A compelling collection of films that explore resilience, determination, and the challenges faced in pushing boundaries across different landscapes and stories. The films included in this showcase are: The Final Copy of Ilon Specht, Then Comes The Body, Winding Path, Motorcycle Mary, Destined To Play: The Untold Story of Saudi Women's Football. Q&A with filmmakers will immediately follow the screenings.

Culinary Cultural Collaboration: The story of Chef David Yárnoz (5 Michelin stars), who returns to Taiwan after 3 pandemic years to face the problems of bringing Spanish cuisine to the other side of the world. Meanwhile, in Taipei, local chef, Kai Ho (3 Michelin stars) tirelessly searches for influences to combine the produce of his […]

From Executive Producers Matthew Modine and Adam Rackoff, ''I Hope This Helps!'' is a humorous, genre-bending hybrid documentary that invites viewers to ponder the evolving relationship between humanity and technology. In the film, investigative journalist Daniel Freed enlists the help of Google''s AI chatbot, Bard, to collaborate on a documentary...about AI. Appearing in the blue, […]

Alan returns to his small Floridian hometown to find his sister Quinn all grown up. But when he discovers that their overbearing mother is sheltering Quinn because of her autism, he hatches a plan for them to run away together so that Quinn can pursue her dream of becoming a professional dancer.

Screening followed by a conversation about how comedy is a tool for discussion and social change. Screening Synopsis: While preparing for a live performance where she will iron her belly stretch marks flat, an artist struggles to balance the expectations of motherhood while fulfilling her wild creative side. Filmmaker + Producer and SDSU Professor Jessica […]

Dive into the creative fusion of music, film, and pop culture with the first-ever short film collaboration between the Coronado Island Film Festival (CIFF) and WONDERFRONT. This special engagement explores the powerful synergy between festivals and the arts, showcasing how music influences film and resonates across pop culture. Join key creatives as they discuss the […]

The films included in this showcase are: Burn Out, Head In The Clouds, Feet On the Ground, BestFriendAI, The Lights Above, Home Sweet Home, The Ballad of Tita and the Machines. Q&A with filmmakers will immediately follow the screenings.

Queen of the Ring is inspired by Jeff Leen''s book, chronicling the true story of Mildred Burke, the first million-dollar female athlete in history. The film follows Millie, a young single mother who defies societal norms by becoming a professional wrestler during a time when female wrestling was illegal in most of the U.S. Starting […]

Northern Lights, winner of the Camera d’Or for Best First Feature at the 1979 Cannes International Film Festival and many other prizes around the world, is a classic American independent film. Originally released in 1978, this is the new 4K restoration produced in 2024. Against a backdrop of a bitter winter on the Dakota prairie […]

More than a culinary icon, Marcella was a pillar of resilience whose life story is presented in this captivating film. Overcoming early life challenges, including the loss of full function in her right hand, Marcella went on to earn a dual doctorate in the sciences before immigrating to New York. There she reinvented herself, becoming […]

When a Greek diner owner is diagnosed with dementia, he imagines himself as a late-night talk show host, putting his wife’s love to the ultimate test. Synopsis: Yianni and Plousia (Joe Cortese and Julia Ormond) own a charming family diner by the beach, where Yianni is a convivial host. Lately, Plousia has noticed that her […]

The world seems to be coming to an end, teeming with the vestiges of a human presence. Cat is a solitary animal, but as its home is devastated by a great flood, he finds refuge on a boat populated by various species, and will have to team up with them despite their differences. In the […]

PRESCREENING RECEPTION 6:00-7:00 PM: Enjoy the Vista Terrace as the sun sets on the final night of the film festival, then head off to your Closing Night feature. FILM BEGINS: 7:00PM Vista Terrace Hotel del Coronado FILM: 1939 Classic Wizard of Oz Celebrate the 85th Anniversary of this classic film, just in time to relive […]

Closing Night Feature  CIFF is honored to present a special screening of The Seed of the Sacred Fig, a searing drama by acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof. Known for his fearless criticism of authoritarian regimes, Rasoulof has long been a target of Iran’s hardline conservative government. Facing persecution for his work, Rasoulof was forced to […]