Palm Springs International Film Society

Move on down to Facebook

2009-10-02T10:19:00.000-07:00

Please head on over to our lovely Facebook page and become a fan of the Palm Springs International Film Society!

There, you can keep up to date on the latest events and photos, and share the latest fest news with your friends & family. All the kids are doin' it!

Coachella Review launched

2009-09-21T11:24:00.000-07:00

The Coachella Review is the literary journal for UC Riverside's Palm Desert Graduate Center recently launched it's new site.

Catch a review of our latest Behind the Scenes speaker or submit your own film or fiction!

Stuntman Terry Leonard

2009-09-01T23:28:00.001-07:00

Did you catch legendary stuntman Terry Leonard's tales of danger from the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Romancing the Stone & Apocalypse Now sets?

What did you think of this Behind the Scenes event?

Students on film

2009-08-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

Check out what some of our local students from Cathedral City High School are up to at the DATA Summer Rockin' Tour workshop!

PSIFS screening: Cold Souls

2009-08-05T00:42:00.000-07:00

In Cold Souls, former ShortFest winners director Sophie Barthes, cinematographer-producer Andrij Parekh, and producer Jeremy Kipp Walker presented a tale where Paul Giamatti plays an actor named Paul Giamatti and sometimes the soul is just a chickpea.

What did you think of this mindbender?

ShortsHD

2009-07-21T09:40:00.000-07:00

Shorts International announced the launch of ShortsHD, the world's first high definition channel dedicated to short movies, on AT&T U-verseSM TV & iTunes.

Missed ShortFest award-winners the first time? This is your chance to find them again!

Also check out four fantastic shorts by previous ShortFest attendees on L Studio:
• Finding - The Salto Bros. (2008 ShortFest)
• No Parking - Jeremy Brunjes (2008 + 2009 with Birthdate)
• RedBlack - Mal Woolford (2007 Shortfest + Fluffy)
• Los Tabaqueros - Russell Griffin (2007 ShortFest)

Behind the Scenes with art director Lauren Polizzi

2009-07-14T09:42:00.000-07:00

Lauren Polizzi will discuss her career as an art director tonight at the Rancho Mirage Public Libary.

Come meet a woman who's worked with Steven Soderbergh (Ocean's Twelve), Ron Howard (How the Grinch Stole Christmas), Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump), Judd Apatow (Knocked Up) and multiple films by Steven Spielberg (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Amistad, Jurassic Park & Lost World), not to mention Independence Day & Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (currently in theatres).

Did you attend? What did you think?

PSIFS screening: (500) Days of Summer

2009-07-08T12:15:00.000-07:00

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (hey! didn't he direct a film in ShortFest?) & Zooey Deschanel are star-crossed lovers in (500) Days of Summer, a twist on the usual love story.

Screenwriter Scott Neustadter & one of the film's producers will be attending for a post-screening Q&A.

If you attended, what did you think of the film?

Best of the Fest

2009-06-27T17:42:00.000-07:00

The votes are being tallied as we head into the final 24 hours of ShortFest films. What great films have you seen, deserving of the honors at tomorrow night's Closing Night Awards Gala?

Lost & Found

2009-06-27T13:12:00.000-07:00

If you have lost or found any items at ShortFest, please call our main office to report it: 760-322-2930

Presently, festgoers are missing a Panasonic Lumux camera & reading glasses in a RayBan case. If you have any information, please call the number above.

Gay!La

2009-06-26T10:28:00.000-07:00

See Toucan's Gay!La party photos on MetroMix Palm Springs.

Feelin' ShortFest

2009-06-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

The first full day of ShortFest screenings went off without a hitch, with fabulous programs filling the day for eager crowds.

At Amazing Animation (to be played again on Sunday), Swiss director Marcel Hobi (Eyelash) & German director Alexander Pohl (Trickster) discussed the complexities of their vastly different techniques and stories.

At Boy Meets Girl Meets Boy, audiences were entertained by directorial behind-the-scenes stories of neuroscience student turned filmmaker Liliana Greenfield-Sanders who wanted to put her medical background to use (Adelaide), the accidental musical of Melvin Montalban (Cupid), the date-almost-gone-wrong pondering of Alyssa McClelland (Emilia Eckle), the feeling of relationship inevitability of Dahlia Devkota (Heartbreak Haiku), the inspiration from an awkward Japanese businessman for Jon Gilbert (Toshi) & Peter Besson's take on love at first sight (True Beauty This Night).

