Greer's OC

The 27th Newport Beach Film Festival opens Thursday, Oct. 15, with "Frampton," an intimate documentary portrait of rock icon Peter Frampton. The screening begins at 7 p.m. at Big Newport, Screen 1. Frampton and director Rob Arthur will take part in a live Q&A afterward.

The film follows Frampton from the stadium-sized success of "Frampton Comes Alive!" in the 1970s through the long road of rebuilding his career and the personal cost of fame. It also looks at his diagnosis with Inclusion Body Myositis, a degenerative muscle condition that threatens his ability to play guitar. Rare archival footage, candid interviews and concert moments tell the story of an artist determined to make every performance count.

After the screening, the celebration moves to Fashion Island with live entertainment, food and specially crafted cocktails. The gala is for guests 21 and older. Cocktail attire is strongly encouraged, and since the event is outdoors, bring a coat or jacket.

The festival runs through Oct. 22 and features more than 100 films from around the world. Highlights include:

Festival Honors, Sunday, Oct. 18: A brunch at Balboa Bay Resort, held with Variety 10 Actors to Watch, will celebrate Taraji P. Henson (Artist of Distinction Award), Jack O'Connell (Outstanding Achievement in Acting Award), Mckenna Grace (Spotlight Award), Sosie Bacon (Breakout Award) and casting director Sarah Finn (Casting Visionary Award). The event will be filmed for broadcast on PBS SoCal in January.

Additional honorees: KJ Apa on Saturday, Oct. 17, Justin Hartley and Jonás Cuarón on Monday, Oct. 19, and Gemma Chan on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

Closing night,  Documentary Feature: Thursday, Oct. 22: The West Coast premiere of "Unleashed Spirits: The Rise of the Hollywood Vampires" screens at 8:30 p.m. at the Lido Theater, with director Daniel E. Catullo III and members of the band expected to attend.

For the full lineup and tickets, visit newportbeachfilmfest.com.