The Fourth Annual, 2025 Beach Break Film Festival, running December 28–30 in Half Moon Bay, California, presents a highly-curated selection of cinema that addresses urgent social issues and celebrates artistic prestige, featuring films connected to the legendary Coppola cinematic family and an urgent slate of advocacy-focused documentaries.

Get your tickets now and join us for entertaining, important films and conversations.  We are offering 16 films over three days. Three dramas and impact driven stories.

The three-day event, guided by the theme of human resilience, opening night film is the Lionsgate-acclaimed feature Fairyland, an adaptation of Alysia Abbott’s memoir produced by Sofia Coppola. This poignant story chronicles a unique father-daughter bond in bohemian San Francisco, later shadowed by the AIDS crisis. The festival closes with Brother Verses Brother, a radical cinematic experiment directed by Ari Gold and inspired by Francis Ford Coppola’s “Live Cinema” concept. The Tuesday program features Director, Jacqueline Christy’s (special appearance) Magic Hour, beautifully crafted storytelling in her emotional, inspiring, and refreshing debut feature starring Miriam Shor (Younger). It’s a film that encourages viewers to take risks, embrace reinvention, and go after their dreams—no matter their age.

Advocacy, Democracy, and the Fight for Freedom

The festival’s lineup provides a platform for critical national dialogue. The centerpiece documentary, The Librarians, directed by award-winning social issue filmmaker Kim A. Snyder, tackles the “unprecedented wave of book banning” and censorship across the US. Snyder’s work arrives with immediate prestige, as her concurrent documentary, DEATH BY NUMBERS, was recently nominated for the Best Documentary Short Film at the 97th Academy Awards in January 2025.  

Other key films in the advocacy slate include:

• The Last Class: A deeply personal portrait of former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich as he teaches his final course at UC Berkeley, providing a candid analysis of widening economic inequality.  
• Dukakis – Recipe for Democracy: A short documentary catching up with former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, who remains an entrenched public servant and democracy mentor at age 85.  
• The Changebaker: The story of a Colombian immigrant who finds the American dream and turns his North Carolina bakery into a “hub for local activism and a symbol of hope and resilience.”  

The Coastal Experience and Audience Access

The BBFF offers a distinct coastal destination experience, encouraging attendees to “Make it a holiday, journey to the coast, and plan a getaway”. The festival has partnered with local institutions and will feature Q&As with many special guests and Directors following screenings, including Fairyland, The Librarians, and the wonderfully personal, Skin of Glass by East Bay local, Denise Zmekhol.  

The weekend is bookended by high-quality hospitality:

• The Opening Night reception on December 28th sponsored by the TDB Family Foundation features food by Shiki Sushi Half Moon Bay, Barterra Winery, and live music by Lucas Wieser on piano. Donate today 
• The Closing Night reception on December 30th includes dinner from Cameron’s Pub, wine from Barterra Winery, and music by Ethan Gold and followed by DJ Alex Pasternak.
• Official Hotel Partners include The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay and The Half Moon Bay Lodge.