Coronado Times

Hands-On Film Class with Tony Perri
2025-04-26 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
The Coronado Public Library and Coronado Art Commission invite you to step into the director’s chair for a hands-on film class with award winning producer and director, Tony Perri. In this collaborative class, aspiring filmmakers will work together to create a short film that will be submitted to the Coronado Island Film Festival.
Participants will learn scripting, direction and every aspect of pre-production, production and post-production. The course will also provide opportunities to get together outside of class to apply newfound knowledge into the practical application of on-location filming, directing scenes, how to work a camera, light a scene and record audio. The team will learn the basics of editing and all post production tasks as well as how to distribute and market the final short film and process required for submitting the movie to film festivals.
The course is eight weeks long and participants are encouraged to attend as many sessions as possible as the class will be working on a collaborative project.
Classes will cover:
Film Types and Production Overview Through watching different types of short films, the class will decide what kind of movie it will produce. Story ideas will be discussed along with how to script the film, create storyboards and the production logistics needed to make the movie per their script, the storyboards created and the vision of production team.
The Production Team The roles of each of the following positions are explained and each class member will have the opportunity to work at every job and/or focus on specific roles which may interest them.
Scripting, Storyboards, Casting and Pre-Production The team will create a shooting script and storyboards. Through this, they may decide on filming locations, how to cast the movie, production planning as well as the equipment, crew and props needed for the on-location filming.
Directing, Producing and Cinematography How to direct both action and actors is reviewed along with the roles of the producer and cinematographer. Examples of great directing and cinematography are shown.
The Art of Filming, Lighting and Audio Production Scenes which can be filmed at or near the Library will be produced. Participants will learn how to operate different types of cameras, lights and microphones.
Music, Special Effects, Editing and Post Production As we watch various films, the class begins to understand the importance of music and how it fits into the post production process. They learn how to mix music, scenes and special effects in order to create the story they wish to share with the viewers.
Mastering the Film and Distribution Upon completion of post production, the class will discover the art of color-correcting the video, sweetening the sound and preparing the final film for screenings. The team will learn how to distribute the film digitally and submit it to film festivals.

About Tony Perri
Tony Perri began his broadcast and film career at the Walt Disney Company as a producer, director and broadcast journalist. After Disney, Mr. Perri became producer and director at the nationally syndicated TV show, PM Magazine and the long-running local version at KPIX-TV (CBS), Evening Magazine.
Tony went on to form the TV, film and digital media production company, Surf’s Up Studios. His most recent films include the documentary, “School of Thought” with David Lynch, Paul McCartney and John Hagelin. His feature film, “Serotonin Rising” starring the Dalai Lama and Deepak Chopra won the prestigious “Audience Choice Award” at the Estes Park Film Festival. “Serotonin Rising” sold out its world premiere at the Vail Film Festival where it won the audience choice award.
Mr. Perri is an executive producer and director with Surf’s Up Studios, which produces movies, music videos, webisodes, news reels and all forms of social and digital media. Tony also teaches a workshop he developed called “Backpack Journalism” at the University of California at San Diego, Digital Arts Center. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado where he teaches documentary production, TV production, on-air technique and broadcast journalism.

CIFF Student Classic Film: “The Great Escape" (1963)
2025-04-27 13:00 | Winn Room, Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
On Sunday April 27 at 1 pm, the 2025 “War That Shaped Our World” CIFF Student Classic Film Series continues with director John Sturges’ 1963 classic, The Great Escape. Featuring an all-star ensemble cast and a memorably iconic score by Elmer Bernstein, The Great Escape is notable as actor Steve McQueen’s breakout lead role as “cooler king,” Captain Virgil Hilts. It is no coincidence that McQueen later went on to become known by movie insiders as “the King of Cool.”

Director John Sturges’ war thriller is today recognized as a masterpiece of the POW and action genres. It is based on a 1950 book of the same name by Australian Paul Brickhill, who was part of the March 1944 mass escape from the Nazi POW compound, Stalag Luft III. While the film has its critics as a clichéd chronicle of the escape, it stands as a testament to the daring and ingenuity of British and Allied aviators and aircrew who labored for almost a year to devise and execute an audacious plan to flee captivity and tie up Nazi troops trying to track them down. It stands today as a memorial to the 50 POWs executed in the aftermath of the breakout. As Charles Clarke, an RAF Officer shot down and interned at Stalag Luft III succinctly put it, “Without the film, who would remember what a magnificent achievement it was?”
The opening of the film informs the audience, “This is a true story. Although the characters are composites of real men, and time and place have been compressed, every detail of the escape is the way it really happened.” Movie lovers won’t want to miss this opportunity to screen this most enduring of WWII themed action classics.
The screening is FREE and open to the public.
The complete 2025 Student Classic schedule and reservations are available on the CIFF website under the “Year-Round” dropdown tab.

