City Plans 4-Day Film Festival in April, Including Screenings on the Beach

Hollywood goes to the beach next year--Hermosa Beach, that is, which is gearing up for its first film festival next spring.

The Hermosa Beach Film Festival, scheduled for April 24 to 27, will feature 18 independent films to be screened at a local movie theater, in the community center and on a screen to be erected on the beach.

Organizers of the four-day festival hope that it one day will be as successful as the Cannes and Sundance festivals.

“In four or five years I envision this festival as being one of the biggest festivals around,” said Councilman Robert “Bergie” Benz.

A grass-roots group of residents who wanted to establish a film festival in the city came up with the idea for the venue. So far they have received the support of the city, which has pitched in about $5,000, and are looking for corporate sponsors to help foot the bill of the $170,000 festival.

Joseph Terry, chairman of facilities and operations for the festival planning committee, said the group hopes to attract filmmakers and visitors to the city, which will undergo a major face lift next year.

Benz has been appointed to ask director-screenwriter Quentin Tarantino to participate in the event. Tarantino worked at a video store in Manhattan Beach before his career took off with movies such as “Reservoir Dogs” and “Pulp Fiction.”

Councilman John Bowler said the festival fits in perfectly with the other annual events that have cropped up in the city.