Orange County Filmmakers Lauded At Newport Beach Film Festival

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — The Newport Beach Film Festival, starting Thursday running through May 2 will showcase many local connections in both writing, acting and directing motion pictures.

"Part of Water" is a documentary about Ben Carlson, a Newport Beach lifeguard who died rescuing a swimmer.

"Neutra -- Survival Through Design" features notable Neutra-designed structures in Orange County including a Garden Grove church and the Huntington Beach library.

"Autism Goes to College" was shot in part at Cal State Fullerton and focuses on Fullerton resident Caroline Benner. The film's director Erik Linthorst grew up in Orange and screenwriter Jody Becker is a Newport Beach native.

One, in particular, follows mountain biker Paul Basagoitia after suffering a severe injury.

Basagoitia visited Dr. Hans Keirstead as he recovered from a spinal cord injury that paralyzed him, the Orange County stem cell pioneer had some sobering advice.

"Dr. Keristead told him that there was never going to be anything to get him back to 100 percent, so that really left a mark on him," said Fernando Villena, who is making his directorial debut in a documentary film about Basagoitia, "Any One of Us," which will be featured in the Newport Beach Film Festival, which begins Thursday and runs through May 2.

Basagoitia's goal is to fully recover, Villena said.

"The reason we went to see Dr. Keirstead is he was thinking about doing stem cell treatments and he was investigating that and trying to figure out which would be the best one for him," Villena said.

When Keirstead advised him to be cautious about some experimental procedures and let him know he would never fully recover, "You could see how that visibly had an effect on Paul... He still believes he will get back to 100 percent."

Keirstead, who unsuccessfully ran for Congress last year for the 48th Congressional District seat won by fellow Democrat Harley Rouda, was the "perfect person for Paul to speak to" given his reputation for innovations in stem cell research, Villena said.

Villena grew up in Miami but lives in Los Angeles and has enjoyed attending the festival in the past.

"I'm a fan of the festival," he said.

Villena has been editing documentary feature films dating back to 1996, but "Any One of Us" is the first time he's been able direct one.

"It's a different feeling being on that side of it. I love it, it's great," Villena said. "It's also nice to be part of a film that affects people in such an emotional way."

The film has been screened once before at the South by Southwest festival, Villena said.
Basagoitia's story is the anchor, but the filmmakers also follow the recoveries of other spinal cord injury patients.

The filmmakers followed Basagoitia for two years because that is the window for recovery from a spinal cord injury, Villena said.

"He is not fully recovered, but remarkably he is walking again, most of the time with just one arm crutch," Villena said. "The 19 other spinal cord patients "acted like a chorus to give context to what Paul is going through."

"Paul was hurt competing in a mountain bike sporting event," Villena said, but the "majority of people who sustain injuries do so riding in cars or falling or doing things everybody does every single day."

For showtimes, information and more visit the Newport Beach Film Festival and let us know which was your favorite on the Newport Beach Patch!

City News Service, Patch editor Ashley Ludwig contributed to this report