CIFF Classic Film Screening "American Graffiti" (1973)
2025-04-30 17:00 | Village Theatre, 820 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
CIFF presents beloved 1973 treasure “American Graffiti” on April 30. See it on the big screen!
One of everybody’s all-time favorite movies, “American Graffiti” is coming to Coronado’s Village Theatre on Wednesday, April 30. Tickets are $15 and are available now at coronadofilmfest.com. Doors open at 5 pm for a complimentary Meet and Greet glass of wine, followed at 5:30 by the film intro by CIFF organizers Merridee Book and Doug St. Denis, a vintage cartoon, and the feature presentation.
The story is based on George Lucas’s own memories, which very likely are a lot like yours. No matter what age you are today, this movie will take you back to those heady, scary, exciting, coming-of-age days – that summer vacation after high school graduation, being with your friends one last night before you scatter to parts unknown into the mystery of the adulthood that awaits.
The film was a low-budget long-shot by Universal Studios, who were so unsure of it that it sat on the shelf for six months before they decided to release it. They had no clue how to market it because it had no known “stars.” Nobody had ever heard of writer/director George Lucas, and the actors were all pretty much unknown, including Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Mackenzie Phillips, Candy Clark, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams, and Suzanne Sommers as “the blonde in the T- Bird.”
It was not until Francis Ford Coppola decided to come on as producer that Universal agreed to finance the film. It was made for a lean $775,000, with an eventual box office gross of over $115,000,000, making it one of the most profitable movies ever made. Of course, this was before Lucas’s “Star Wars” series and Harrison Ford’s “Indiana Jones” became household names in the years to follow; and it was Richard Dreyfuss’s breakout film, to be followed by starring roles in major successes such as “Jaws” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”
To the studio’s surprise, the film was an immediate success and went on to be nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Editing.
CIFF is pleased to bring a classic film to the big screen in your neighborhood theatre every month, always on the last Wednesday. Mark your calendars now for May 28 and the sensational 1972 classic, “The Godfather.” Tickets for the entire lineup are available in advance on our website at coronadofilmfest.com.

FILM FORUM CORONADO: "The Magnificent Ambersons"
2025-05-07 18:00 - 20:30 | Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Coronado Public Library, in partnership with the Coronado Island Film Festival, presents FILM FORUM CORONADO, taking place the first and third Wednesday of each month at 6 pm in the library’s Winn Room. Film expert Ralph DeLauro provides a brief introduction to each film and leads a discussion afterwards, often including pointers about how lighting or camera angles contribute to a scene’s mood or propel the story.
May 7: The Magnificent Ambersons (1942, Approved, 89 min)
Orson Welles’s compromised masterpiece, re-edited by a nervous studio, offers a wistful elegy for a bygone era. The film chronicles the decline of the Amberson clan with the coming Industrial Revolution leaving them on the brink of financial ruin and obsolescence. Stars: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, Anne Baxter and Tim Holt.

CIFF Student Classic Film: "The Search"
2025-05-11 13:00 - 15:45 | Winn Room, Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
“The Search” – A Mother’s Day Story of the Indomitable Love of a Mother Determined to Find Her Lost Son

Sunday, May 11 at 1 PM, the 2025 “War That Shaped Our World” CIFF Student Classic Film Series continues with director Fred Zinneman’s “The Search,” the story of “The Lost Children of Europe.” “The Search” features the Oscar nominated first feature film appearance of Montgomery Clift and a Special Juvenile Academy Award winning performance by nine-year old Ivan Jandl. The Search is also noteworthy as American immigrant, Austrian-born Jewish director Fred Zinnemann’s first box office success and as perhaps the first Hollywood feature film dramatizing the consequences of The Holocaust.
Following the War, orphaned children are moved to a United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation camp in Germany. During an interview to determine his identity a young boy named Karel, separated from his mother at Auschwitz, is only able to say in broken German: “I don’t know.” While being transported to a second camp, some children panic. Karel and another boy escape by jumping in a river. As Karel’s companion drowns, Karel reaches the riverbank, but when only a hat is recovered UN officials presume he has drowned. Simultaneously, the audience learns his mother, Hanna, has survived the death camps and is searching for her son. While hiding in the city’s ruins Karel encounters an American soldier, “Steve” Stevenson (Montgomery Clift) who becomes determined to help the boy. Convinced his relatives are dead, Stevenson works on a plan to take Karel to the U.S. when his tour of duty ends in hopes of adopting him. The dramatic narrative intensifies as circumstances conspire with a mother’s indomitable love to resolve the drama: Will these two Holocaust survivors be reunited as mother and son?

