Palm Springs International Film Festival
is, as the name suggests, a film festival held in Palm Springs, California. It occurs annually in January, and is organised by the Palm Springs International Film Society. As well as the main festival in January, a smaller festival celebrating short films is held in June called the Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films. While featuring a lot of American media, the focus is on international films.
The festival is particularly notable for screening foreign Oscar nominee films, with 42 of the 71 movies submitted for the foreign language film prize in 2013 being screened at the event. Every year, around 135,000 people attend from all over the world to watch the films an to attend the glamorous award ceremonies which are abundant with famous actors such as Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio.
As with most film festivals, there are awards to be given out for particular acting roles and for the makers of the media on display. Some of these include Director Of The Year, Film Composing, Ensemble Performance Awards and Best Narrative Feature, and see the industries' top minds competing with one another with their latest films to gain international recognition.
During the time that the festival is active, there are a number of parties all around the area. Often attended by some of the top names in Hollywood, these are some highly sought after events. Some of the parties are more international themed to go with the concept of the film festival, with past events including french language parties and world cinema parties. Over options linked to the event include organised dinners with movie screenings happening simultaneously in the same room and seminars and panels to support the awards.
The 29th Event will run between January 2 and January 15, 2018. The opening event is a gala at the Palm Springs Convention Centre. Screening of films and media begins on the 4th and will carry on until the end of the festival.
The Palm Springs International Shortfest is the largest short film festival in North America, receiving more than 4000 submissions every year. Many of the short films submitted have gone on to receive Oscar nominations and awards. It is particularly notable for breaking conventions and for being such a casual event with such high importance in the film market.
The films are played in 90 minute screening sessions, each containing between 4 and 10 short films that have been carefully selected to have a common theme. There are Q&A sessions with the film makers and panels to enhance the whole experience. There are also a number of discussions, masterclasses and panels with industry professionals who want to share their knowledge and techniques with the public and with those looking to get more involved with the film business.
A full breakdown of both of the events can be found at the International Film Society's website (https://www.psfilmfest.org) along with information on past events and past winners of the awards.