The Casino Building will be just one venue used during the Catalina Film Festival
Catalina Island and Hollywood have a love affair that has lasted a century. Thanks to its proximity to Southern California, Catalina Island was long a favorite for location scouts in search of exotic locales – or at least someplace that could be made to look like an exotic locale. Mutiny on the Bounty, Robinson Crusoe and the Glass Bottom Boat are a just a few of the dozens of movies that have either featured Catalina or used Catalina as a stand-in for somewhere else.
Hollywood’s love of Catalina Island extends off screen as well. For generations, the film industry’s biggest stars and biggest names have looked to the island for a getaway, enjoying Catalina’s many charms and adventures.
The Catalina Film Festival is the latest incarnation of that love affair. With more than 75 films, nightly events and live entertainment, the festival provides an opportunity to celebrate the art of film and the filmmakers who create that art.
Scheduled for Sept. 24 to 28, the Catalina Film Festival will screen films in several Avalon venues, including the world-famous Avalon Theatre in the Casino. Several awards will be presented as part of the festival, including the Ronald Reagan Great Communicator Award, the Stanley Kramer Social Artist Award and the Charlie Chaplin ICON award. The festival beneficiary, the Catalina Island Conservancy, will present the ISLA Earth Award.
Tickets are available for individual events or the entire festival.