Director Fred Zinnemann lost both parents to the Holocaust. In this documentary-style post-war feature, he creates a realistic cinematic account to dramatize the real-world plight of hundreds of thousands of orphaned children struggling to survive and the compassionate people working to help redeem their post-war lives. Nominated for three Oscars in 1948 including Best Best Director for Zinnemann, “The Search” is a movie you will never forget.
The complete 2025 Student Classic schedule and reservations are available on the CIFF website under the “Year-Round” dropdown tab. The screening is free and open to the public.

CIFF Student Classic Film Series "The Best Years of Our Lives"
2025-05-21 13:00 - 16:30 | Winn Room, Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
The Best Years of Our Lives – “I don’t care if the film doesn’t make a nickel. I just want every man, woman, and child in America to see it.”
This is a special Memorial Day screening. It is FREE and open to the entire community. Bring the entire family!
“I don’t care if the film doesn’t make a nickel. I just want every man, woman, and child in America to see it.” Thus spoke MGM Studio head Samuel Goldwyn in 1946 as this masterpiece he produced was released. This first post-war feature film from legendary director William Wyler went on to win a then unprecedented seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. It was honored with an additional special Oscar for disabled vet Harold Russell’s performance as Petty Officer Home Parish for ”bringing aid and comfort to disabled veterans through the medium of motion pictures.”
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, even though Oscar winning director William Wyler was 40 years old and exempt from the draft, he volunteered and served with distinction in the US Army Air Forces. Discharged as a LtCol in 1945, Wyler’s time with the 8th Air Force left him permanently hearing impaired and uncertain of his prospects to return to his career directing movies in Hollywood. Of his wartime experience Wyler observed, “The only thing that mattered was human relationships … relationships with people who might be dead tomorrow were important.” Returning home to Los Angeles, he searched for the right story to tell in his return to the director’s chair. After Wyler read McKinlay Kantor’s Glory for Me, a story of challenges faced by war veterans coming home, he told MGM Studio Boss Sam Goldwyn, “This is what I want to make.”
The Best Years of Our Lives tells the story of veterans returning from war more movingly, hopefully and beautifully than any other motion picture in Hollywood history. The film captured the atmosphere of post-WWII America. Its enormous critical and commercial success confirmed this was THE story post-war audiences needed to see in the wake of the deadliest and most destructive conflict in human history; the story of the war’s impact on returning veterans and its impact on their relationship with home and family.
Do not miss this perfect Memorial Day “table setter.” CIFF’s FREE screening of The Best Years of Our Lives will be presented Sunday, May 25 at 1 pm in the Library’s Winn Room. Bring your family and invite your friends to share this beautiful Oscar winning classic.

DigArts Extravaganza
2025-05-22 17:00 - 19:30 | Coronado Performing Arts Center, 650 D Avenue, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Roll out the red carpet! The Coronado School of the Arts (CoSA) Digital Arts Conservatory will host this year’s awards show, the Digital Arts Extravaganza, on Thursday, May 22 from 5 to 7:30 pm at the Coronado Performing Arts Center at 650 D Avenue. This exciting and interactive show features student work in photography, graphic design, film and animation. Not only are guests treated to amazing works of digital art, but they get to vote for “Viewer’s Choice” in several categories.
This year’s red carpet event features an artist’s reception, galleries for still artwork, and film festivals from animators and filmmakers. There will be live voting for best of show as well as an awards presentation.
“This is our end-of-the-year celebration, and it’s a culminating event where our level four students share their final capstone projects,” said Michelle Evenson, film and design teacher. “Students work for several weeks to create personal legacy projects to showcase at the Extravaganza.”
The event is almost entirely student-produced. The students created all the live voting forms, the gallery cards, and they also emcee the event.
The artist’s reception will open at 5 pm in the theatre lobby and will feature the works of photography, graphic design, and game design students. The film and animation screenings will begin promptly at 5:30 pm in the main theatre and conclude at 7:30 pm.
Get tickets at CoSASanDiego.com or at this link.

Casting Call for "Best in Bowl"
2025-05-24 12:00 - 14:00 | Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
If you are looking to act in a mockumentary movie about Coronado’s esteemed lawn bowling competitions – then try out for a part in the original short film Best in Bowl on Saturday, May 24 from 12 noon to 2 pm in the Ruby Room at the Coronado Public Library.
Actors of all backgrounds, abilities, and ages, from teens to senior citizens, are needed for a variety of roles in this comedic take on the sport.
Currently filming on location in Coronado, the film is a collaborative effort between local filmmakers under the direction of Emmy Award winning producer, writer, and director, Tony Perri.
The movie is being produced and directed in the style of renowned filmmaker Christopher Guest (Best in Show, This is Spinal Tap) and will be submitted to film festivals across the country, including this year’s Coronado Island Film Festival.
The Coronado Public Library and Coronado Cultural Arts Commission are the executive producers for Best in Bowl.