The filmmaker party went into the night at Top of the Chop, with Grant Sputore* (Legacy) bemoaning his learning curve on the buffet (always leave room for meat at a chop house), Tahitian filmmakers (Arioi Women) sharing heavenly-smelling Tahitian gardenias, and Andy Pearson (Souvenirs) kissing the feet of the news bearer who informed him that the Couplehood program was on Rush for Saturday. To top that, his actor promised to wear a Marilyn Monroe dress to the screening if one could be procured. In Palm Springs? I think we can work something out.

*Mr. Sputore would like it to be known that aside from his education at the buffet, he had a brilliant time and his filmmaker needs were exceeded and outshone his carnivorous ones.

Opening Night!

2009-06-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

One dead bunny, two new dogs, one questionable carton of milk, one questionable new toy request, one unfortunately missed test, two short-lived love affairs, one future affair riding on a bad introduction, one affair of the mind riding on an eyelash. Welcome to ShortFest & the night's first program!

The sold-out show was followed by a party at Wang's with a great mix of international filmmakers and local film lovers. Forget-Me-Not director Katia Grivot was happy to get over jet lag with an evening of great films, including the distinct French sense of humor expressed in Stop Requested & The Williams. Jeremy Brunjes (Birthdate) & Anna McGrath (Swings and Roundabouts), returning directors from last year's ShortFest, were happy to tell new-to-the-fest filmmakers about their experiences, including Honor filmmakers Jeremy Pommier & Sean Sullivan who were excited to have Palm Springs in their festival circuit.

Aussie director Erin White (FOUR) was happy to be screening her film here, as she explained that American audiences seem to be more appreciative of filmmakers' efforts. Irishman Declan Cassidy (Whatever Turns You On) said that American audiences like a good, straight-forward story without the need for heady subtext, and he promised his film would bring such laughs.

Students from the NYU Tisch School of the Arts Asia took a break from studies in Singapore, including brother/sister filmmakers Jordan Schiele (Double Happiness) & Melanie Schiele (Delilah, Before). Ted Raimi & actress Suzanne Keilly (My Treat) talked about international perspectives and soaked up the lively vibes of fellow filmmakers.

ShortFest is full of great stories, onscreen & off. This is your chance to hear them firsthand!

The World of ShortFest

2009-06-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

ShortFest 2009

Countries of attending filmmakers

Other countries represented

ShortFest 2009 begins!

2009-06-23T09:37:00.001-07:00

It's here! ShortFest kicks off tonight with a delicious batch of Short & Sweet Comedies!

Have you planned your fest schedule? Do you have a balance of sticky, sweet & naughty? Are you keeping an eye on the stars?

Are you ready for ShortFest?!

Help Bruce find good shorts!

2009-06-17T09:12:00.000-07:00

The Desert Sun's feature reporter extraordinaire Bruce Fessier is taking requests for his ShortFest coverage. He's searching for 6 more films to review from the following 12 (click on the titles for more info):

Ink
Juiced and Jazzed
Kanada
Dog with Electric Collar
Tools 4 Fools
This Life
One of Those Days
1:0
Hove
Streak
Visiting
Broken Time

Help a man out! Comment here & on Bruce's MyDesert.com blog!

Stay on top of The Desert Sun's ShortFest coverage.

ShortFest 2009!

2009-06-11T09:26:00.000-07:00

Read all about it here!

• 76 world premieres, 43 N.American premieres & 14 U.S. premieres!

• Star-studded films include directorial debuts by Demi Moore, Courtney Cox-Arquette & Joseph Gordon-Levitt (starring in next month's member screening, 500 Days of Summer)

• Films starring Danny Glover, Alfred Molina, Derek Jacobi

• Opening Night on June 23 highlights short & sweet comedies. Start the fest off right with some good laughs!

Remember, this is a an Academy Award qualifying fest, so expect to see our winners at next year's Oscars!

The full schedule goes online Sunday, June 14!

