Taron Egerton, Paul Mescal, Letitia Wright and More Featured in 'Newport Beach Film Festival UK Honours' To Premiere on PBS SoCal and KCET on July 26 and 27
Press Contact
Kellan Jenner
747-201-5224
kjenner@pmgsocal.org
Los Angeles, Calif. – June 27, 2023 – PBS SoCal and KCET Southern California’s flagship PBS stations, in partnership with the Newport Beach Film Festival announced today the broadcast premiere of the NEWPORT BEACH FILM FESTIVAL UK HONOURS. Demonstrating the power of film and the strong ties between SoCal and the UK, the Londoner Hotel provides the backdrop for a celebration of the best of UK and Irish talent in film and television. Personal interviews include, acclaimed actor Bill Nighy, Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro, actors Letitia Wright, Taron Egerton, Paul Mescal and Toby Jones. Also featured, Variety's 10 Brits to Watch. The 30-minute special will premiere locally in Southern California on Wed., Jul. 26 at 10 p.m. on KCET with an encore on Thurs., Jul. 27 at 9:30 p.m. on PBS SoCal. It will also be available free on the PBS App and to stream at www.pbssocal.org/newportbeach
“Our steadfast support of global voices and international perspectives is reflected in all that we do. We are truly grateful to be able to partner with PBS SoCal/KCET to share this celebration of remarkable UK talent with the PBS audience," says Newport Beach Film Festival Co-Founder Gregg Schwenk.
The Outstanding Achievement in British Cinema Award will be presented to producers Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley, as well as Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro (writer) for the new film “Living” starring Bill Nighy.
Six honorees – Letitia Wright (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”), Paul Mescal (“Aftersun”), Taron Egerton (“Blackbird”), Naomi Ackie (“Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody”), Gemma Chan (“Don’t Worry Darling”) and Toby Jones (“Empire of Light,” “The Wonder”) – will receive 2023 Artist of Distinction Awards, presented to individuals known for their contribution to the arts and an overriding commitment to their craft to tell unique and bold stories. Dafne Keen (“His Dark Materials”), Aimee Lou-wood (“Living”), Lydia West (“Inside Man”), Micheal Ward (“Empire of Light”) and Nicola Coughlan (“Bridgerton”) will receive Breakout Awards.
Highlighted are Variety’s 10 Brits to Watch, which also include the following: Bella Ramsey (“The Last of Us”), Leo Woodall (“The White Lotus”), India Amarteifio (“Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story”), Benjamin Caron (“Sharper”) and Frankie Corio (“Aftersun”).
For 20 years, the Newport Beach Film Festival has included a dedicated UK showcase during its 10-day program. Starting in 2015, the film festival and Visit Newport Beach partnered to elevate the connection to the UK industry by honoring talent via the NEWPORT BEACH FILM FESTIVAL UK HONOURS held in London.
About the Newport Beach Film Festival
Recognized as one of the largest luxury lifestyle film festivals in the United States, the Newport Beach Film Festival brings an international curated collection of films and vibrant cultural gatherings to the beautiful Southern California coast. Committed to championing the work of original storytellers from around the globe, the festival celebrates contemporary screen culture, cinematic excellence and engages the community in compelling conversations with filmmakers and artists. For more information visit www.NewportBeachFilmFest.com.
About PBS SoCal and KCET
PBS SoCal and KCET are both part of the donor-supported community institution, the Public Media Group of Southern California. PBS SoCal is the flagship PBS station for diverse people across California and delivers content and experiences that inspire, inform and educate. PBS SoCal offers the full slate of beloved PBS programs including MASTERPIECE, NOVA, PBS NewsHour, FRONTLINE, and a broad library of documentary films with works from Ken Burns; as well as educational content including PBS KIDS programs like DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD and CURIOUS GEORGE. KCET showcases the best of PBS and is a leading source for arts, culture, and news in Southern California. Through innovative storytelling, KCET explores and expresses our dynamic local communities helping residents understand and connect with the region's diverse communities and ideas. For additional information about both KCET and PBS SoCal productions, web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community events, please visit kcet.org and pbssocal.org KCET Originals and PBS programming are available to stream on the FREE PBS App on iOS and Android devices, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, and Chromecast. KCET is also available to watch live on YouTube TV.