CIFF Classic Film "The Godfather" (1972)
2025-05-28 17:30 - 20:30 | Village Theatre, 820 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Coronado Island Film Festival will bring one of the greatest and most influential movies ever made to the big screen at Coronado’s Village Theatre on Wednesday, May 28. Doors open at 4:45 (early, due to the length of the film) for a complimentary glass of wine, with the feature to start promptly at 5:30. Tickets are $15 and are available now at coronadofilmfest.com.
“The Godfather,” released in 1972, was based on the 1969 bestselling novel written by Mario Puzo, who co-wrote the screenplay with the film’s director, Francis Ford Coppola. Their efforts won the 1973 Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
It was nominated for eleven Oscars total, winning three. In addition to Best Screenplay, it was named Best Picture and Best Actor for Marlon Brando.
The film’s amazing ensemble cast includes Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte, and Diane Keaton. Pacino, Caan and Duvall received Supporting Actor nominations, and Coppola was nominated as Best Director. From the start, this movie was resoundingly successful with critics, with audiences, and at the box office.
Francis Ford Coppola was 32 years old and relatively unproven as a director at the time. Paramount Pictures questioned and complained about many of his decisions, worried about budget, the schedule, and Coppola’s unusual directorial style. They even hired another director to observe him on the set. As it turned out, he finished on time, under budget, and the rest is history.
With the very skilled Coppola at the helm, members of the ruthless Mafia Corleone family became the “good guys” to us. We knew them and rooted for them (as opposed to their equally ruthless Five Mafia Family rivals). With this film, the new “gangster genre” of film and television was born and apparently here to stay. There surely would have been no Tony Soprano if Vito Corleone and Family had not come first.
“The Godfather” is a masterpiece. It gets everything right: a gangster flick overflowing with life, rich with emotion, stunning cinematography, spot-on writing, perfect music, and brilliant acting. And, of course, there’s Francis Ford Coppola.
CIFF is pleased to bring a classic film to the big screen in your neighborhood theatre every month, always on the last Wednesday. Mark your calendars now for a hilarious change of pace as we present the beloved comedy, “Moonstruck” on June 25. Tickets for it and the entire lineup are available in advance on our website at coronadofilm.com.

FILM FORUM CORONADO: "UFOria" (1985)
2025-06-18 18:00 - 20:30 | Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Coronado Public Library, in partnership with the Coronado Island Film Festival, presents FILM FORUM CORONADO, taking place the first and third Wednesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the library’s Winn Room. Film expert Ralph DeLauro provides a brief introduction to each film and leads a discussion afterwards, often including pointers about how lighting or camera angles contribute to a scene’s mood or propel the story.
June 18: UFOria (1985, PG, 93 min)
A giddy, whimsically, witty ditty about the need to believe. Shelved by studio execs with cold feet, this snappy slice of contemporary Americana achieved cult status. A backwater grocery store clerk (Cindy Williams), a bogus faith healer (Harry Dean Stanton) and a hapless drifter (Fred Ward) wait on the arrival of an interplanetary Noah’s Ark.

Classic Film Series: "Moonstruck" (1987)
2025-06-25 17:30 - 19:30 | Village Theatre, 820 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Coronado Island Film Festival’s June Classic Film is the 1987 “Moonstruck” starring Cher and Nicolas Cage. Tickets are $15 and are available now at coronadofilmfest.com. Doors open at 5 pm for a complimentary glass of wine, followed at 5:30 by the film intro, a vintage cartoon, and the classic film you’ll be thrilled to see on the big screen.
37-year-old Italian-American widow Loretta Castorini (
Cher) believes she is unlucky in love, and so accepts a marriage proposal from her boyfriend Johnny (Danny Aiello), even though she doesn’t love him. When she meets his estranged younger brother Ronny (Nicolas Cage), an emotional and passionate man, she finds herself drawn to him. She tries to resist, but Ronny, who blames his brother for the loss of his hand, has no scruples about aggressively pursuing her while Johnny is out of the country. As Loretta falls for Ronny, she learns that she’s not the only one in her family with a secret romance.
Runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes
Director: Norman Jewison
Starring: Cher, Nicolas Cage, Vincent Gardenia, Olympia Dukakis, Danny Aiello, Julie Bovasso

Film Friday: "Thelma"
2025-07-11 12:00 - 14:00 | John D. Spreckels Center, 1019 Seventh Street, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Looking for a relaxing and entertaining way to spend your day this summer? Film Friday will take place at the John D. Spreckels Center on July 11. Gather your friends and join us for an afternoon of cinematic enjoyment in a welcoming, cozy environment — complete with air conditioning to keep you cool during the summer heat, and light refreshments provided.

Settle in and enjoy a screening of “Thelma,” a heartwarming and action-packed story about a 93-year-old woman who sets out on a daring mission after falling victim to a phone scam.
This event is free and open to ages 18+. For more information or to register, visit www.coronado.ca.us/civicrec, call 619-522-7343, or stop by the front desk at 1019 Seventh St.
We look forward to seeing you at the next Film Friday—where it’s always cool to be!

