Brendan Fraser, Kerry Condon, and Diane Lane to Be Honored at 2025 Newport Beach Film Festival—Because Indie Cinema Still Matters

While the Hollywood machine keeps vomiting out multiverse slop and corporate tie-ins with all the soul of a dead shark, the Newport Beach Film Festival is back to remind us what real cinema looks like. Now celebrating its 26th year, NBFF is gearing up for another week of indie-fueled fire from October 16–23, 2025, and they’re kicking it off with a heavy-hitting lineup of actual talent being honored at this year’s Festival Honors on October 19 at the Balboa Bay Resort.

Let’s break it down: Brendan Fraser, Diane Lane, and Kerry Condon are all being recognized at this year’s event—with awards that actually mean something because they’re coming from a fest that champions storytellers, not shareholders.

Brendan Fraser, still riding the high from The Whale (which actually made the Oscars matter again for like five minutes), is being recognized for his decades-long commitment to playing loveable weirdos, tragic underdogs, and everything in between. Next up, he’s in HIKARI’s Rental Family and playing Eisenhower in Pressure. Not bad for the guy who once wrestled mummies and got painted gold in Gods and Monsters.

Diane Lane, one of the few performers in Hollywood who’s never needed a franchise to prove her worth, continues to bring gravitas, depth, and zero BS to every role she touches. Whether it’s Unfaithful, Under the Tuscan Sun, or her recent role in Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, Lane stays magnetic. Coming up, she leads Jan Komasa’s thriller Anniversary, which has indie cred written all over it.

Kerry Condon, fresh off The Banshees of Inisherin and a BAFTA win, is taking home the Artist of Distinction Award. She’s gone toe-to-toe with Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem in F1 and will be seen next in Train Dreams. Condon’s performances are consistently raw and riveting—and let’s be real, she was the only thing that made Tony Stark’s AI feel remotely human in the Marvel sludge-fest.

Also getting well-earned recognition:

• Jenny Slate, everyone’s favorite neurotic genius, is also nabbing the Artist of Distinction Award for her work in Dying for Sex and Marcel the Shell. Her ability to mix absurdity and aching honesty has made her one of the most interesting voices in indie cinema and animation alike.

• Tessa Thompson is scoring the Outstanding Achievement in Acting Award for Hedda, which just made waves at TIFF. From Passing to Little Woods to Sorry to Bother You, Thompson keeps carving her own path—and she’s never afraid to make it weird.

• Noah Schnapp, aka the Stranger Things MVP, is getting the Spotlight Award as the Netflix juggernaut prepares to wrap its final season. Forget just being a teen heartthrob—Schnapp is poised for a grown-up career worth paying attention to.

• Francine Maisler, the genius behind casting some of the best ensembles of the last 20 years (The Revenant, Ex Machina, Blade Runner 2049, Dune), will receive the Casting Visionary Award.

• Steven Gaydos, a true journeyman of indie cinema who went from Monte Hellman’s PA to executive editor at Variety, is taking home the Arts Champion Award. He’s written, produced, and nurtured film from the ground up—and his credits (Road to Nowhere, All Men Are Mortal) prove he’s the real deal.

Let’s not forget Variety’s 10 Actors to Watch, a stacked list featuring Milly Alcock (Supergirl), Jay Lycurgo (Steve, Peaky Blinders), Chase Infiniti (One Battle), Mari Yamamoto (Rental Family), and more up-and-comers poised to shake the system.

Already announced: Scarlett Johansson gets the Legend & Groundbreaker Award, and Rian Johnson picks up Best Director at a screening of Wake Up Dead Man. NBFF opens with Blue Moon, closes with Frankenstein, and features centerpieces like Nouvelle Vague, Sentimental Value, and Hedda.

All told, over 100 films will screen across Orange County’s coastal backdrop, accompanied by nightly parties, wild after-hours gatherings, and more than 60 food and drink partners bringing the flavor. It’s the kind of fest that keeps cinema alive—without ever selling out.

For tickets, passes, and the full lineup, hit up: newportbeachfilmfest.com.

Photos courtesy of the Newport Beach Film Festival.
Tessa Thompson photo by Cibelle Levi. Brendan Fraser photo by Art Streiber.