We’re Excited to Announce the 23rd Annual Ojai Film Festival
November 3-7 2022 In-Person
November 8-20, 2022 Virtual
2022 Schedule
View Festival Program as a Flipbook
Fri Nov 4 | Sat Nov 5 | Sun Nov 6 | Mon Nov 7
Thursday, November 3
4 PM Will Call opens at Art Center
7 PM Free Opening Night screening of Spirited Away (2001 Japanese animated feature) introduced by Jim Keeshen – Libbey Bowl
Friday, November 4
10 AM AC Theater Exit, Pursued by a Bear — 7 min, Tilework — 15 min, The Apple Day —89 min
10 AM AC Gallery Nights and Days in America – 11 min, New Moon – 11 min, Girls of the Sea– 88 min
10 AM AC Raymund Room Matte Painting: Invisible Movie Magic w/ Bill Mather
1 PM AC Theater Bad Seeds – 6 min, Mate – 33 min, Gabi: Between Ages 8 and 13 – 71 min
1 PM AC Gallery Demi’s Panic – 10 min, Foreign Uncle – 20 min, Being Michelle – 80 min
1 PM AC Raymund Room Heroes of Comedy
2:30 PM AC Raymund Room How To Write Great TV & Film Comedy w/Gunnar Rohrbacher’s Actors Comedy Studio
4 PM AC Theater Abuela Dalad – 10 min, Daughter of the Sea – 19 min, Children of Las Brisas – 82 min
4 PM AC Gallery The Mask in Our Hands – 13 min, Without Water – 20 min, Ricochet
– 76 min
4 PM AC Raymund Room Using YouTube to Establish Your Voice as a Filmmaker w/JoelMarshall, CelesteTaucha
7 PM AC Theater Wei-Lai – 14 min, Hotter Up Close – 14 min, Loren & Rose – 82 min
7 PM AC Gallery Of Wood – 7 min, Belle River – 11 min, 12 Months – 93 min
7 PM AC Raymund Room World Music in Film Panel
9 PM AC Courtyard Opening Reception with live music by Zoe Smith
10 AM AC Theater The Owl and the Pussycat – 4 min, When You Leave – 16 min, UNZIPPED: An Autopsy of American Inequality – 90 min
10 AM AC Gallery The Blame Game – 13 min, Ousmane – 26 min, Jack Has a Plan – 73 min
10 AM AC Raymund Room Art, Activism & the ERA w/ Kamala Lopez, Jyoti Sarda, Kate Conno
1 PM AC Theater Swimming Through – 15 min, de closin night – 20 min, If you are a Man– 74 min
1 PM AC Gallery El Carrito – 15 min, Artist Unknown – 30 min, When We Dance – 30 min, Beyond Homeless: Finding Hope – 37 min
1 PM AC Raymund Room Cinematograph’s Seminar w/ Steven Poster
4 PM AC Theater Spokespeople – 24 min, Kinderland – 33 min, Earthbound – 57 min
4 PM AC Gallery Eger, 1552 – 17 min, The MetallDetektor – 32 min, Do I Need This – 61 min
4 PM AC Raymund Room Matte Painting: Invisible Movie Magic w/ Bill Mather
7 PM AC Theater Pour Games – 4 min, Milk – 5 min, Loren & Rose – 101 min
7 PM AC Gallery Barking Orders – 2 min, Radical Joy – 12 min, Bobcat Moretti – 96 min
7 PM AC Raymund Room Mike Milano/HBO making of Burning Ojai: Our Fire Story
9 PM AC Courtyard Festival Party with live music by Christian Greer
10 AM AC Courtyard Brunch, 11 AM Ojai Film Festival Award Presentation
1 PM AC Theater Rough Magic: Exit Shakespeare – 38 min, North Star – 30 min, Dani’s Twins – 39 min
1 PM AC Gallery Dress A Cow – 10 min, Powers – 24 min, Belle Vie – 77 min
1 PM AC Raymund Room Diversity Panels
4 PM AC Theater Split Ends – 14 min, The Ugly Truth – 96 min
4 PM AC Gallery Elvis of Laos – 11 min, Manufactured Luck – 15 min, Out and About– 83 min
4 PM AC Raymund Room Winning Screenplay Table Read Screening
7 PM AC Theater Glazing – 2 min, Mind Thief – 109 min
7 PM AC Gallery I’m A Pebble – 7 min, Matilda and the Spare Head – 13 min, Beans – 90 min
7 PM AC Raymund Room How to Market Your Film w/ColleenO’Mara/Hype
9 PM AC Courtyard Festival Party with live music by SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION
10 AM AC Theater Making of 137 Shots w/ Mike Milano
10 AM AC Gallery The Revolution Generation
1 PM AC Theater Gold Coast Block #1: Stairway to the Stars – 25 min, The Octopus – 18 min, Aamal – 86 min
1 PM AC Gallery The Ballad of Gustavo Arellano – 10 min, What Remains Between Us – 15 min, The Adventures of Saul Bellow – 86 min