PSIFS screening: Away We Go

2009-06-10T21:54:00.000-07:00

Director Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road, American Beauty), writers Dave Eggers & Vendela Vida (McSweeney), actors John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph, Allison Janney, Jeff Daniels, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Chris Messina...

What did you think of this tale of two 30-somethings looking for the perfect place to settle down?

Behind the Scenes with casting director David Rubin

2009-06-09T14:00:00.000-07:00

David Rubin will discuss his career in casting at the Rancho Mirage Libary tonight.

Come meet the man who introduced Nicole Kidman to America, who gave Marisa Tomei her Oscar-winning role, and who has worked with a variety of directors such as Anthony Minghella, Barry Sonnenfeld, Sydney Pollack, Baz Luhrmann, P.J. Hogan and Christopher Guest, just to name a few.

Did you attend? What did you think?

PSIFS screening: Paper Heart + director Nicholas Jasenovec

2009-05-27T14:17:00.000-07:00

Nicholas Jasenovec will be joining us for a special advance screening of Paper Heart on May 28!

The film doesn't hit theatres until August, but our guest has already snagged the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance, where the film was also nominated for the Grand Jury Prize.

If you attended, what did you think of the film?

Behind the Scenes with producer John Cameron

2009-05-20T08:25:00.000-07:00

Did you meet John Cameron, the producer behind Fargo, The Big Lebowski & Lars and the Real Girl? We had a great turnout with 200 of our closest friends, and it was fun to have such an interactive audience.

What did you think? What did you learn? What's your favorite film of his?

Check out The Desert Sun article.

Behind the Scenes

2009-05-08T13:57:00.000-07:00

Better knowledge makes for a better filmgoing experience. Be sure to attend our monthly Behind the Scenes speaker series, and in the meantime read up on the people who help create a movie.

NPR talks to Kokayi Ampah, the location manager who found the big, beautiful tree in Shawshank Redemption, for example.

Natalie Portman launches MakingOf.com, interviewing those in the know. Check out a few:

Director Michel Gondry

Costume Designer Ann Roth

Editor Ryan Brown

Producer John Cameron

2009-05-05T15:05:00.000-07:00

We are very excited to present producer John Cameron on Tuesday, May 19 at 7pm as part of our new Behind the Scenes filmmaker speaker series!

Watch his movies (Lars and the Real Girl, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Rushmore, The Big Lebowski, Fargo, Army of Darkness), bring your questions & learn a little something about the filmmaking biz!

PSIFS screening: The Soloist

2009-04-21T16:58:00.000-07:00

Directed by our very own Sonny Bono Visionary Award honoree Joe Wright, The Soloist is based on a true story about LA Times writer Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) who builds a friendship with a mysterious street musician (Jamie Foxx, who presented Wright's award at the 2008 PSIFF Black Tie Awards Gala). It has been receiving buzz as the spring film to watch.

Read the LA Times series which inspired the film.

What did you think? Is it an early Oscar contender?

FAQs:
• Actor Jamie Foxx was trained for the role by LA Philharmonic cellist Ben Hong who is a friend of Nathaniel Ayers and thus familiar with his style; Alyssa Park trained him for the violin. Hong performed the cello tracks, altering his performance for each stage of Ayers' life.
• Extras were in fact pulled from homeless outreach centers, including the Lamp Community. SAG actors were mixed in when specialized skills were required.

Screenwriter John August

2009-04-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

We are very excited to present screenwriter John August on Tuesday, April 14 at 7pm as part of our new Behind the Scenes filmmaker speaker series!

Watch his movies (The Nines, Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Big Fish, Charlie's Angels, Go), bring your questions & learn a little something about the filmmaking biz!

Catch up with John August on his web site.

PSIFS screening: Is Anybody There?

2009-04-07T11:50:00.000-07:00

John Crowley, award‐winning Irish director of Boy A and Intermission, directs his third feature film, Is Anybody There?

In 1980s seaside England, 10‐year‐old Edward's (Bill Milner, young star of last year's PSIFS screening Son of Rambow) parents have turned their house into a retirement home. While his mother struggles to keep the business afloat and his father copes with a midlife crisis, Edward becomes increasingly obsessed with the afterlives of the residents when they die. It's a lonely existence until he meets Clarence (Michael Caine), a retired magician and grieving widower who refuses to gracefully give in to old age. Writer Peter Harness drew from his own experience growing up in a retirement home.

