Carmel International Film Festival

08/17/2026

Carmel International film Festival pays tribute to star of the Carmel movie "The Forger," Hayden Pannettiere. Our sincerest condolences go out to the Panettiere family.

08/17/2026

Carmel International Film Festival would like to pay their respects to the Panettiere family upon hearing of the passing of actress Hayden Panettiere, star of the Carmel-by-the-Sea movie "The Forger," "Heroes," and "Nashville."

Carmel local and film festival co-director Lawrence Roeck created and directed the movie "The Forger" based on the concept of a 15 year old art prodigy, played by actor Josh Hutcherson, who is lured into the world of international art forgery by a crooked Carmel art dealer, played by screen legend Alfred Molina.

Hayden and her brother Jansen spent many weeks roaming the town of Carmel, its beaches, and met many of our local residents during the 25 day film shoot in and around Carmel by the Sea. It was an innocent time for the two siblings, providing a respite from the rigors of the film and television industry. During production Hayden stated that she "loved how clean Carmel was and how she could walk anywhere without people taking pictures." Jansen stated that he "wanted to go surfing at Carmel Beach." Both appeared like any young kids visiting Carmel on summer vacation. While in Carmel, Hayden, a devout animal activist and protester of the Taiji Dolphin Massacre, was also able to visit with the Eastwood Family to see their much-loved menagerie of pets at their home in Pebble Beach.

Carmel International Film Festival will be playing a scene from "The Forger" at our event in October with a special local tribute to her time spent in Carmel-by the Sea.

Our sincere condolences to the family and fans of Hayden Panettiere. 💐❤️🌊

The Forger Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im8dLeSjHSM&t=3s

The Forger Full Movie on TUBI: https://tubitv.com/movies/514510/the-forger

08/14/2026

Volunteer positions are now open for the 2026 Carmel International Film Festival! Receive a pass, spend time with the stars, and see some amazing films.

Sign up now at Ciffest.com!

**VOLUNTEER SIGN UP NOW OPEN**

Spend a day behind the scenes! If you're a film lover, problem-solver, producer-in-the-making, or just like volunteering to make great things happen in our community, Carmel International Film Festival needs YOU. 🌊🎬

Carmel International Film Festival (CIFFest) returns October 1-4, 2026 and is calling for VOLUNTEERS to help celebrate filmmaking as a vital part of our culture, and keep the world’s oldest international film festival thriving in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Join the CIFFest Volunteer Crew and help make the magic happen. 🌟 If you volunteer for at least four hours, you'll receive a complimentary All Access 1 Day Pass (good for the same day at least one shift of active volunteer service is completed).

There’s something for everyone:
• Welcoming guests as a greeter
• Ushering audiences into screenings
• Helping with set-up
• Check-ins: VIPs and Pass holders
• Selling: Festival Passes, Concessions, and Merchandise
• Assisting at Industry Panels, Parties, and Mixers
• Breaking down and clean-up

Your energy, reliability, love of film and community are all that's necessary. No production experience required. You'll meet VIP filmmakers, see incredible movies, and network with fellow creatives while helping to grow our film community on the Central Coast. 🎥

Questions about volunteering? Please email: [email protected]

To complete the Volunteer Sign-up Form, visit: https://ciffest.com/volunteer/

08/14/2026

**Meet Carmel International Film Festival Team Member Chris Van Oosten***

Carmel International Film Festival would not exist in its present form without the hard work of branding, web design, and graphic design (along with so many other unsung duties) of expert Chris Van Oosten at CreatiVants SEO & Website Marketing. From the very beginning of our efforts to bring Carmel International Film Festival back to the community Chris and his lovely wife Karilyn have been there helping, shaping the vision, and providing their undying support. We owe them both a great debt of gratitude.

Chris Van Oosten is a technology and operations strategist with more than 20 years of experience helping organizations improve how they operate, grow, and engage the people they serve. As Principal of CreatiVants, he works at the intersection of business strategy, technology, marketing, and operations—designing integrated systems, digital experiences, automation, and data-driven workflows that simplify complex processes and support sustainable growth. Throughout his career, Chris has led initiatives spanning organizational transformation, revenue growth, strategic planning, digital marketing, CRM and marketing automation, systems integration, and AI-enabled business solutions. His work is grounded in a systems-thinking approach: understanding how people, processes, technology, and information connect, then designing practical solutions that make organizations more efficient and effective. He has worked across corporate, nonprofit, economic development, and mission-driven environments, bringing together strategic vision, technical expertise, and creative problem-solving to turn complex organizational challenges into actionable solutions.

08/12/2026

Mark Mancina, Graham Yost, and Mark Duplass at the 2025 Carmel International Film Festival.

08/11/2026

Mark Duplass at the 2025 Carmel International Film Festival

08/11/2026

Lion King composer Mark Mancina talks about "Shawshank Redemption" at the 2025 Carmel International Film Festival

08/11/2026

Lion King composer and Carmel by the Sea resident Mark Mancina talks about the reason for moving to Carmel at the 2025 Carmel International Film Festival.

08/11/2026

Graham Yost of SILO talks about his projects in the industry at the 2025 Carmel International Film Festival. CIFFest 2026 is October 1-4!