Mongol

Variety agrees -- moviegoers want good foreign films and they're ready for Mongol.

PSIFS will present the Oscar-nominated film this Saturday, after which director Sergei Bodrov will receive our International Filmmaker Award.

Did you attend? What did you think of the event?

DIY DVD

Craving the shorts you've viewed at festivals past as you're getting itchy for the upcoming ShortFest? Compile your own batch o' good stuff at Short Film Central.

OK, so maybe they only have 7 shorts to choose from at the moment, but you can create a DVD with PSIFSF favorites such as "The Mantis Parable" and "Little Terrorist." The best part is that the money goes straight to the filmmakers.

If you see a film listed elsewhere on the site that is not yet available on DVD, click on "Wish List" and let them know you're interested in good films (perhaps from the PSIFSF section...).

Dniwer

The very cool 2007 ShortFest entry of Russian Roulette shown in reverse with forward-running narration, "Rewind," will become the first Indian short to release in Indian theatres.

This Friday it will play before Michel Gondry's Be Kind Rewind. Despite the shared title, the two have nothing in common with the exception that they are both immensely creative and entertaining.

Now why can't the U.S. figure out that showing shorts before a feature film is a great idea?

Hunting for the next big thing

Who nabbed Helen Hunt for their Opening Night film & U.S. Premiere of her directing debut, later giving her the Audience Award for Best Feature? That's right, PSIFF did.

Check out what the new director has to say to NPR about Then She Found Me, by listening to a Fresh Air interview and an All Things Considered interview.

Bite-size Brolin

Josh Brolin, 2007's combeback king, is trying his hand behind the camera after years of directing the stage. With his short, "X," he debuts step-daughter Eleanor Lambert and daughter Eden as the brood of an escaped convict searching for her murdered mama. Brolin was so nice to come to Palm Springs to dig into a little Q&A following No Country for Old Men...time to convince him to return for ShortFest.

Check out the Joshua Trees in the trailer -- that ain't Texas!

Penn returns to the valley

PSIFF Director of the Year Sean Penn implored Coachella music fest attendees to earn their frivolity by jumping on board his Dirty Hands Caravan immediately following the 3-day fest.

With a map to New Orleans, the bio-diesel buses will ultimately help Katrina-stricken areas but will also hit needy neighborhoods along the way. With this project, the Into the Wild director takes the word "action" to a whole new level.

Edging out the competition

The Edge of Heaven -- PSIFF Gala Screening & Awards Buzz film and ultimately a Best of the Fest player -- did well at the German Film Awards, receiving Best Film, Best Director and Screenplay (both Fatih Akin, who also produced another PSIFF Awards Buzz entry, Takva), and Best Editing.

Did you see it? What did you think?

Son of Rambow

Tonight is the special member screening of Son of Rambow.

If you attended, let us know what you thought of the film!