Is Anybody There? was one of the PSIFS April member screenings.
What did you think?

PSIFS wins Best of the Valley!

2009-03-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

The Palm Springs International Film Festival won FIRST PLACE as Best Annual Event in Desert Magazine's Best of the Valley contest!

The Palm Springs International ShortFest won Fourth Place!

Catching up with shortfilmmakers

2009-03-27T14:47:00.000-07:00

Want proof that filmmakers at June's ShortFest are ones to watch?

IndieWire just posted an article about "Ten Exciting New Voices in Black Cinema," and SEVEN of those have graced Palm Springs:

• Julian Breece - 2008 ShortFest, "The Young & Evil"
"...An audacious film drawing attention to the rise of HIV/AIDS infection among young, gay African-Americans."

• Rashaad Ernesto Green - 2008 ShortFest, "Premature"
"While the mainstream press enthusiastically identifies Tyler Perry as the new voice of black cinema, industry insiders looking for the next Spike Lee are placing their bets on a young NYU student named Rashaad Ernesto Green."

• Khary Jones - 2008 ShortFest, "Hug"
"...One of ten 2009 Sundance Film Festival official selections chosen to screen for free on iTunes during the festival."

• Moon Molson - 2007 ShortFest Panavision Grand Jury Award winner, "Pop Foul"
"Molson was named one of Filmmaker Magazine's 25 New Faces of Independent Film in 2007."

• Roberta Marie Munroe - 2008 ShortFest, "Happy Birthday"
"Named one of Powerup's '10 Amazing Gay Women in Hollywood' and GONYC's '100 Women We Love.' "

• Osbert Parker - 2006 ShortFest, "Film Noir" & 2007 ShortFest, "Yours Truly"
"With Hollywood already courting him to do feature work, Parker is poised to lead his own British invasion."

• Dee Rees - 2008 ShortFest Future Filmmaker Award winner & Best Student Live Action Over 15 Minutes award winner, "Pariah"
"She recently wrapped post-production on Eventual Salvation, her feature documentary on Liberia."

PSIFS screening: American Violet

2009-03-24T16:38:00.000-07:00

Dee Roberts (newcomer Nicole Beharie) is a young single mother of four in a small Texas town who is barely making ends meet. When a powerful local district attorney (Michael O'Keefe) leads an extensive drug bust, he sweeps her housing project and charges Dee as a drug dealer. She is forced to plead guilty and go home as a convicted felon or remain in prison and fight the charges.

American Violet was the PSIFS March member screening.
What did you think?

• Read about the woman who inspired the film, Regina Kelly.
• Learn more about fair sentencing and the war on drugs at the film's Web site.

Get yer Cin-E-File!

2009-03-23T17:00:00.000-07:00

The latest Cin-E-File has hit the presses!

Read all about it:
• the ShortFest date change to June
• the new Behind the Scenes filmmaker series at Rancho Mirage Public Library (starting with screenwriter John August on April 14!)
• more info on upcoming member screenings

Good film, ready to eat!

Member dish

2009-03-17T10:39:00.000-07:00

New year, new films, new(ish) guidelines.

Members can dish it out here!

ShortFest 2009!

2009-02-25T09:05:00.000-08:00

Didja hear? ShortFest will be taking place JUNE 23-29, 2009!

Oscar results

2009-02-23T08:33:00.000-08:00

The Academy definitely favored the Indian production that could, Slumdog Millionaire. Other winners included Milk for screenplay & Best Actor (Sean Penn), Kate Winslet as Best Actress for The Reader, and Penelope Cruz & Heath Ledger in the supporting acting categories.

Did you notice that "Toyland" won the Best Live Action Short Oscar, after winning the 2008 ShortFest Audience Favorite Live Action Short? And Best Foreign Language Film Oscar winner, Departures, recently won the 2009 PSIFF Mercedes-Benz Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature?

What do you think?

And what do you think of the change in format?
It seemed to target a broader audience by including clips of more popular but non-nominated films and using popular actors, such as the stars from High School Musical.

What did you think of the five previous winners presenting the acting categories?

See full results here.

