NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.—The Newport Beach Film Festival is planning its return and organizers say they will pack as many live screenings into the event as possible. Founded in 1999, the event has become one of the largest international cinema events in Southern California, and a coveted stop for movie writers, directors and actors traveling the film festival gauntlet. A significant cultural tourism draw for the City of Newport Beach, each year, the festival partners with more than 40 non-profit organizations throughout Orange County, pairing each with a film that aligns with their mission. Prior to the COVID-19 quarantine, the festival drew more than 55,000 attendees from throughout the world. In 2020, despite holding a drive-in world premiere of A Life of Endless Summers: The Bruce Brown Story, the rest of the festival was held through virtual events which were not as widely attended as regular live events. “Along with other film …