Ojai Festival to Show More Than 60 Films

The Ojai Film Festival will screen more than 60 features, documentaries, shorts and animations this weekend.

The festival, now in its fourth year, attracted about 500 film and video submissions from around the U.S. and 16 countries. Screenings will take place at three venues in downtown Ojai. The festival began Thursday at Libbey Bowl and will continue through Sunday.

Film highlights include the North American premiere of “Mother Teresa: The Legacy,” a documentary that was shown last weekend at the Vatican during Pope John Paul II’s beatification of the nun who worked with the sick and dying. Filmmaker Ann Petrie will hold a question-and-answer session following a sold-out screening of the documentary at 8:30 tonight at the Ojai Playhouse. Tickets are still available for a second screening at 10:30 p.m.

Elsewhere, there will be an acting seminar Saturday led by father and son John and Matthew Perry. Matthew Perry stars in the TV comedy “Friends.” A lifetime achievement award will be given Sunday to screenwriter Ronald Bass, whose credits include “Rain Man,” “The Joy Luck Club” and “How Stella Got Her Groove Back.” A teen festival will screen documentary, animation and narrative works Sunday at the Ojai Playhouse beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Individual screenings are $8; people 65 and older and students pay $4.50. Six screenings, $40. All-access pass, $100. For a complete screening schedule, call 640-1947 or visit www.ojaifilmfestival.com.