Coronado Times

FILM FORUM CORONADO: "Repeat Performance"
2025-01-08 18:00 - 20:45 (America/Los_Angeles) | Coronado Library Winn Room, 640 Orange Avenue, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
*This month, FILM FORUM CORONADO will take place on the second Wednesday of the month, January 8.*
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.
January 8: Repeat Performance (1947, Approved, 93 min)
A highly original hybrid of film noir, supernatural fantasy and backstage drama. The film stars Joan Leslie as a Broadway actress who magically relives the past year of her life, but can she alter the fateful mistakes that led to a New Year’s Eve tragedy? Co-starring Louis Hayward.

Classic Film Screening: "Good Will Hunting"
2025-01-29 17:30 - 19:30 | Village Theatre, 820 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Popular 1997 film to kick off CIFF 2025 Classic Series

When organizers of Coronado Island Film Festival’s monthly film series announced from the theatre stage last month that the first film selection of the 2025 classic series would be the 1997 favorite, “Good Will Hunting” on January 29, the audience erupted in applause.
And no wonder. It was the breakout film of two cute young unknown guys who grew up in Boston named Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Close friends since childhood, they co-wrote the script of GWH and, against all odds in an industry partial to proven winners, secured the services of a top director (Gus Van Sant), a first-rate cast (Robin Williams, Stellan Scarsgärd, and Minnie Driver among others), and garnered nine 1998 Academy Award nominations. It won two, including Best Screenplay for Affleck and Damon, the two youngest recipients ever to win that award (25 and 27, respectively). The screenplay began as a 40-page one-act play written by Matt Damon while a student at Harvard.
Both Damon and Affleck also starred in the film. It was the first and only Oscar for Robin Williams, who was named Best Actor in a Supporting Role. When Damon was asked in an interview years later years later about working with Robin Williams, his response was, “Robin. Wow. He was a very deep, deep river.”
Additional Oscar nominations were Best Picture (Lawrence Bender, producer), Best Actor (Damon), Best Supporting Actress in a Supporting Role (Minnie Driver), Best Director (Van Sant), Best Film Editing (Pietro Scalia), Best Original Song (Elliot Smith), and Best Original Dramatic Score (Danny Elfan).
“Good Will Hunting” will screen at Coronado’s Village Theatre, 820 Orange Avenue on Wednesday, January 29 at 5:30 p.m. Doors will open at 5 p.m. for a complementary “Meet and Greet Happy Hour” (and best seat selection). Tickets are $15, available now, and may be purchased at coronadofilmfest.com.
So come enjoy “Good Will Hunting” for what it is, a “timeless little opus that managed to make South Boston look romantic and happened to make Ben Affleck and Matt Damon some of the most deserving superstars in recent memory.” [IMDB user review}
Next month, on Wed., Feb 26, CIFF will present “What Women Want,” starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt: a film by a favorite filmmaker of ours, Nancy Myers (i.e. “The Holiday,” “Something’s Gotta Give,” “It’s Complicated,” “The Parent Trap”).
We’re still awaiting final approval of our complete 2025 film lineup. It’s one of our most exciting and we can’t wait to tell you about it!

FILM FORUM CORONADO: "Past Lives"
2025-02-05 18:00 - 20:45 | 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 5: Past Lives (2023, PG-13, 106 min)
Celine Song weaves her discreet magic in a sweeping romance that explores lost loves, changing identities and the road not taken. As fate reunites two childhood sweethearts for a week in NYC, the couple must grapple with issues of destiny and divergent life choices. With Emily Cass McDonnell, Greta Lee and John Magaro.

CIFF Student Classic Film: "Mrs. Miniver"
2025-02-16 13:00 | Winn Room, Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
The Coronado community is invited to the Library’s Winn Room for the first CIFF Student Classic Film of 2025. This “open to the entire community” screening will be William Wyler’s Best Picture Oscar winning classic “Mrs. Miniver.”
The complete Student Classic Series schedule and reservations are available on the CIFF website under the “Year-Round” dropdown tab. All Student Classic screenings are free.
LEARN MORE HERE:
The 2025 CIFF Student Classic Film Series: WWII – The War That Shaped Our World

