BEVERLY HILLS, CA It’s a milestone for the 25th annual Beverly Hills Film Festival® (BHFF) returning to their namesake city to commemorate 25 years of cinematic artistry April 1-6, 2025.
With over 350 films in competition, the 25th edition of the Beverly Hills Film Festival® kicks off six days of cinema celebrations, opening on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 with the World Premiere of Hello Beautiful, the festival’s spotlight feature film, based on the life of cancer survivor Christine Handy, starring Tricia Helfer; alongside the World Premiere of All There Is starring Jason Priestley, Mena Suvari, Elsie Fisher (confirmed to attend); and and The Last Gunfight, World Premiere, starring Jon Voight, Adam Woodward, Eloise Anderson, Charlotte Vega, Rade Sherbedgia.
Opening Night Red Carpet arrivals begin at 5 p.m., with film screenings starting at 1:15 p.m., at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres, (6801 Hollywood Boulevard). The Opening Night After Party will be hosted at The Beverly Hilton (9876 Wilshire Blvd) following the World Premiere screenings.
“We’re going big AND going home!” says President and Founder Nino Simone, an entrepreneur and philanthropist who started the festival in the year 2000 with a mission to bridge international films and industry pioneers into the heart of the Beverly Hills landscape. “This anniversary is unlike any other,” he continues, “We’re celebrating a quarter-century of festival magic, while ushering in a new era and exclusive partnership with an iconic hotel, The Beverly Hilton.”
Stepping into the spotlight as the new host of the annual Closing Night Awards Gala, The Beverly Hilton will set the stage for the Beverly Hills Film Festival to honor their 2025 Jury winners and distinguished honorees on Sunday, April 6. This BHFF marquee, red-carpet event, sold-out year after year, will unite iconic figures from the world of cinema to celebrate the visionary filmmakers and screenwriters whose work has defined the festival.
“We are delighted to partner with the Beverly Hills Film Festival to welcome filmmakers, guests, and movie enthusiasts to The Beverly Hilton,’ shares David Ecija, General Manager. “As an iconic hotel with deep ties to film, artistry and Hollywood history, we’re proud to be part of this milestone celebration. We believe events like this enrich our culture, inspire creativity and bring people together. We look forward to continuing our tradition of supporting the power of cinema in our vibrant community”.
The 25th annual Beverly Hills Film Festival® runs Tuesday, April 1, 2025, through Saturday, April 5, 2025, with a stacked program of premiere screenings, international masterpieces and red-carpet events, closing with the exclusive Awards Gala and Silver (Screen) Anniversary at The Beverly Hilton on Sunday, April 6, 2025.
For the complete festival program, daily schedule, tickets and passes: beverlyhillsfilmfestival.com.
OPENING NIGHT: TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2025
All Films screen at TCL Chinese 6 Theatres at Ovation Hollywood (6801 Hollywood Boulevard)
OPENING NIGHT SPOTLIGHT: Hello Beautiful (World Premiere) Directed by Ziad Hamzeh, 7:45 p.m.
Hello Beautiful is a powerful and emotionally charged film that delves into the harrowing yet transformative journey of Willow, a successful model whose life is shattered by a devastating breast cancer diagnosis. Based on Executive Producer Christine Handy’s bestselling novel Walk Beside Me, the film explores themes of identity, resilience, and the enduring strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity. Cast Confirmed to Attend: Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica), Tarek Bishara, Sadie Stratton & Lisa Marcos
All There Is, (World Premiere) Directed by Kit Williamson, 5:45 p.m
FEATURE: A troubled teenager’s world is upended when a tragedy involving her best friend is blamed on her filmmaker father’s controversial sci-fi movie. Cast Confirmed to Attend: Mena Suvari, Elsie Fisher
The Last Gunfight (World Premiere) Directed by James Bamford, 8:15 p.m.
FEATURE: In a high-stakes underground tournament, the world’s fiercest fighters, including corporate mercenaries and elite warriors, clash in a brutal survival game where alliances shift, betrayals are common, and the ultimate prize is a path to redemption – or death. Let the games begin! Starring: Jon Voight, Adam Woodward, Eloise Anderson, Charlotte Vega, Rade Sherbedgia
Cash Collector (World Premiere) Directed by Dominique Milano, 3:45 p.m.
FEATURE: Camera, action and cash collection. A new breed of TV reality show where your illegal cash stash can be collected without warning by highly trained agents. Cast Confirmed to Attend: Angie Everhart, Michael Madsen, Costas Mandylor, Blake Boyd, Johnny Messner, Leslie Zemeckis, Alana De Freitas
Vespertine, produced by Jillian Shea Spaeder, Directed by Lauri Levenfeld, Grace Wethor, 5:30 p.m.
SHORT: An assault on a top female entertainment lawyer fast-tracks a reunion for four long-lost friends- a “die or awaken” offering from a poisonous desert flower turns daytime debauchery into a kaleidoscope tale of sisterhood where unresolved trauma seeds revenge that could only be female.
