SPOTLIGHT

NEWPORT BEACH FILM FESTIVAL

It opens with “The Bank” and is sure to go out with a bang. The third

annual Newport Beach Film Festival opens Thursday, bringing a taste of

Hollywood glamour to Newport’s theaters. Almost 200 films -- including 73

features -- will screen during the eight-day event, which ends April 19

with an awards ceremony.

Among the people being feted this year are indie film legend John

Waters, film composer Elmer Bernstein and director McG, better known to

Corona del Mar High School grads as Joseph McGinty.

This is the first year the festival will open with a premiere rather

than a retrospective. “The Bank,” directed by Robert Connolly, is an

Australian thriller starring Anthony La Paglia as a greedy banker and

David Wenham as the mathematical genius who could hold the key to making

a fortune. Members of the cast and crew are expected to attend.

The gala following the screening will include gourmet food by Clayton

Shurley’s Real BBQ, Brio Ristorante, Roy’s of Newport Beach, Newport

Landing and more.

A schedule for the festival can be found in Monday’s Daily Pilot or by

logging on to www.newportbeachfilmfest.com.

FYI

What: “The Bank” opening night gala

Where: Edwards Big Newport, 300 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach.

Post-screening gala will be held in Palm Garden at the Four Seasons.

When: 7:30 p.m.

Cost: $75. Black tie optional

Contact: (949) 253-2880 or www.newportbeachfilmfest.com

Young adult author Sones to speak

SONYA SONES AT THE NEWPORT BEACH CENTRAL LIBRARY

Award-winning author and poet Sonya Sones will be on hand to meet with

people Thursday at the Newport Beach Central Library. Sones’ work has

received poetry awards, and her book “Stop Pretending: What Happened When

My Big Sister Went Crazy” was nominated for a Los Angeles Times Book

prize in the young adult category. Before becoming a poet, Sones taught

filmmaking at Harvard University, taught animation on grants from the

National Endowment for the Arts and has worked as a script supervisor, a

photographer and a film editor.

FYI

Where: Newport Beach Central Library, 1000 Avocado Ave., Newport Beach

When: 1 p.m. Thursday

Cost: Free

Contact: (949) 717-3801

PLANNING AHEAD

‘DEAD MAN WALKING’

Opera Pacific will present “Dead Man Walking” at the Orange County

Performing Arts Center. The opera is based on the book by Sister Helen

Prejean.

Opens Tuesday, April 16

UC IRVINE OPEN HOUSE

UC Irvine will host its 24th annual open house, featuring Earth Day

activities, children’s games and rides, a petting zoo, a magic show and

more.

Thursday, April 18

NUMERICALLY SPEAKING

22: The number of documentaries among the almost 200 films in the

Newport Beach Film Festival, which starts Thursday.