Newport Film Fest Winners Named

Replete with red carpets, glitzy parties, filmmaker Q&As, gallons of popcorn, and movies of every stripe, the 13th Annual Newport Beach Film Festival did not disappoint. 

For a week, Newport Beach was transformed into a mini-Hollywood, sans the high-maintenance celebrities and stalking paparazzi. Some 52,000 film buffs visited local theaters to mix and mingle with the stars and creators of outstanding cinema. 

The highlights included the , Friday night's Lexus afterparty, Orange Coast College students premiering their short films, red carpet premieres of Decade of Dominance and Should've Been Romeo, the Absolut Party at Equinox, intimate screenings at the revamped , Fashion Island parties with cultural entertainment, and sold-out screenings and candlelight vigils for Behind the Orange Curtain. 

The NBFF has just released its 2012 Festival Award Winners:

Jury Awards

Best Feature: Apartment in Athens

Best Actor: Gerasimos Skiadareisis, Apartment in Athens

Best Actress: Melanie Laurent, The First Day I Saw Your Heart

Best Director: Jennifer Devoldere, The First Day I Saw Your Heart

Best Feature Documentary: The War Around Us

2012 Audience Awards

Feature: Not That Funny

Documentary: High Ground/Brooklyn Castle

Action Sports Feature: H2INDO

Short Film: Love at First Sight

2012 Newport Beach Film Festival Honors

Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking: Peace, Love and Understanding

Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking (Family): Magic Camp

Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking (Environmental): Last Call at the Oasis

Orange County Filmmaking Award:

For a full list of winners, visit newportbeachfilmfest.com