CIFF Movie on the Beach "Mamma Mia"
2025-07-11 19:30 | CA
On Friday, July 11, the beachfront will transform into a Greek island escape. The Coronado Island Film Festival (CIFF) is turning up the summer vibes with the return of its annual “movie on the beach” fundraiser at the historic Hotel del Coronado. CIFF has partnered with Presenting Sponsor Auen Foundation for this year’s Beach Bash event featuring a sunset screening of the ultimate feel-good film, Mamma Mia!
This year’s event invites guests to bask in the warm coastal breeze and sing along under the stars—ABBA-style. The evening promises cinematic magic and community celebration as we begin the countdown to CIFF’s milestone 10th Anniversary Film Festival this November.
Grab your boas, bell-bottoms, and island glam—Mamma Mia mania is taking over the sand! From disco divas to dreamy destination wedding vibes, if your outfit screams ABBA-fabulous, you just might steal the spotlight (and a prize)!
Slip off your sandals and hit the sand early—Sue Allen Villalva and her Dancing Queens are turning up the volume with a pre-show dance party that’ll have you grooving to all your favorite hits and summertime sounds. Enjoy themed cocktails at the cash bar, an opportunity drawing, and photo ops, while basking in the golden-hour glow of summer magic.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the nonprofit Coronado Island Film Festival’s Development Fund and its mission to spotlight cinematic storytelling, support filmmakers, educational initiatives, and bring world-class programming to Coronado year-round and during the annual 5-day film festival (November 5-9, 2025).
General Admission tickets are $40 for pre-party and movie. VIP Packages and Sponsorships are available and include premiere fire pit seating for up to six guests, making it the perfect setting for friends, family, or corporate gatherings.
Ticket sales open on Friday, April 18, and sponsorship information is available now at coronadofilmfest.com or contact Event Chair, Doug St. Denis to become a sponsor at doug@coronadofilm.com. Come celebrate the power of film, the joy of friendship, love and taking chances! Beach. Boas. ABBA. You in?

Drive In Movie: Tangled
2025-08-05 15:00 - 17:00 | Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
“When the kingdom’s most wanted bandit is taken hostage by Rapunzel — a teen with 70 feet of golden hair who’s looking to escape the tower where she’s been locked away for years — the unlikely duo sets off on a hair-raising escapade.” *
Rating: PG Runtime: 1 hour 40 minutes
Summers are for drive in movies! Design your own car, grab some snacks, and watch Tangled with your friends from the comfort of your own car.
* Summary from Disney Plus

Film Forum Coronado: "12 Angry Men"
2025-08-06 18:00 - 20:30 | Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Coronado Public Library, in partnership with the Coronado Island Film Festival, presents Film Forum Coronado, taking place the first and third Wednesday of each month at 6 pm in the library’s Winn Room. Film expert Ralph DeLauro provides a brief introduction to each film and leads a discussion afterwards, often including pointers about how lighting or camera angles contribute to a scene’s mood or propel the story.

August 6: 12 Angry Men (1957, Approved, 97 min)
Sidney Lumet’s radical, behind-closed-doors look at the American legal system is an electrifying snapshot of 1950’s America on the verge of change. Henry Fonda is the lone dissenting member of an all-white jury passing judgement on a Puerto Rican teen charged with murder. With Lee J. Cobb, Jack Klugman, Ed Begley, E.G. Marshall, Jack Warden and Edward Binns.

CIFF Monthly Classic Film: "Shakespeare in Love" (1998)
2025-08-27 17:30 - 20:00 | Village Theatre, 820 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Coronado Island Film Festival’s monthly classic film for August is 1998’s “Shakespeare in Love” starring Joseph Fiennes, Gwyneth Paltrow, Geoffrey Rush, Tom Wilkinson, Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton; and directed by John Madden.
Young Shakespeare is forced to stage his latest comedy, “Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate’s Daughter,” before it’s even written. When a lovely noblewoman auditions for a role, they fall into forbidden love — and his play finds a new life (and title). As their relationship progresses, Shakespeare’s comedy soon transforms into tragedy.
5 pm THEATER DOORS OPEN*
5:30 pm PRESENTATION STARTS
*One Adult beverage is offered.
Please plan to be seated by 5:20pm
Due to the high demand and frequent sellouts of the screenings, CIFF strongly recommends purchasing tickets online in advance. Please arrive early to secure your seat and indulge in refreshments before the show begins.