FILM FORUM CORONADO: "Detour"
2025-02-19 18:00 - 20:45 | 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.
February 19: Detour (1945, Not Rated, 70 min)
Edgar Ulmer’s pulpy, Poverty Row masterpiece epitomizes the dark heart of film noir. A down-on-his-luck NY night club pianist (Tom Neal) hitchhikes across the country to rejoin his girlfriend, but fate tosses him into the clutches of the acid-tongued, snarling Vera (Ann Savage).
February 19 Bonus: Key Lime Pie (2007, Not Rated, 4 min)
Trevor Jimenez’s clever and creative noir homage uses all the noirish tropes to tell a tale of food lust. A man’s obsession with this savory deliciousness brings him face-to-face with the Grim Reaper.

Spoilers Book Club: "Their Eyes Were Watching God"
2025-02-22 14:00 - 18:00 | Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
The Spoilers Book Club reads books that are turned into movies. We read the book and get together to watch the film. We compare the two and discuss what we did and didn’t like.

Film Forum Coronado: "Midnight Special"
2025-03-05 18:00 - 20:45 | 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.
March 5: Midnight Special (2016, PG-13, 112 min)
Jeff Nichols fires the imagination in this shape-shifting, genre-defying sci-fi road movie. A father (Michael Shannon), his mysterious friend (Joel Edgerton), and his son (Jaeden Lieberher) with supernatural abilities go on the run to uncover the truth behind the special gifts, all the while pursued by shady government forces. Co-starring Adam Driver, Kirsten Dunst and Sam Shepard.

CIFF Student Classic Film Series: "They Were Expendable"
2025-03-16 13:00 - 16:00 | Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
They Were Expendable (John Ford, 1945, 2hr 15min)

The Coronado Island Film Festival’s (CIFF) Student Classic Film Study Program is open to any upper-middle and high school students attending public, charter, or parochial schools, as well as those who are homeschooled. All students are welcome to attend and join the post-screening moderated discussion.
The 2025 The War That Shaped Our World CIFF Student Classic Film Series continues – To honor the 80th Anniversary of the end of WWI, the 2025 CIFF Student Classic Film Series continues to present a slate of Hollywood film classics made during and/or about WWII on Sunday March 16 at 1PM in the Library’s Winn Room with an “open to the entire community” screening of Legendary Hollywood Director John Ford’s They Were Expendable starring Robert Montgomery, John Wayne and Donna Reed. WWII themed screenings will continue through May. The complete Student Classic Series schedule and reservations are available on the CIFF Website under the “Year-Round” dropdown tab. All Student Classic screenings are free.
In October 1944, General Douglas McArthur returned to the Philippines, as he had promised, after being evacuated to Australia in 1942. Less than a year later, Japan surrendered, ending the Second World War. Director John Ford’s 1945 They Were Expendable is based on a bestselling book of the same name recounting the heroic actions of Navy officers and sailors assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three during the disastrous fall of the Philippines in the wake of the December 7th 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Ford’s film is a fictionalized account of the exploits of Medal of Honor recipient John C. Bulkeley and the men of Squadron Three. Just before the fall of Corregidor, it was LT Bulkeley and his crew who evacuated MacArthur and his family aboard PT 41, a 77-foot motor torpedo boat, and carried them over 600 miles of open ocean to Mindanao, from where they were flown to Australia. As MacArthur put it, “You have taken me out of the jaws of death. I shall never forget it.”
MacArthur left behind more than 36,000 Army, Marine and Navy forces, including the men of Squadron Three, few of whom escaped the disastrous consequences of a military defeat that stunned our nation. The dogged resistance of those who remained delayed the Japanese advance. They bought, with their lives and blood, desperately needed time for the Pacific Fleet to rebuild and rearm to begin to take the fight to the enemy. More than 60,000 Filipino and 15,000 American prisoners of war suffered through the infamous 66-mile Bataan Death March. The film also honors The Angels of Bataan, the 11 Navy nurses, 67 Army nurses captured and imprisoned by the Japanese, the largest group of American women ever captured and imprisoned in wartime.
Director John Ford (then Captain Ford USNR on active duty) crafted a movie, with a screenplay by visionary Naval Aviator and Coronado legend, Frank “Spig” Wead (CDR USN Ret.), that tells a gripping story of honor, courage, and commitment, perhaps better than any other Navy themed film in Hollywood history. Ford’s unflinching dramatization of a disastrous military defeat examines the human and emotional costs of war and the impossibly difficult choices those who lead officers, sailors and, yes, even nurses, face in wartime. Starring Robert Montgomery, John Wayne and Donna Reed, this superb motion picture is a history lesson necessary and appropriate for all ages. It is a “must see” for all who have served our Navy and for all those whose loved ones who have served or are serving today in uniform.
The complete 2025 Student Classic schedule and reservations are available on the CIFF Website under the “Year-Round” dropdown tab. All Student Classic Film screenings are free.

