newportFILM’s 16th Anniversary Summer Benefit raised more than $375,000 last weekend to support the organization’s year-round documentary film programming and educational initiatives.
Hundreds attended the July 18 event at IYRS’s Restoration Hall. The evening was presented by the flyGATEWAY Aviation Institute, with additional support from The Newport Experience and BankNewport. Remarks were delivered by newportFILM Co-Founder and Artistic Director Andrea van Beuren and Mike Jones, a distinguished alum of docUnbound, the organization’s free afterschool documentary filmmaking program.
Proceeds will support newportFILM’s signature programs, including its popular Outdoors screening series and educational initiatives such as Edu, docUnbound, Loud & Clear, and the Cinematography Lab.
The 2026 Outdoors series continues through August 27 with weekly Thursday screenings at Rosecliff, Rough Point, and Fort Adams, each featuring live music, local food vendors, and pre-film conversations with filmmakers. This year’s lineup includes Academy Award-winning producer Evan Hayes, documentary filmmaker and Olympic athlete Mary Mazzio, and a live jazz performance at Rough Point in partnership with the Newport Jazz Festival followed by a conversation with Grammy Award winner and Newport Jazz Festival Artistic Director Nate Smith. Moderators from Variety and Rolling Stone are also scheduled to appear.
For information on upcoming screenings or membership, visit newportFILM.com.