Special screening of "JAWS"
2025-09-13 13:45 - 16:00 | Village Theatre, 820 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Join the Coronado Island Film Festival for a complimentary screening of “JAWS,” the 1975 classic, digitally restored film on the big screen.
Village Theatre Coronado
Saturday, September 13 1:45 pm
Sunday, September 14 1:45 pm
>> ARRIVE EARLY TO GET A SEAT <<<
Seating is first come, first serve and subject to availability.
Saving seats will not be allowed if there is a large crowd. Please make sure your whole group arrives at the same time.

Special screening of "JAWS"
2025-09-14 13:45 - 16:00 | Village Theatre, 820 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Join the Coronado Island Film Festival for a complimentary screening of “JAWS,” the 1975 classic, digitally restored film on the big screen.
Village Theatre Coronado
[Saturday, September 13 1:45 pm]
Sunday, September 14 1:45 pm
>> ARRIVE EARLY TO GET A SEAT <<<
Seating is first come, first serve and subject to availability.
Saving seats will not be allowed if there is a large crowd. Please make sure your whole group arrives at the same time.

Film Forum Coronado: "Mirage"
2025-10-15 18:00 - 20:30 | Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Coronado Public Library, in partnership with the Coronado Island Film Festival, presents FILM FORUM CORONADO, taking place the first and third Wednesday of each month at 6 pm in the library’s Winn Room. Film expert Ralph DeLauro provides a brief introduction to each film and leads a discussion afterwards, often including pointers about how lighting or camera angles contribute to a scene’s mood or propel the story.

October 15: Mirage (1965, PG, 108min)
Gregory Peck headlines this tight and twisty puzzle box about a “cost accountant“ with memory gaps who stumbles into a sinister merry-go-round of danger and deception while trying to piece together his past. The top notch supporting cast: Diane Baker, Kevin McCarthy and Walter Matthau.

Locally-made "Serenity Now" movie screening
2025-10-26 14:00 - 15:30 | Winn Room, Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Cast, crew, family, friends and the public are invited to this complimentary screening.

Join the local cast and crew for the world premiere of “Serenity Now,” a short film about a frantic dog mom who hits up the local pet wellness spa for some wacky cures…with the hope of taming her humping hound before love slips away. The special screening will take place on Sunday, Oct. 26 from 2 to 3:30 pm in the Winn Room.
The movie was written and created by a class of novice filmmaking students and produced entirely in Coronado. The class met at the Coronado Library this past summer for once a week production instruction.
After the classes concluded, the dedicated new filmmakers continued their learning experience during four weeks of production and three weeks of editing, post production and creation of the final cut of the movie.
The story revolves around an off-the-wall pet wellness spa and its owner Sage, who is convinced she can cure every dog’s ailments through new age potions and remedies.
But things get a bit complicated when Lila and her dog Wilbur pay a visit to the SERENITY NOW wellness spa with the hope of curing the pup of his boyfriend-repelling and amorous antics.
After repeated attempts, Sage and her chief canine therapist, Dr. Donatella, simply cannot cure Wilbur. Lila is devastated. She loves her dog – but wants a boyfriend.
In a last ditch effort to ‘fix’ Wilbur, Lila hatches a sure-fire plan which will not only help her and Wilbur, but change the lives of Sage and Dr. Donatella forever.
“Serenity Now” features incredible aerial views of Coronado, beach and downtown scenes, and talented local actors including some of your friends! For most of the cast and crew, this was their first movie production and a true learning experience.
The production team is excited to share their finished film with you, along with stories of their on-set experiences. Cast and crew will also answer questions and provide tips on how to make your own movie on your phone. Refreshments will be served.
Cast, crew, family, friends and the public are invited to this complimentary screening.

CIFF Classic Film "The Shining" (1980)
2025-10-29 17:30 | Village Theatre, 820 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Scary Movie Coming Your Way October 29

So you say you want a really scary movie for Halloween? Well, do we have the perfect one for you! Join Coronado Island Film Festival if you dare for the 1980 psychological horror/ thriller “The Shining” on Wednesday, October 29, at Coronado’s Village Theatre. The work of the always difficult but groundbreaking director Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999), the film stars Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd and Scatman Crothers. Written by Kubrick and Diane Johnson, it’s based on the 1977 novel by Stephen King and was largely unappreciated when it first came out. It was actually considered a “flop!” Since that time, however, “The Shining” has been reappraised by critics and audiences alike and is now considered to be a horror masterpiece and the second-best movie of 1980 (after “Raging Bull”). Doors open at 5 p.m. for complimentary wine, followed by a vintage cartoon and the feature at 5:30. Tickets are $15 and are on sale now at coronadofilmfest.com.
Nicholson plays writer and recovering alcoholic Jack Torrence, who travels with his wife (Duvall) and young son (Lloyd) to accept a caretaker position at the remote Overlook Hotel in the Colorado Rocky Mountains while it’s closed for the winter. Upon arrival, Jack is informed that a previous caretaker, Charles Grady, had killed his wife, two young daughters, and himself at the hotel a decade ago. Creepy enough for you? Well wait, there’s more! Son Danny, who it turns out is clairvoyant, starts having disturbing visions, Jack has writer’s block and violent outbursts and starts drinking again, then descends into complete insanity (as only Jack Nicholson can do).
Alert: THIS IS NOT A “FAMILY FILM”! But it IS a chilling, majestic piece of cinematic fright for the ages, brilliantly written, directed, shot and acted, and the perfect scary movie you asked for!
Next month: “Nobody’s Fool”, the comedy drama starring Paul Newman, Bruce Willis, and Jessica Tandy on Wednesday, November 26, the day before Thanksgiving. This is considered the ultimate “Thanksgiving movie.” Bring the fam. Tickets are on sale now.

