THE LAST WORD:Awaiting the next film fest

Perhaps it was the continuing draw of the Duke, or the increasing star power of the celebrities who attend or simply the stellar lineup of exceptional movies. Whatever it was, we have to admit that the Newport Beach Film Festival continues to dazzle us and those who attend.

The proof comes with the record-breaking 40,000 who showed up for this year’s celluloid extravaganza, which is in its eighth year.

Playing off the 100th birthday of Newport Beach’s famous former resident, John Wayne, the film festival featured a number of the Hollywood legend’s more popular movies.

In addition, the festival was visited by such movie stars as Chad Lowe, Ellen Burstyn and Thora Birch. Adam Sandler and Golden Globe-winner America Ferrera from TV’s “Ugly Betty” also showed up for surprise visits.

Kudos goes out to the festival’s executive director, Gregg Schwenk, and to the 30 award winners chosen out of more than 400 films submitted from 35 countries.

So although today we celebrate the success of the Newport Beach Film Festival, we can’t help but think of what tomorrow brings for the film festival.

And for that, we leave you with a quote from Wayne himself:

“Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It’s perfect when it arrives, and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we’ve learned something from yesterday.”