The Catalina Film Festival is an annual event that takes place at the end of September on Catalina Island, situated in Los Angeles County within the city of

Avalon, California Avalon is the only incorporated city on Santa Catalina Island, in the California Channel Islands, and the southernmost city in Los Angeles County. The city is a resort community with the waterfront dominated by tourism-oriented businesses. ...

. Founded by Festival Director Ron Truppa, Catalina is known as "Hollywood's Island", as it is the only west coast resort island in the United States, situated in Los Angeles County. Below a 6,200-person ballroom in the Avalon Casino, one of the main venues for the festival, the 1,154-seat Avalon Theater started construction in February 1928 to become the first sound theater ever built in the world by

William Wrigley Jr. William Mills Wrigley Jr. (September 30, 1861 – January 26, 1932) was an American chewing gum industrialist. He founded the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company in 1891. Biography William Mills Wrigley Jr. was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvani ...

After its opening on May 29, 1929, Hollywood pioneers like

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered o ...

Cecil B. DeMille Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American filmmaker and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of American cinema and the most co ...

, and

D. W. Griffith David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948) was an American film director. Considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, he pioneered many aspects of film editing and expanded the art of the n ...

would come to Catalina to screen their first " Talkie films."

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe ( ; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 August 4, 1962) was an American actress and model. Known for playing comic "Blonde stereotype#Blonde bombshell, blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex ...

lived in Catalina with her first husband during its World War II occupation. The

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...

, owned by William Wrigley Jr., who also owned the controlling interest in the Santa Catalina Island Company, held the

spring training on the island for 30 years. In 1936,

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...

was discovered in Hollywood because he was in Catalina, covering the spring training. Because of that history, the

Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is the Presidential library system, presidential library and burial site of Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States (1981–1989), and his wife Nancy Reagan. Located in Simi Valley, California ...

honors his Hollywood legacy with an annual "Great Communicator" award at the festival, along with other industry tributes given by the festival with the cooperation of the families of Charles Spencer Chaplin, with the Charlie Chaplin ICON Award, Stanley Kramer, with the Stanley Kramer Social Artist Award, along with other industry trophies established by the festival. Many names in the entertainment business vacationed, filmed, or lived on Catalina over the past 100 years, like

Mack Sennett Mack Sennett (born Michael Sinnott; January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was a Canadian-American producer, director, actor, and studio head who was known as the "King of Comedy" during his career. Born in Danville, Quebec, he started acting i ...

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English and American actor. Known for his blended British and American accent, debonair demeanor, lighthearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing, he ...

John Barrymore John Barrymore (born John Sidney Blyth; February 14 or 15, 1882 – May 29, 1942) was an American actor on stage, screen, and radio. A member of the Drew and Barrymore theatrical families, he initially tried to avoid the stage, and briefly a ...

Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian and American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Oliv ...

Jayne Mansfield Jayne Mansfield (born Vera Jayne Palmer; April 19, 1933 – June 29, 1967) was an American actress, ''Playboy'' Playmate, and sex symbol of the 1950s and early 1960s. She was known for her numerous publicity stunts and open personal life. He ...

Mickey Rooney Mickey Rooney (born Ninnian Joseph Yule Jr.; other pseudonym Mickey Maguire; September 23, 1920 – April 6, 2014) was an American actor. In a career spanning nearly nine decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last survivi ...

Natalie Wood Natalie Wood (née Zacharenko; July 20, 1938 – November 29, 1981) was an American actress. She began acting at age four and co-starred at age eight in ''Miracle on 34th Street'' (1947). As a teenager, she was nominated for an Academy Award f ...

Robert Wagner Robert John Wagner Jr. (born February 10, 1930) is an American actor. He is known for starring in the television shows ''It Takes a Thief (1968 TV series), It Takes a Thief'' (1968–1970), ''Switch (American TV series), Switch'' (1975–1978), ...

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne, was an American actor. Nicknamed "Duke", he became a Pop icon, popular icon through his starring roles in films which were produced during Hollywood' ...

, so many more. This non-profit organization and international film festival focuses on

independent film An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is film production, produced outside the Major film studios, major film studio system in addition to being produced and distributed by independ ...

but also helps support the host island through its philanthropic efforts and beneficiary, the

Catalina Island Conservancy The Catalina Island Conservancy is a nonprofit organization established to protect and restore Santa Catalina Island, California, United States. The Conservancy was established in 1972 through the efforts of the Wrigley and Offield families. The ...

. As protectors of 88% of the island's natural habitat, the

Conservancy Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural or cultural values. Protected areas are those areas in which human presence or the exploitation of natural resources (e.g. firewood ...

is not only credited with the quickest recovery of any endangered species in the world, the Catalina Island fox, but it also takes care of all the plants, marine life and wildlife on and around the island. The

gives out its honor at the film festival, the ISLA Earth Award, focused on drawing attention to filmmakers and films that educate or project a message of conservation.

Past Industry Award Winners

;2020 *

Martin Kove Martin Kove (; born ) is an American actor and martial artist. He is best known for his role as John Kreese, the main antagonist of ''The Karate Kid'' (1984). Kove reprised the role in ''The Karate Kid Part II'' (1986), ''The Karate Kid Part III ...

, Catalina Film’s Career Tribute Award ;2019 *

Mira Sorvino Mira Katherine Sorvino (; born ) is an American actress. She rose to stardom with her performance as a prostitute in the comedy film ''Mighty Aphrodite'' (1995), which won her both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Academy Award for Best S ...

, Avalon Award ;2018 * Richard Dryfuss, Stanley Kramer Social Artist Award ;2016 *

Jamie King Jamie King (born 1972) is an American creative director, choreographer, and producer. His work directing concert tours for pop stars has grossed over $2 billion as of 2011. Early career King started his career in entertainment as a dancer. He ...

