The eighth annual Coast Film & Music Festival (CFMF)wrapped October 25 after ten days that drew thousands to more than 80 films, Q&As with 30+ independent filmmakers and three nights of concerts at the Irvine Bowl.
"Eight years in, Coast has become a place where people gather around stories that matter, on a screen, on a stage and in the conversations that happen after," said Ben Warner, Co-Founder of the Coast Film & Music Festival and Executive Director of the Coast Film Foundation. "Laguna Beach has long been a home for artists, and each year it extends that same spirit to filmmakers, musicians and storytellers from around the world."
The new Concerts in the Canyon series featured the live debut of supergroup Rainbow Body, made up of Taylor Goldsmith, Griffin Goldsmith, Rick Mitarotonda, Eric Krasno, Ross James and Adam MacDougall, and joined by special guest Nicki Bluhm, on Friday, October 23. Ben Harper followed on Saturday and Amos Lee on Sunday, both featuring Donavon Frankenreiter, G. Love, Ron Artis II and Lily Meola.
Film highlights included the sold-out opening night of SURFILMUSIC, featuring Jack Johnson and a panel with filmmaker Chris Malloy; Tenzing, followed by a conversation with descendants of Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary; The Ascent, starring Mandy Horvath, recently named one of TIME's 100 most inspiring people in sports; an appearance by professional ski mountaineer and climate advocate Caroline Gleich; a Big Wednesday reunion; and Los Lobos: Native Sons, with the band in attendance.
The Coast Summit: The Intelligence of Nature, presented by A New Earth Project, brought a full day of ideas to the Rivian South Coast Theater on Thursday, October 22. Double bassist and composer Garth
Stevenson opened the day with a live performance of his score for Ocean Symphony, his film with
National Geographic photographer and filmmaker Andy Mann. Speakers included Nicole Miller of
Biomimicry 3.8, mountaineers Peter and Alexander Hillary, and Paul Piff of UC Irvine, with Dr. Len Necefer as emcee. The members of Rainbow Body also made their first public appearance together in a panel moderated by music photographer Jay Blakesberg.
Notable guests throughout the festival run included 11-time world surf champion Kelly Slater, pro freeskier
Kai Jones, big-wave surfer Greg Long, adventure photographer and filmmaker Chris Burkard, National
Geographic photographer and climber Cory Richards, music photographer and filmmaker Danny Clinch, IMAX filmmaker Greg MacGillivray, bestselling author Jedediah Jenkins, writer and Patagonia fly-fishing ambassador Riverhorse Nakadate, naturalist/author Obi Kaufmann and Olympic kayaker Mike Dawson, alongside the sponsors, patrons and community partners who make Coast possible.
The festival closed with an invitation-only party at Montage Laguna Beach, where Donavon Frankenreiter, G. Love, Danny Clinch and Ron Artis II played a surprise acoustic set.
"Thank you to every patron, filmmaker, musician, sponsor, volunteer, and Laguna Beach neighbor who made this a year we'll never forget," said Enich Harris, Co-Founder/Producer of the Coast Film & Music Festival and Coast Film Foundation. "We're already looking ahead to 2027 for another epic festival."
Next year's dates: The ninth annual Coast Film & Music Festival returns to Laguna Beach October 15–24, 2027. The festival will announce award winners in the coming weeks.
High-resolution photos featuring performances, filmmakers, notable attendees, and the Montage Laguna Beach closing celebration are available here.
