Exclusive CIFF guided walking tours throughout festival weekend
Festival week on Coronado Island is about more than what's on the screen. Our friends at So Diego Tours — a locally owned and operated San Diego tour company led by passionate local guides — are offering CIFF guests an exclusive discount on two unforgettable Coronado experiences. Whether you're drawn to ghost stories and Victorian intrigue or prefer a sun-soaked morning stroll through island history, there's a tour for every kind of explorer.
Haunted Walking Tour of Coronado
Friday, November 6 at 9:30 PM | Saturday, November 7 at 8:00 PM
After the credits roll, the real mystery begins. Join So Diego's expert guides for a spine-tingling after-dark walking tour through the haunted history of Coronado Island. From the legendary Hotel del Coronado — home to San Diego's most famous ghost, the tragic Kate Morgan, who checked in in 1892 and never checked out — to the gilded Victorian mansions and secret stories that line these storied streets, this tour weaves together history, folklore, and just enough mystery to keep you looking over your shoulder.
Your guide, a certified Coronado ambassador, will lead you through landmark locations including the former Spreckels mansion and the iconic Hotel del Coronado grounds, sharing the hidden and haunted history of the island like only a true local can.
→ Book the Haunted Walking Tour
Coronado Morning Walking Tour
Sunday, November 8 at 8:00 AM
Start your final festival morning the right way — with a golden-hour stroll through one of California's most beloved islands. So Diego's Coronado Walking Tour takes you through the island's rich cinematic and cultural history, past the iconic landmarks, hidden gems, and scenic spots that make Coronado a place unlike anywhere else in the world.
With a knowledgeable local guide leading the way, you'll come away with a deeper appreciation for the island you've been calling home all week — and maybe a few new favorite spots to add to your list. The perfect Sunday morning before heading into our closing day.
→ Book the Morning Walking Tour
About So Diego Tours
So Diego is a locally owned and operated tour company built by San Diegans who are obsessed with their city. Their guides are passionate locals who bring history, humor, and insider knowledge to every tour — the kind of experience you simply can't get from a guidebook. CIFF is proud to partner with them to help our guests discover the magic of Coronado on and off the screen.
Friday, November 6 & Saturday, November 7
9:00 PM – Midnight
When the credits roll, head upstairs. The Dive, the rooftop lounge atop The Bower Coronado, becomes Festival headquarters after dark, welcoming guests for two exclusive late-night gatherings on Friday and Saturday evening.
Open exclusively for Coronado Island Film Festival guests until midnight, The Dive is the perfect place to gather after an evening premiere, continue conversations sparked by the day's films, or unwind after exploring Coronado on one of our late-night ghost tours.
Enjoy a special Festival food and cocktail menu, available for purchase throughout the evening, while taking in the relaxed rooftop atmosphere overlooking the heart of Coronado. Whether you're celebrating with fellow filmmakers, reconnecting with friends, or making new ones, there's no better place to end the night.
No tickets or reservations required — just come as you are and keep the festival going.
Good Morning Badge Holders! Donuts and Coffee
Badge holders start the day off right with a dash of sugar and a kick of caffeine.
Served in the Hospitality Center Thursday-Sunday!
The entertainment landscape is evolving at lightning speed. From AI and streaming dominance to shifting audience habits and Hollywood’s new realities, industry leaders explore the forces reshaping film and television. Gain insights into the future of content creation, marketing, and distribution in this pivotal conversation.
Presented by MovieMaker
Moderated by : Tim Malloy, editor of MovieMaker Magazine and MovieMaker.com, writing about the art and craft of moviemaking, as well as film schools, festivals and more.
James Oliver:
James Aaron Oliver is an actor, writer, producer with an extensive early career in Equity Theatre, TV and film as an Actor and later as a Screenwriter, Producer, and Executive Producer on several films under his company BLKBRD Films. He was an acting company member at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for several seasons and as a recurring co-star for three seasons on NBC’s Frasier as well as several independent and studio films. He is an Executive Producer on the British film INLAND Starring Mark Rylance and a Co-Producer alongside Wim Wenders on the Polish independent film Roving Woman. He recently sold his first screenplay to a major production company to be filmed later this year with an unannounced A-list actor and high profile auteur Director. He is currently setting up his next film, a thriller set in Italy for 2026. His company BLKBRD specializes in film finance, investor relationships, film development and hands-on production services. James is also a native to Coronado with close family recently returning to live on the island.
Bettina Sherick is an entertainment digital marketing veteran and President/Founder of Hollywood In Pixels, a nonprofit dedicated to celebrating and preserving theatrical digital marketing innovation. She began her career at 20th Century Fox, rising to SVP of Strategic Digital Marketing at Fox International, where she led global teams on groundbreaking campaigns, including award-winning campaigns for AVATAR, THE SIMPSONS MOVIE, the X-MEN franchise, and LIFE OF PI. She then held leadership roles in digital, data, and innovation at Warner Bros. and at 20th Century Fox before most recently serving as Head of Digital Intelligence at Prime Video, overseeing audience insights for the first season of THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER and launching their global social intelligence program. An active AMPAS member, she has served eight terms on the Marketing & PR Branch Executive Committee, and chaired the Student Academy Awards Executive Committee for five terms. Sherick also sits on Loyola Marymount University’s advisory council for its Masters in Entertainment Leadership. She is the recipient of the CLIO Entertainment Impact Award and the Coronado Island Film Festival Trailblazer Award (2024), was twice named to Variety’s Digital Impact Report (2019, 2022), and received the Advanced Imaging Society’s Distinguished Leadership Award (2018).
Brian Walker Brian is a versatile change agent with over a decade of experience working at the intersection of culture, digital media, social enterprise, and social justice. For over eight years, Brian was the Chief Operating Officer of The Creative Mind Group, he has also formerly directed social impact campaigns and digital strategy at Participant Media and served as the first Culture and Entertainment Advocacy Director at Color of Change. Most recently, Brian served as a Stakeholder Engagement Leader with the Enterprise Diversity & Inclusion group at The Walt Disney Company. Brian also currently serves on the board of Made In Her Image, an organization dedicated to the advancement of young women, girls, and non-binary youth of color within film, media, and technology.
Aaron Roberts is an industry lifer, starting work as a PA on his father’s award-winning commercial sets as early as 10 years old. Since then, Aaron has helped build multi-million dollar creative agencies routinely working with publicly traded tech and hospitality brands, and is working with the city of Chula Vista on developing a next-generation film studio and creative campus to re-ignite the film industry in San Diego again.
Good Morning Starshine! Donuts and Coffee
Badge holders start the day off right with a dash of sugar and a kick of caffeine.
Served in the Hospitality Center Thursday-Sunday!
Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!
The Coronado Island Film Festival (CIFF) welcomes makers and lovers of film from all over the world to the storied seaside village of Coronado, California to celebrate the magical art of visual storytelling. Coronado’s enduring love affair with Hollywood began more than a century ago.