, Avalon Award ;2015 *

Kristin Davis Kristin Landen Davis (also listed as Kristin Lee Davis; born February 23, 1965) is an American actress and producer. She is known for playing Charlotte York in the HBO romantic comedy series ''Sex and the City'' (1998–2004). She received no ...

, Conservation Activist Award *

F. Gary Gray Felix Gary Gray (born July 17, 1969) is an American director and producer. Gray began his career as a director on numerous critically acclaimed and award-winning music videos, including "It Was a Good Day" by Ice Cube, " Natural Born Killaz" by ...

, Stanley Kramer Social Artist Award *

Mena Suvari Mena Alexandra Suvari (; born February 13, 1979) is an American actress, producer, fashion designer and model. The accolades she has received include a Screen Actors Guild Awards, Screen Actors Guild Award, along with nominations for a Primetime ...

, Avalon Award *Nicola Pedrozzi, Best Screenplay Award ;2014 *

Nicolas Cage Nicolas Kim Coppola (born January 7, 1964), known professionally as Nicolas Cage, is an American actor and film producer. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Nicolas Cage, various accolades, including an Academy A ...

, Charlie Chaplin ICON Award for '' Joe'' *

Andy Garcia Andy may refer to: People *Andy (given name), including a list of real individuals and fictional characters *Horace Andy (born 1951), Jamaican roots reggae songwriter and singer born Horace Hinds * Katja Andy (1907–2013), German-American pianis ...

, Ronald Reagan Great Communicator Award *

William H. Macy William Hall Macy Jr. (born March 13, 1950) is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and producer. He is a two-time Emmy Award and four-time Screen Actors Guild Awards, Screen Actors Guild Award winner, and has been nominated for an Acade ...

, Stanley Kramer Social Artist Award *

Emmy Rossum Emmanuelle Grey Rossum (born September 12, 1986) is an American actress and singer-songwriter. The accolades she has received include a Saturn Award and Critics' Choice Movie Award, alongside nominations for a Golden Globe Award, an Independ ...

, Avalon Award ;2013 *

Patricia Arquette Patricia Arquette (; born April 8, 1968) is an American actress. She made her feature film debut as Kristen Parker in ''A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors'' (1987) and has since received several awards, including an Academy Award, two P ...

, Career Tribute Award *

Kate Bosworth Katherine Anne Bosworth (born January 2, 1983) is an American actress. Following minor roles in the films ''The Horse Whisperer (film), The Horse Whisperer'' (1998) and ''Remember the Titans'' (2000), she had a leading role in movie ''Blue Crush' ...

, Avalon Award *

Jon Favreau Jonathan Kolia Favreau ( ; born October 19, 1966) is an American actor and filmmaker. As an actor, Favreau has appeared in films such as ''Rudy (film), Rudy'' (1993), ''PCU (film), PCU'' (1994), ''Swingers (1996 film), Swingers'' (1996), ''Very ...

, Charlie Chaplin ICON Award *

Bailee Madison Bailee Madison (born October 15, 1999) is an American actress and singer. Born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Madison began acting at just two weeks of age, appearing mostly in television commercials for the first few years. Her film debut, as Ma ...

, Catalina Crest Award *

Tony Scott Anthony David Leighton Scott (21 June 1944 – 19 August 2012) was a British film director and producer. He made his theatrical film debut with ''The Hunger (1983 film), The Hunger'' (1983) and went on to direct highly successful action and t ...

, Majestic Award *

Sharon Stone Sharon Vonne Stone (born March 10, 1958) is an American actress and film producer. Known for primarily playing femmes fatales and women of mystery on film and television, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1990s. She is the ...

, Stanley Kramer Social Artist Award ;2012 *

Stan Lee Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book author, writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Comics which later bec ...

, Ronald Reagan Great Communicator Award *Mark Rydell, Career Tribute Award *''With Great Power'': The Stan Lee Story (Filmmakers), Majestic Award ;2011 * Ed Begley Jr., ISLA Earth Conservancy Award *''Atlas Shrugged'', Ronald Reagan Great Communicator Award

Past Filmmaker Awards

;2018 *''Love Possibly'' (dir. Michael Boccalini & Che Grant), Best International Feature ;2015 *''Loveband'' (written by Nicola Pedrozzi), Best Screenplay Award ;2013: *''

Yellow Yellow is the color between green and orange on the spectrum of light. It is evoked by light with a dominant wavelength of roughly 575585 nm. It is a primary color in subtractive color systems, used in painting or color printing. In t ...

'' (dir.

Nick Cassavetes Nicholas David Rowland Cassavetes (born May 21, 1959) is an American actor, director, and writer. He has directed such films as '' She's So Lovely'' (1997), '' John Q.'' (2002), '' The Notebook'' (2004), ''Alpha Dog'' (2006), and '' My Sister's K ...

), Best Feature ;2012 *''Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy'' (dir. Rob Heydon), Best Feature ;2011 *'' Small Town Murder Songs'', Best Feature *''

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

'', Official Short Film Selection *''Words Unspoken'' (dir.

Renee O'Connor Evelyn Renee O'Connor (born February 15, 1971) is an American actress, producer, and director, known for the role of Gabrielle on the television series '' Xena: Warrior Princess''. Early life Born in Houston and raised in suburban Katy, Texas b ...

), Official Short Film Selection and Finalist *''Samuel Bleak'', (dir. Dustin Schuetter), Official Feature Film Selection and Finalist

References

External links

*{{official website, url=https://www.CatalinaFilm.org Film festivals in California Cinema of Southern California Santa Catalina Island (California) Organizations based in Los Angeles County, California