1. Newport Beach Film Festival

The Buzz -- Filmmakers from around the world descend upon Newport Beach every April to participate in this acclaimed festival, which lets more than 300 independent feature, short, documentary and animated films compete for jury and audience awards. In addition to screenings at Fashion Island and other venues, the festival offers Q&A sessions with featured screenwriters, directors, and cinematographers, giving fledging filmmakers the chance to pick the brains of more established peers.