FILM FORUM CORONADO: "The Quiet American"
2025-03-19 18:00 - 20:45 | 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.
March 19: The Quiet American (1958, TV-PG, 120 min)
In conjunction with the 2025 Coronado Community READ.
Find the full Coronado Community Read 2025 program here.
Joseph Mankiewicz directs Graham Greene’s eerily prophetic snapshot of U.S. meddling in Vietnamese politics in the turbulent 1950s. A world-weary British journalist (Michael Redgrave) and a liberal American aid worker (Audie Murphy) vie for the heart, mind and body of a Saigon woman (Georgia Moll). Largely shot on location in Saigon.

March Classic Film Screening: “To Catch a Thief” (1955)
2025-03-26 17:00 - 19:30 | Village Theatre, 820 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Coming to the big screen on Wednesday, March 26 at 5:30 p.m. at Coronado’s Village Theatre, 820 Orange Avenue. Doors open at 5 p.m. for a complimentary “Meet and Greet Happy Hour” (and best seat selection). Tickets are $15, are available now, and may be purchased at coronadofilmfest.com.
READ MORE ABOUT THE MOVIE PRESENTATION HERE:
CIFF Presents Hitchcock Charmer, “To Catch a Thief” (1955) on March 26

CIFF Student Classic Film: "Lifeboat" (1944)
2025-03-30 13:00 - 15:45 | Winn Room, Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
The Coronado Island Film Festival’s 2025 Student Classic Film Series presents Alfred Hitchcock’s “LIFEBOAT” on Sunday, March 30. The event begins at 1 pm and concludes at 3:45 pm and will be held in the Winn Room of the Coronado Public Library.

The 2025 “War That Shaped Our World” CIFF Student Classic Film Series will honor the 80th Anniversary of the end of WWII by screening legendary director Alfred Hitchcock’s 1944 classic, “Lifeboat.”
Featuring an outstanding ensemble cast, including Tallulah Bankhead, John Hodiak, William Bendix and Hume Cronin, “Lifeboat” is particularly noteworthy in Hitchcock’s filmography as the first example of the director challenging himself to tell a compelling story cinematically in a purposefully limited setting. The story is told entirely on and around a 36-foot lifeboat adrift at sea. In it, seven American and British survivors of a ship torpedoed and sunk, and a lone German survivor from the U-boat that was sunk while shelling their ship, struggle against the sea, the elements and one another, to stay alive in hope of rescue.
Hitchcock, Hollywood’s “Master of Suspense,” known for his gripping “edge of your seat” thrillers, was the creative force behind more than 50 feature films. “Lifeboat” not only limited its setting but is distinctive in being one of a very few Hitchcock and Hollywood films lacking any musical score. Loosely based on a short story by celebrated author John Steinbeck, “Lifeboat’s” dramatic narrative examines themes of authority, leadership, political culture, honesty, morality, and justice. Playing to audience emotion by cleverly manipulating cinematic limits, Hitchcock creates a tense, complex saga that is today recognized as both a magnificent dramatic and technical achievement. Lifeboat’s story demands both the characters and the audience confront difficult questions for which there are no easy answers. What may be required to fight and win a war? Must we become that which we condemn to do so?”
While most movie lovers are familiar with at least a few of Hitchcock’s more well-known movies, “Lifeboat” is a far too often overlooked classic. Any movie lover interested in the art of cinematic storytelling, the craft of filmmaking, and significant milestones in movie history won’t want to miss this unique opportunity to screen this groundbreaking Alfred Hitchcock classic!
The complete 2025 Student Classic schedule and reservations are available on the CIFF website under the “Year-Round” dropdown tab. All Student Classic Film screenings are free.

