The 19th annual Newport Beach Film Festival runs April 26 - May 3 and will spotlight over 350 films from around the world.
On Monday, April 30, the festival will present its Japanese Spotlight , an evening celebration of Japanese cinema and culture. The event will feature the US Premiere of the award winning film, 3 Ft. Ball and Souls (Sanjakudama) , followed by a festive Pacific Rim Gala .
The dark comedy 3 Ft. Ball and Souls (Sanjakudama) follows four members of an internet suicide room called Life Club who plan to end their lives using explosives.
Their plans are foiled when they become stuck in a time loop that sets them back after each attempt, and the group must figure out how to break the system and engage with life.
3 Ft. Ball and Souls (Sanjakudama) is directed by Yoshio Kato and stars Honoka Murakami, Minehiro Kinomoto, Shinobu Tsuji, and Kanji Tsuda .
The Japanese Spotlight film will screen on Monday, April 30, at 8:00pm at The Triangle Starlight Cinemas (1870 Harbor Blvd, Costa Mesa, CA 92627).
Following the screening, the Festival will host its annual Pacific Rim Gala at Time Nightclub (1875 Newport Blvd. B245 Costa Mesa, CA 92627) starting at 9:30pm. The evening will feature hosted bars by Tito’s Handmade Vodka , signature tastings by top Orange County restaurants, multiple DJs and live entertainment.
Admission to the Japanese Spotlight Film and Pacific Rim Gala is $45. Admission to Pacific Rim Gala Only is $25 / Film screening Only is $20. The minimum age for attendees is 21 years old.
In celebration of Japanese culinary traditions, the Festival will host the Orange County premiere of Ramen Heads (directed by Koki Shigeno ). The documentary follows Osamu Tomita, Japan’s reigning king of ramen as he takes us deep into his world, revealing every single step of his obsessive approach to creating the perfect soup and noodles, and his relentless search for the highest-quality ingredients.
Presented as part of the NBFF’s new Culinary Film Series, Ramen Heads will screen on Monday, April 30 at 5:15pm at The Triangle. Admission to Ramen Heads is $15.
For ticket information and updates visit www.NewportBeachFilmFest.com
