Annual film festival draws more for movie debuts

The final credits have rolled on the last movie, and organizers of the Newport Beach Film Festival say attendance was slightly up from last year.

About 42,000 people attended the festival this year, up from 41,500 last year, said Todd Quartararo, the festival’s director of marketing.

Organizers credit the festival’s growing importance in part to the success of a few major box-office successes such as “The Illusionist” and “Waitress,” and Academy Award Best Picture winner “Crash,” all of which had screenings at past festivals.

“We’ve had very strong positive feedback from our audiences, and we’re looking forward to making announcements in the next few weeks about films that were acquired at the festival [for distribution], increasing our influence on the festival circuit,” said Gregg Schwenk, the festival’s chief executive.

Plans are already underway for next year’s festival, which will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the event, Schwenk said.

— Brianna Bailey