Newport Beach Film Festival Announces 2025 Honors

The Newport Beach Film Festival will host its 2025 Festival Honors on Sunday, Oct. 19, at Balboa Bay Resort in partnership with Variety’s 10 Actors to Watch.

This year’s honorees include Diane Lane (“Anniversary”), Mark Hamill (“Life of Chuck”), and Academy Award winner Brendan Fraser (“Rental Family”), who will each receive the Icon Award. Kerry Condon (“F1” and “Train Dreams”) and Jenny Slate (“Dying for Sex”) will receive the Artist of Distinction Award. Tessa Thompson (“Hedda”) will be honored with the Outstanding Achievement in Acting Award. Noah Schnapp (“Stranger Things”) will receive the Spotlight Award. Francine Maisler (“Sinners” and “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere”) will receive the Casting Visionary Award, and journalist and screenwriter Steven Gaydos will be honored with the Arts Champion Award.

The event will be filmed for broadcast and air during the key awards voting window in January on PBS SoCal.

The 26th edition of the festival will take place Oct. 16–23 and will showcase more than 100 feature films from around the world. Highlights include opening night film “Blue Moon” and closing night film “Frankenstein.” Centerpiece selections include “Hedda,” “Nouvelle Vague,” “Sentimental Value,” and “Wake Up Dead Man.”

Additional honorees include Scarlett Johansson, who will receive the Variety Legend & Groundbreaker Award, and Rian Johnson, who will receive the Best Director Award following a screening of “Wake Up Dead Man” on Friday, Oct. 17. Variety’s 10 Actors to Watch will also be recognized.

The Newport Beach Film Festival draws more than 50,000 attendees each year, making it the largest international cinema event in coastal Southern California. Along with its global film lineup, the festival features nightly parties and events with more than 60 culinary partners.

For tickets and the complete lineup, visit newportbeachfilmfest.com