The Long Beach International Film Festival kicked off Wednesday night with a screening of “IT AIN’T OVER,” a feature documentary that explores the life of New York Yankees baseball giant Yogi Berra, who was simultaneously revered for his sportsmanship and reduced to a caricature for his personal antics. The film highlights his playing days but also tells his life story as an Italian immigrant, a soldier in the military on D-Day, his personal relationships, and his legacy.
Taking place from July 27 to 30 in Long Beach, the festival will screen an international slate of more than 40 films, including feature-length narrative, documentary, short, and animated that will compete for a series of Jury Awards.
Guests can enjoy free, live screenings on the beach in front of the Allegria Hotel (80 West Broadway, Long Beach) nightly at sunset. Bring a lawn chair and blanket. Pre-registration is required at longbeachfilm.com.
At the annual Chefs & Shorts five-course, wine-paired dinner, where films inspire the fare, festival goers will meet filmmakers, chefs, producers, and local business owners, all while enjoying the sights and sounds of the City of Long Beach on Long Island.
The Long Beach International Film Festival began in late summer 2012 and showcased nine short films and documentaries during the inaugural event. In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy struck Long Beach, flooding and destroying the city’s only movie theater and jeopardizing the future of the film festival. But the show must go on! With the help and grant money from Nassau County, LBIFF hosted a successful 2013 season and has continued to do so each year, including presenting a virtual festival during the course of the Covid-19 pandemic.
