Beverly Hills Film Festival® (BHFF) opened their 25th Anniversary edition, alas without Val Kilmer

The annual Beverly Hills Film Festival® (BHFF) opened their 25th Anniversary on Tuesday April 1, 2025 with a full house and over 265 red carpet attendees, including filmmakers, cast & crews and special VIP guests. One was especially missed from tonight’s event. 

“It was a shock to find this out. We had just confirmed Val to attend the West Coast Premiere of American Badass: A Michael Madsen Retrospective this past weekend,” shares Nino Simone, Founder & President of the Beverly Hills Film Festival. ”He was thrilled to come out in support of his friend‘s (Madsen). I know PR was on the phone, trying to get a hold of the driver, bringing Val for his 7:30pm red carpet arrival. The story and news of his death were reported, literally at the same, exact time. Unbelievable, and so heart-breaking. Our hearts go out to his family.” 

The milestone Silver(Screen) Anniversary is already celebrated 25 years on Tuesday. Legendary Ann-Margret, most notorious for Bye Bye Birdie and for being a sex symbol in the sixties, made a rare red carpet appearance, as the Executive Producer of the short film, WANDER WOMEN, directed by Drew Denny and starring DeStorm Power, Sam Swank, Brett Dodenhoff, Olivia Singer and Scarlett Bress.

Beau Bridges,alongside his son Ezekiel (Zeke) Bridges returned to the BHFF for the second year in a row, but for the World Premier of Welcome to Klyde’s Kitchen directed by Sonia Bajaj, starring the father and son duo, and Sana Saeed. 

The Opening Night spotlight film Hello Beautiful celebrated their World Premiere with a sold-out theatre and 50+ cast/crew on tonight’s red carpet. Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica), stars as Willow, a successful model whose life is shattered by a devastating breast cancer diagnosis. The film, based on the bestselling novel, Walk Beside Me, written by Executive Producer Christine Handy was inspired by her story, discovering she had breast cancer while a Victoria’s Secret model. Directed by Ziad Hamzeh, in attendance alongside Helfer, Handy and their entire cast & crew.

TikTok sensation Jack Wright, Laurel Marsden and Shiv Pai led the cast on the red carpet for the World Premiere of All There Is, directed by Kit Williamson and starring Jason Priestley, Mena Suvari and Elsie Fisher, alongside these young Hollywood stars who made it out for the 90210 zip code. 

Tyler Posey, alongside his brother Jesse Posse, Sade Katarina and Director Jordan London kicked off tonight’s red carpet Opening for the World Premier of Halcyon.