A Day of Relaxation and Entertainment
2025-04-11 11:00 - 14:00 | John D. Spreckels Center, 1019 Seventh Street, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Looking for a perfect way to unwind and connect with friends? The John D. Spreckels Center has two fantastic events lined up on April 11 that blend wellness, socializing, and entertainment into one memorable day.
Post Yoga Bites | 11 AM – 12 PM
After a refreshing session of Chair Yoga, stick around for Post Yoga Bites in the Grand Room, which will be transformed into a welcoming lunch hall. Enjoy a light meal, great conversation, and a relaxed atmosphere. Water and coffee will be provided, and the menu details will be available one month before the event. Registration is required 72 hours in advance, with a fee of $5 for residents and $7 for non-residents or at the door.
Film Friday | 12 PM – 2 PM
Continue your day of relaxation with Film Friday, featuring the captivating movie Where the Crawdads Sing. This emotional and beautifully shot film will be shown in a cozy, welcoming environment. Light refreshments will be provided to enhance your viewing experience. This event is free and open to all!
Make it a full day of wellness and entertainment at the John D. Spreckels Center! Whether you’re savoring a post-yoga meal or enjoying an afternoon film, these events are the perfect way to relax, connect, and enjoy the company of friends.
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 there!

Movie Night Under the Tents
2025-04-11 16:00 - 21:00 | Spreckels Park, 601 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
Kick off the Flower Show weekend with a cozy family movie night under the tents. The event will include whimsical kids’ activities, snacks, and a beer garden for parents.

CIFF Student Classic Film: "Twelve O'Clock High"
2025-04-13 13:00 - 15:45 | Winn Room, Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118, United States
“Stop making plans. Forget about going home. Consider yourselves already dead. Once you accept that idea, it won’t be so tough,” thus speaks Gregory Peck as Brigadier General Frank Savage to the men of 918th Bomb Group in 12 O’Clock High, the definitive dramatic film account of the American strategic bombing campaign in Europe during WWII.

The CIFF Student Classic Film Series continues with director Henry King’s 1949 classic, 12 O’Clock High. Starring Best Actor Oscar nominee Gregory Peck and featuring a Best Supporting Actor Oscar winning performance by Dean Jagger, 12 O’Clock High is significant as the first Hollywood feature after the war that took up the challenge of realistically showing the terrors of air combat. Before its release, few Americans understood the mental and emotional toll the strategic bombing campaign levied upon the aircrew who flew the missions and the enormous psychological burdens leadership imposed upon the men guiding their heroic efforts.
Based on the novel by co-authors Beirne Lay, Jr., and Sy Bartlett, 12 O’Clock High is the fictionalized account of their own experiences as Army Air Force officers in one of the first B-17 units sent to England to conduct an entirely new approach to air warfare. While still finishing their novel, the authors pitched 12 O’Clock High to Hollywood movie studios. Twentieth Century Fox’s Darryl F. Zanuck bought their story in 1948 for $100,000, a princely sum at the time. The use of actual footage taken by Allied and Luftwaffe aerial combat cameras lends unprecedented wartime authenticity to a film seldom equaled in the history of motion pictures. The film rightly earned the praise of those whose heroic exploits it recounts. 12 O’Clock High is a must-see to understand the history of American air warfare and the extraordinary challenges of leading aviators and airmen in combat. It stands alone as the only motion picture ever used concurrently for leadership training in both military officer programs and the Harvard Business School.
The complete 2025 Student Classic schedule and reservations are available on the CIFF Website under the “Year-Round” dropdown tab. All Student Classic Film screenings are free.

FILM FORUM CORONADO: "To Catch a Thief"
2025-04-16 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.
April 16: To Catch a Thief (1955, PG, 106 min)
70th Anniversary. Alfred Hitchcock packs along his obsessions in this cheeky diversion shot on the French Riviera. A chilly American socialite (Grace Kelly) tests a reformed jewel thief (Cary Grant) to see if “the cat” still prowls. Academy Award winner for Best Color Cinematography.

Hands-On Film Class with Tony Perri
2025-04-26 13:00 - 14:00 | 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.