4 PM AC Theater Gold Coast Block #2: The Little Fox of Limuw – 13 min, Mano De Obra – 21 min, Mariposas del Campo – 86 min
4 PM AC Gallery Cosmic Cooking – 3 min, Memento Mori – 9 min, Bella – 98 min
7 PM AC Theater Gold Coast Block #3: Sound of Music Behind the Scenes – 14 mi, I Love Every Part – 3 min, Ms. Rossi 2 : Ms. Rossi Takes The Cake – 18 min, Time Capsule – 88 min
7 PM AC Gallery Les Chaussures de Louis – 5 min, Loose Change: A Memoir of Childhood – 8 min, Night Forest – 96 min
All Film Available ON DEMAND November 8-20
A cultural mainstay event for 23 years
“Ojai is the next Telluride.” Peter Guber, Movie Producer
In 1998 Steve Grumette, artist and filmmaker, received an invitation to judge at the Canyonlands Film Festival in Moab, Utah. With a comparable population and boasting both a vibrant arts community and a spectacular natural environment, Moab appeared similar to Ojai in many ways. On his return from Utah, it occurred to Steve that if Moab supported a thriving film festival, why not Ojai? From that idea, came the inception of the Ojai Film Festival.
On November 15, 2000, nearly two years of intensive effort by more than a hundred volunteers culminated in the opening of the first Ojai Film Festival to an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from filmmakers and filmgoers alike. The Ojai Film Festival launched with two goals in mind:
- To provide audiences with opportunities to see groundbreaking work otherwise inaccessible.
- To provide filmmakers with an enthusiastic audience including film industry professionals.
In early 2002, the festival established itself as an independent nonprofit foundation, dedicated to expanding the traditions created during the first two years of operation. Now in its twenty-second year, the festival continues its commitment to enriching the human spirit by seeking out important films that in some way uplift people, help audiences feel good about being members of the human race or encourage them to live meaningful lives inspired by the examples of others. Over the past few years, the Ojai Film Festival has expanded its creative platform with Focus Earth, a mini-festival of films and panels that focus on environmental issues presented by local filmmakers and community experts, and a screenwriting competition. The Festival has developed a full-day education program for regional high school students that regularly sees more than 200 students come to Ojai for one day of seminars and film screenings.
The Ojai Film Festival showcases the special character and spirit of Ojai, with its rich history from the Chumash Indians to famous gurus. For many years, spiritual teachers and Hollywood celebrities have felt drawn to the beauty of Ojai, making the Ojai Film Festival a perfect setting for bringing filmmakers together to celebrate their talents and inspire creativity.
The Festival provides audiences a diverse lineup of titles from around the world. Past entries have represented over 43 countries. The Ojai Film Festival gives filmmakers access to a highly appreciative audience of savvy film fans. That the Ojai Film Society’s Program Director, Steve Grumette, continues to receive invitations to serve as a juror at other festivals reflects the growing importance on the Ojai Festival. This recognition of Ojai’s festival is reflected in the fact that legendary Hollywood producer Peter Guber told the audience at a recent Toronto International Film Festival that “Ojai is the next Telluride.”
The allure of the beautiful mountains of the Ojai valley, just a short drive from Los Angeles, draws high profile visitors who enjoy its quiet seclusion and artistic environment. The Festival is understood to be a leading regional event and an unparalleled educational program having gained recognition among an audience drawn from throughout Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties.