Newport turns Tinseltown

Lolita Harper

Newport Beach, a historically alluring coastal community to Hollywood

types, will once again roll out the red carpet for its silver screen

aficionados as it prepares for the Newport Beach Film Festival this

week.

The city will come alive as the glamour and allure of the big

screen infuses its magic in the sunny beach town, officials said.

The workload for Todd Quartararo, publicist for the festival, has

taken an expeditious velocity as he readies for Thursday’s kickoff

event: Opening night.

“It’s going to be jampacked and a lot of fun,” Quartararo said.

“It really sets the pace for the upcoming week.”

And the pace is fast and furious -- even without Vin Diesel. Night

after night, spotlight films will be featured in such categories as

animation, anniversaries, tributes and various ethnic groups. After

the excitement on screen, the festival will host corresponding

parties each night at popular area venues.

Quartararo listed, with expert quickness, a rundown of all the

movie merrymaking:

A gala event at the Radisson, following a screening of opening

feature, “Miranda.”

A post party at the Hard Rock Cafe following the 20th anniversary

screening of “The Outsiders” -- which launched the careers of

numerous big name actors.

A party at El Torito Grill after the showing of Latino spotlight

film “A Beautiful Secret.”

The list goes on and on, and as Quartararo runs them down, the

pitch of his speech also quickens.

“There are lots and lots of parties and simultaneous parties every

night,” he said.

If a week of continuous carousing weren’t lure enough, the

festival boasts a dizzying schedule of overlapping screenings,

showing various genres of films all over Newport-Mesa and introducing

the locals to the talents of tomorrow.

While the glitz and glamour may be the draw for industry

outsiders, for those who make a living off making movies, the closing

night holds its own allure. The final night is awards night -- the

night the filmmakers receive tangible evidence their films are

moving, entertaining, poignant and beautiful.

Organizers say the reputation of the film festival, which runs

through April 11, is growing and they are seeing a vast number of its

entrants go on to achieve loftier goals, such as Academy Award

nominations.

Despite its bankruptcy in the fall of 1999, the event has

benefited from a successful revival, a slight renaming and an

increased passion. Organizers expect about 25,000 visitors this year.