Welcome To Klyde’s Kitchen, Directed by Sonia Bajaj, 6 p.m.
SHORT: A brash young business executive (Ezekiel Bridges), charged with a DUI, is sentenced to performing community service at a homeless center, where he serves indigents against his will and despite his prejudices. A new visitor, a ragged homeless man (Beau Bridges,) and the homeless center’s manager (Sana Saeed,) teach him the value of caring for the forgotten. Cast Confirmed to Attend: Beau Bridges, Ezekiel Bridges, Sana Saeed
Stooper, Directed by Bennett Watanabe, 6 p.m.
SHORT: An estranged dad takes his ten-year-old son to the horse races to gamble the kid’s birthday money in the hopes of a winning a new bike. Cast Confirmed to Attend: Emile Hirsch, Valor Hirsch
BHFF HIGHLIGHTS
Resurgo: Detroit, Directed by Stephen McGee, Wednesday, April 2, 5:45 p.m.
DOC FEATURE: A $1 house? Detroit, once home to America’s greatest ruins like Michigan Central Station is now the comeback story of the century. Between 1910-1960 Detroit became known as the richest cities in the world. When the main industry left town, so did 2 million white people and Detroit’s narrative shift to its post-industrial ruins. So, what about the people who chose to stay? A documentary film 20 years in the making.
Martin Scorsese, My Life in Music, Directed by Clara Kuperberg, Julia Kuperberg, Wednesday, April 2, 6 p.m.
DOC FEATURE: Martin Scorsese is renowned for his masterful use of music in his films. His relationship with music is deep and complex; he considers it a crucial element of cinematic storytelling. In many of his films, music plays a role almost as important as the characters themselves. It can serve to underscore the characters’ emotions, reinforce the film’s themes, or evoke a particular era.
Longevity Hackers, Directed by Michal Siewierski, Thursday, April 3, 9:15 p.m.
DOC FEATURE: Narrated by Academy Award Nominee Edward Norton, Longevity Hackers takes you on a journey to discover the latest research and science breakthroughs in the field of longevity, anti-aging and life extension. Discover how the human race might be approaching immortality. Features Tony Robbins, Steve Aoki, Mark Cuban, Tony Hawk, Wim Hof, Tony Horton, Bryan Johnson
Legend Has It (World Premiere) Directed by Niall Johnson, Friday, April 4, 5:30 p.m.
FEATURE: When a misfit teenager, stumbles upon a magical portal to the mythical Hidden Kingdom, the very same place his mother used to tell him stories about, he soon discovers his true destiny: To become a prophesied warrior, who as legend has it, must destroy an ancient evil curse. Cast: Rupert Everett, Tamsin Greig, Emilia Fox, Harry Gilby, Robyn Cara, Imani Yahshua, Georgina Sadler, Huw Novelli
The Comic Shop (West Coast Premiere) Directed by Jonathan L. Bowen, Saturday, April 5, 7:40 p.m.
FEATURE: A former illustrator, Mike runs a struggling comic shop in suburban Las Vegas. Disillusioned by his life at middle age, his dreams seemingly long behind him, he struggles with alcohol abuse. When a young customer, Brandon, moves to town and takes interest in his shop and illustrating skills, the two form an unlikely friendship that leads Mike back toward his dreams with Brandon hoping to follow. Cast/Crew Confirmed to Attend: Jesse Metcalfe, Tristin Mays, Micah Giovanni, Anthony Palermo
CLOSING NIGHT FILM: Dwelling Among the Gods Directed by Vuk Ršumovic, Saturday, April 5, 8:15 p.m.
INT. FEATURE: In 2015, as Hungary prepares to close its borders to refugees, a young Afghan woman and her family reach Belgrade during their exhausting journey to Europe. There, she discovers her younger brother Ali, who arrived in Serbia before them, has drowned and will soon be buried unnamed. While thousands rush desperately towards Hungary’s closing borders, she refuses to leave Belgrade before burying her brother under his proper name. The true story of modern Antigone.
CALENDAR LISTING
25th Annual International Beverly Hills Film Festival®
April 1-6, 2025
www.beverlyhillsfilmfestival.
The 25th Annual International Beverly Hills Film Festival® takes place April 1-6, 2025 with world-class screenings, industry events, and the annual red-carpet Awards Gala, held at The Beverly Hilton. Get inspired, make connections, and commemorate 25 years of cinematic artistry. For more info: beverlyhillsfilmfestival.com. The annual International Beverly Hills Film Festival® was founded in 2000 by award-winning filmmaker Nino Simone, in the backyard of the entertainment capital of the world. By linking the groundbreaking talent of international filmmakers and exposing the industry to the latest innovations in cinematic intelligence, the Beverly Hills Film Festival (BHFF) is considered among the most respected and influential film festivals across the globe.
Website: beverlyhillsfilmfestival.com
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