In the meantime, we invite you to celebrate Ten Incredible Years of the Coronado Island Film Festival, November 5–9!
Experience over 130 films, from powerful documentaries to Oscar contenders, along with Tribute Awards, parties, and free screenings at the Coronado Public Library.
Learn more and get your tickets and passes at coronadofilmfest.com.

CIFF Student Classic Film: "Scrooge"
2025-12-07 13:00 - 15:45 | Winn Room, Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
On Sunday afternoon, Dec. 7 at 1 pm, in the Library’s Winn Room, the Coronado Island Film Festival (CIFF) Student Classic Film Series presents a special Advent movie event for the entire family, screening Scrooge, the acclaimed 1951 British Renown Studios movie adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The screening will be followed by the first public announcement of the 2026 Student Classic Film Series “The Art of Adaptation” schedule of classic films. This Scrooge screening is a FREE event and open to the public of all ages.
Attendees are asked to please bring an unwrapped toy to the screening as part of Downtown Lions Club toy giveaway to underserved children.
Charles Dickens’ Christmas novella is, arguably, the single most adapted literary story in stage and cinematic history. A great many film critics insist that Brian Desmond Hurst’s 1951 film version has never been equaled. The screenplay by Hurst and Noel Langley (a The Wizard of Oz screenwriter) Hurst’s adroit direction, and C. M. Pennington-Richards’ haunting black and white cinematography, completely convince audiences of Scrooge’s spiritual transformation from bitter, friendless curmudgeon, into a man so overcome by gratitude and joy, simply to be alive on Christmas morning, that he finds himself gleefully shouting, “Merry Christmas!” to all within earshot; a man whose renovation of heart is so profound that many who knew, feared, or loathed him, suspect he has gone mad.
The lion’s share of credit for the film’s enduring power belongs to the extraordinary performance of Alastair Sim. Sim “inhabits” the title role, playing the miserly scenes with perfect notes of sarcastic humbug. Sim’s Scrooge is a man utterly alone and satisfied to be so; a man who has no use for other people. Sim never suggests Scrooge is an evil man, but, rather, a man whose spirit has been gravely, though not irreparably, warped by the vagaries of a difficult life. It is the subtlety and restraint Sim brings to the role that make Scrooge’s redemption in the final act believable, moving, and memorable. The final scenes of Scrooge radiating humility, warmth and delight reuniting with his family at his nephew’s Christmas party, and finally, walking the streets of London as Tiny Tim leaps into his arms are images to carry in your heart throughout the Christmas season. The entire community is invited to join us for the perfect “table setter” for Advent. As Tiny Tim reminded us, “God bless us, everyone!”
The screening will be followed by the first public announcement of the 2026 “The Art of Adaptation” schedule, screening two Golden Age classics monthly from February through May 2026. The Student Classic Series is designed to expose High School and Middle School Students to the greatest motion pictures made by the masters of the craft during The Golden Age of Hollywood (mid-30s to early 1960s). It provides a unique opportunity for Coronado’s young people to learn about the history of Hollywood’s Studio Era and the cultural legacy it bequeathed to us all.

Teen "Lord of the Rings" cosplay watch party
2025-12-30 13:00 - 16:00 | Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Watch The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (rated pg-13) on Tuesday, Dec. 30. Come cozy or dressed as your favorite LOTR or fantasy character. Snacks provided. Costumes are encouraged, but no masks that completely cover your face, or weapons, fake or otherwise. Adults are welcome, only if accompanied by a teen.
For students entering or finishing 6th-12th grade.

FILM FORUM CORONADO: "East of Eden" (1955)
2026-01-07 18:00 - 21:00 | Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Coronado Public Library, in partnership with the Coronado Island Film Festival, presents FILM FORUM CORONADO, taking place the first and third Wednesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the library’s Winn Room. Film expert Ralph DeLauro provides a brief introduction to each film and leads a discussion afterwards, often including pointers about how lighting or camera angles contribute to a scene’s mood or propel the story.
January 7: East of Eden (1955, PG, 115min)
James Dean’s electrifying screen debut highlights this feverishly poetic retelling of Cain and Abel. A rebellious son (Dean), along with his competitive brother, vie for the affection of their stern father (Raymond Massey). Co-starring Burl Ives, Julie Harris and Jo Van Fleet.

