Oceanside, CA - The 8th Annual Oceanside International Film Festival got underway in big style Wednesday night with a Red Carpet Opening Ceremony and Reception at Sunshine Brooks Theatre. The evening festivities included a Special Screening of TNT's Hit Series, "Animal Kingdom" that marked the directorial debut of Shawn Hatosy, who plays "Pope" on the hit show.

The Red Carpet reception prior to the screening brought out the best and brightest that Oceanside has to offer. Arriving early, to the surprise and excitement of her many fans, was AGT contestant and local hometown comedian, Vicki Barbolak, who was interviewed on the Red Carpet about her new fame since recently advancing on "America's Got Talent" Judges Cut and why she loves Oceanside. Vicki hung around to take photos and meet and greet attendees at the festival. Sterling Anno, Director or Programming for the Oceanside International Film Festival conducted most of the interviews, but we turned the tables and interviewed him about the highlights of this year's festival and how the art and culture of Oceanside influences the film selections.

The evening was already warm, but things really heated up and the crowd went wild when the Animal Kingdom cast members arrived. Present on the Red Carpet at the 2018 OIFF were Shawn Hatosy, Carolina Guerra and Ben Robson. Shawn Hatosy discussed his directorial debut with Episode 311 of "Animal Kingdom", plus his favorite hangouts in Oceanside. Carolina Guerra and Ben Robson share their favorite moments on the show, their characters and filming in Oceanside. Many of those watching could hardly contain their excitement during the interviews. After the red carpet the audience moved into the theatre for the special screening of episode 311 of "Animal Kingdom" that will broadcast next week to the rest of the world. The gripping episode kept everyone glued to their seats until the very end, which left everyone in stunned amazement and then broke into thunderous applause and standing ovations.

The cast then joined KROQ-FM Radio Host Kevin Ryder on stage for a Q&A Panel, which also included writer/producer Daniele Nathanson, who just joined the show this season. The questions centered on the episode and the show overall, but to the delight of the audience also delved into the importance of the Oceanside Beach culture to the premise and success of the show. All in all it was an amazing evening that was enjoyed by everyone in attendance. Aiding in making this year's opening night a smashing success was a dedicated team of volunteers, sponsors and contributors. The Oceanside Intl Film Festival is an event by the Oceanside Cultural Arts Foundation. For more information about the OIFF, visit: http://osidefilm.org/

But wait... there's more: The festival line-up includes a different sponsoring theme each night, leading up to the OIFF 2018 Awards Ceremony on Sunday. The awards ceremony will also be hosted by, Vicki Barbolak, giving fans a second opportunity to ask her about being a contestant on "America's Got Talent" and here her funny stories about Oceanside.

Festival passes are still available for admission on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. To view the Full Schedule for the Official Lineup of the 8th Annual Oceanside Intl. Film Festival or to purchase tickets, visit: http://osidefilm.org/schedule/