Cambria Film Festival Returns

Written by Estero Bay News

January 31, 2025

The Cambria Film Festival (CFF) returns for its eighth year Feb. 5-9, 2025, screening independent films from around the world across all genres. Passes are now available at CambriaFilmFestival.com. 

Since its inception, the CFF has celebrated “the complexities of love,” showcasing films that chart every facet of love. The 2025 Festival marks the first year the CFF expands the borders of its selected film genres, including documentaries, historical dramas, comedies, and action films. 

This year the CFF will host a special event each night of the Festival, kicking off with a tribute to legendary screenwriter/filmmaker Sy Rosen on Wednesday, Feb. 5. Rosen wrote and/or produced many shows such as “Taxi,” “The Wonder Years,” “Maude,” “M*A*S*H,” “The Jeffersons,” “Rhoda,” “Sister Sister,” “MyTwo Dads” and “Sanford.” His latest film, “Death Pays Flora a Visit,” is in competition in this year’s Festival. 

Other notable events where attendees can enjoy a selection of wine and food while mixing and mingling with filmmakers and filmgoers include: 

• Emerging Filmmaker Night: World premiere of the student feature film, “Jack & Lou: a Gangster Love Story,” starring Linda Hamilton – Thursday, February 6. 

• Filmmaker Welcome Night: Special screening of indie feature, “Breakup Season”, starring Chandler Riggs, Samantha Isler, James Urbaniak, Jacob Wysocki and Carly Stewart – Friday, February 7 

• Awards Reception and Presentation – Saturday, February 8 

This year marks the first-ever Student Filmmaking Competition, brand new short film programs, a brand-new screening venue, and genre-focused programs. 

The ever-popular “Film Talks” (panel discussions with filmmakers) return with special guests Christopher and Kathy Riley. The Rileys have written scripts for Disney’s Touchstone Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Mandalay Television Pictures, Sean Connery’s Fountainbridge Films and Robert Cort Productions. They have also written several books. 

Guests can enjoy over 80 competition short and feature films shown in the recently updated Cambria Center for the Arts Theatre as well as The Gallery Theater and the Otter Theatre, all located at 1350 Main Street. Screenings will also take place Moonstone Cellars Club Member Room. All special event receptions take place in the Hospitality Tent, a fully lit and heated outdoor venue with daytime snacks and food/wine each night available to Festival passholders. 

Filmmakers from all over the world will be in attendance, screening films from France, United Kingdom, Norway, Hong Kong, Spain and many more countries. 

The Cambria Film Festival is an official activity of the Cambria Center for the Arts, a non-profit dedicated to local arts. The overall Festival sponsors for 2025 are James and Elaine Levin Anderson. An encore virtual festival will stream many of those same films Feb. 10-16.  For more information about the Festival, go to www.CambriaFilmFestival.com.  

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