FILM FORUM CORONADO: "The Last of Sheila" (1973)
2026-01-21 18:00 - 21:00 | Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Coronado Public Library, in partnership with the Coronado Island Film Festival, presents FILM FORUM CORONADO, taking place the first and third Wednesday of each month at 6 pm in the library’s Winn Room. Film expert Ralph DeLauro provides a brief introduction to each film and leads a discussion afterwards, often including pointers about how lighting or camera angles contribute to a scene’s mood or propel the story.
January 21: The Last of Sheila (1973, PG, 120 min)
Composer Stephen Sondheim and actor Anthony Perkins crafted a deliciously bitchy little bonbon that takes assault on Hollywood secrets. A nasty producer (James Coburn) lures a sordid group of friends to holiday on his yacht — aiming to unmask one of them as the hit-and-run killer of his wife Sheila. The star-studded cast includes James Mason, Dyan Cannon, Richard Benjamin, Raquel Welch and Joan Hackett.

CIFF Monthly Classic Film: “Network” (1976)
2026-01-28 17:30 | Village Theatre, 820 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Director: Sidney Lumet
Starring: Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch, Robert Duvall, Ned Beatty, Beatrice Straight
Synopsis: When veteran anchorman Howard Beale is forced to retire his 25-year post because of his age, he announces to viewers that he will kill himself during his farewell broadcast. Network executives rethink their decision when his fanatical tirade results in a spike in ratings.
Runtime: 2 hours 2 minutes

FILM FORUM CORONADO: "Yellow Rose"
2026-02-04 18:00 - 21:00 | Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Coronado Public Library, in partnership with the Coronado Island Film Festival, presents FILM FORUM CORONADO, taking place the first and third Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the library’s Winn Room. Film expert Ralph DeLauro provides a brief introduction to each film and leads a discussion afterwards, often including pointers about how lighting or camera angles contribute to a scene’s mood or propel the story.
February 4: Yellow Rose (2019, PG-13, 95 min)
An undocumented Texas teen and aspiring singer/songwriter (Broadway star Eva Noblezada) pursues her country music dreams when her mother is deported back to the Philippines. Co-starring Tony winner Lea Salonga and country music legend Dale Watson.

"To Kill a Mockingbird" (1962)
2026-02-22 13:30 - 16:00 | Winn Room, Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
On Sunday, Feb. 22, the Coronado Island Film Festival presents Director Robert Mulligan’s 1962 motion picture To Kill a Mockingbird in honor of Black History month and as part of its 2026 Educational Classic Film Program.
The event will take place in the Winn Room of the Coronado Public Library from 1:30 to 4 pm. The screening is FREE and open to the public of all ages.
LEARN MORE HERE

Soroptimist program on human trafficking awareness and prevention
2026-02-23 17:30 | Winn Room, Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Children as young as eight years-old can fall victim to trafficking, and the average age is just thirteen. Trafficking has been reported in all schools in San Diego, and it happens in plain sight. The Center for Justice & Reconciliation at Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) is fighting this attack on our youth with an outreach program showcasing in San Diego middle and high schools. Students in grades six through twelve learn to recognize grooming tactics and hear about practical tools designed to protect themselves and their peers from exploitation. Coronado Soroptimist invite middle/high school students and their families, CUSD faculty, as well as all interested community members to attend this important information session on Monday, Feb. 23 at 5:30 pm in the Winn Room.
PLNU’s outreach program, kNOwMORE, is a drama-based and student-centered human trafficking awareness and prevention curriculum grounded in the latest sex trafficking research in San Diego and developed in collaboration with leading experts. The main vehicle for presenting this information is a film that will be shared with attendees. The film features actors portraying various at-risk situations before participating in a follow-up panel discussion.
Ebony Robinson, kNOwMORE’s program manager and a survivor of exploitation herself, will be the evening’s speaker. She is a leader in the field of assisting survivors of trafficking with over ten years of experience in a number of different settings, including schools, the juvenile justice system, and survivor transition programs.

Please join the Soroptimists as they seek to strengthen our community’s awareness and expand understanding of the tools needed to protect local youth from the consequences of trafficking in the San Diego area.
kNOwMORE website link
Coronado Soroptimist

CIFF Monthly Classic Film: "To Have and Have Not" (1945)
2026-02-25 17:30 | Village Theatre, 820 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
To Have and Have Not

Release date: 1945
Runtime: 1 hours 40 minutes
Director: Howard Hawks
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Walter Brennan, Lauren Bacall, Dolores Moran, Hoagy Carmichael, Sheldon Leonard
Synopsis: A Martinique charter boat skipper gets mixed up with the underground French resistance operatives during WWII.
