Academy Award nominees Roy E. Disney and Don Hahn will visit the 2008 Newport Beach Film Festival in California to present an evening of rarely seen Disney animated shorts and experimental films. The program will take place on Wednesday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m. in the art deco Lido Theater in Newport Beach, giving audiences an opportunity to view a number of classic titles and more recent shorts not yet available on DVD.
Among the films to be presented are How to Hook-Up Your Home Theater (2007) starring Goofy, the Oscar-nominated films The Little Match Girl (2006), Lorenzo (2005), Destino (2003), and Redux Riding Hood (1998). Also on the bill is the experimental film Oilspot & Lipstick (1987), Disney’s first foray into computer animation, as well as vintage Mickey Mouse shorts to be screened in honor of the big cheese’s 80th anniversary.
Disney and Hahn will be joined by Disney vet David Bossert, creative director at Walt Disney Animation Studios Special Projects, in telling the stories behind each film. The Nephew of Walt Disney, Roy Disney was particularly close to the making of Destino, which his uncle and artist Salvador Dali started more than 50 years ago. Roy teamed with director Dominique Monfery to finish the art piece, which was nominated for an Oscar in 2004.
Roy Disney serves as a consultant for The Walt Disney Company and director emeritus for the board of directors. He’s currently handling exec producer duties (along with co-producer Leslie DeMeuse-Disney) on a new film titled Morning Light. Set for release later this year, the pic chronicles one of the youngest crews ever to compete in the Transpacific Yacht Race to Hawaii.
In addition to producing The Little Match Girl and Lorenzo, Don Hahn has put his stamp on some of the most successful Disney animated films of the past 20 years. Beauty and the Beast made him the only producer in Hollywood history to be nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award for an animated film. His next production, 1994’s The Lion King, set worldwide box office records for an animated film and quickly became the highest grossing traditionally animated film in history. Other producing credits include The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Emperor’s New Groove and Atlantis: The Lost Empire.
The Newport Beach Film Festival will present more than 450 films from 37 countries. A crowd of more than 40,000 people is expected during this year’s eight-day run starting April 24 at Newport Beach’s Fashion Island and Lido Plaza. For ticket information, go to www.newportbeachfilmfest.com.
