Academy Award-winner The Last Repair Shop; Amon Barker’s Oasis; Michael Cukr’s On Wax; Dominic and Nadia Gill’s Planetwalker; Bernardo Ruiz’s The Power of Travel: Community is Right Outside; Ben Weiland’s Return to the Bering; Greg and Shaun MacGillivray’s Superhuman Body; Cameron Thuman’s Suspended in Space; and Nicholas Maher’s You and That Thing You Love.

The festival will also feature the Coast Student Filmmaker program on Saturday, November 16, showcasing works from students across the country in grades 6-12, including Abraham Delgado’s The Fullest in the “Student” shorts block. Invested in cultivating the next generation of filmmakers telling stories about cultural and environmental narratives, CFMF will award a scholarship to a graduating Laguna Beach High School student who plans to pursue film studies.

Other programming highlights include: the first-ever “Films on Forest Avenue” presented by ROARK, a free-to-the-public open-air event with film screenings and live music on the closed-to-traffic Forest Avenue promenade on Thursday, November 14; The Coast Summit presented by A New Earth Project, a full-day event featuring keynote speakers, panel discussions, and networking opportunities focused on environmental and adventure topics on Thursday, November 14; live music performances from Sea Wolf and Cayucas on Thursday, November 14, Sunstroke Serenaders on Saturday, November 16, and various local artists throughout the festival; interactive workshops and exhibitions promoting sustainability and community engagement at the “Do Good Village”; and outdoor experiences like yoga, hiking, kayaking, and mountain biking.

“The 2024 lineup represents the perfect fusion of cinematic artistry, musical talent, and outdoor spirit that defines the Coast Film & Music Festival,” says CFMF co-founder Enich Harris. “We’re creating an immersive experience that celebrates our connection to nature, inspires action to protect our planet, and showcases the incredible talent in adventure filmmaking and music.”

CFMF will present eight prestigious awards to outstanding contributors in various categories, recognizing and promoting filmmakers and their important stories. The highlight of the awards is the Coast Film Foundation (CFF) MacGillivray Freeman Environmental Filmmaker of the Year, which includes a $3,000 cash prize underscoring the festival’s commitment to environmental storytelling.

“At CFMF, we believe in the power of film to inspire change and shape our understanding of the world,” concludes Warner. “Our awards and student programs reflect our commitment to not only showcase great films, but also actively support the filmmakers who create them and nurture the next generation of storytellers.”

Festival tickets and passes are available for purchase at the door and on the official website here. Options include individual event tickets, single-day passes, 3-day passes, and all-event VIP passes.

About Coast Film & Music Festival

Coast Film & Music Festival, founded in Laguna Beach, California in 2019, is an annual celebration of outdoor-inspired cinema, culture, and community. CFMF’s diverse programming includes films, panels, music, art, and outdoor experiences designed to entertain, inform, and inspire audiences. The festival is committed to nurturing young filmmakers and sharing unique voices through innovative mentoring and educational programs. In 2022, they established the Coast Film Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to purpose-driven filmmaking that drives positive change through storytelling.