Checking in with BAFTA

2009-02-10T10:21:00.000-08:00

The Brit's big awards show, BAFTA, announced their winners. Slumdog sweeps again!

Slumdog Millionaire: Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Adapted Screenplay, Best Music, Best Sound [PSIFS membership screening, star Freida Pinto received the PSIFF Breakthrough Performance Award]
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Production Design, Special Visual Effects, Make Up & Hair [PSIFS membership screening]
Hunger: Carl Foreman Award for Best British Director/Writer of First Feature Film [PSIFF entry]
Man on Wire: Best British Film
I've Loved You So Long: Best Non-English Language Film
The Wrestler: Best Actor (Mickey Rourke) [PSIFS membership screening]
The Reader: Best Actress (Kate Winslet)
The Dark Knight: Best Supporting Actor (Heath Ledger)
Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Best Supporting Actress (Penelope Cruz)
The Duchess: Costume Design [PSIFS membership screening]
In Bruge: Original Screenplay
Wall-E: Best Animated Film
Wallace & Gromit - A Matter of Loaf & Death: Best Animated Short
September: Best Short Film
Noel Clarke: Orange Rising Star Awards
Terry Gilliam: Academy Fellowship

Milk auction

2009-02-09T11:48:00.000-08:00

A suit ensemble worn by Sean Penn as Harvey Milk in the film, Milk, will be auctioned off to benefit both Variety – The Children's Charity of Southern California and NYC's Hetrick-Martin Institute, home of the Harvey Milk High School. Costume designer Danny Glicker re-created the ensemble worn by Mr. Milk on November 7, 1978 -- the Election Night on which he celebrated the statewide defeat of Proposition 6, which sought to ban gays from teaching in California public schools and to remove known homosexuals and their supporters from their posts.

The Clothes Off Our Back Foundation will host the online auction of Glicker's specially created ensemble as seen in Gus Van Sant's Milk, which is nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Costume Design. Auction ends February 28.

February Cin-E-File

2009-02-05T10:24:00.000-08:00

The latest February Cin-E-File is out!

What did you think of PSIFF 2009?
Did you attend the first-ever Student Screening Day? How was it?
Did you roam the gala's red carpet? Star sightings?
What do you think of the Oscar noms?

Chat it up while we prepare for another year of great film!

Oscar noms straight from PSIFS

2009-01-22T09:29:00.000-08:00

THE OSCAR NOMS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED

Three of the five nominated Best Foreign Language Films were honored this week at PSIFF 2009:
• Departures - Mercedes-Benz Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature
• Revanche - FIPRESCI Award for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
• Waltz with Bashir - Bridging the Borders Award
Nominees The Baader Meinhof Complex and The Class also played at the festival.

ShortFest 2008 honored a Best Documentary Short Subject nominee, "The Witness: The View from Room 306," with both the Best Documentary Short & Audience Favorite Documentary Short awards.

"This Way Up" is a Best Animated Short Film nominee and winner of the ShortFest Audience Favorite Animation Short. Nominee "Lavatory - Lovestory" was a ShortFest 2007 entry.

Best Live Action Short Film nominees "Manon on the Asphalt" and "New Boy" were ShortFest 2008 entries, as well as "Toyland" which won the ShortFest Audience Favorite Live Action Short.

Best Documentary nominees Encounters at the End of the World and The Garden were shown at PSIFF 2008 and 2009, respectively.

PSIFF 2009 Black Tie Awards Gala honorees are well represented:
• Career Achievement Award: Clint Eastwood, whose Changeling earned three nominations
• Life Achievement Award in Directing: Ron Howard, who earned a Best Director nom in addition to Frost/Nixon's 4 other noms including Best Picture and Awards Gala presenter Frank Langella for Best Actor
• Sonny Bono Visionary Award: Gus Van Sant, who earned a Best Director nomination for Milk, which earned 8 noms including Best Picture
• Desert Palm Achievement Award – Actor: Sean Penn, a Best Actor nominee for Milk along with Awards Gala presenter Josh Brolin, nominated for Best Supporting Actor
• Desert Palm Achievement Award - Actress: Anne Hathaway, a Best Actress nominee for Rachel Getting Married
• Spotlight Award: Amy Adams, who earned a Best Supporting Actress nom in addition to Doubt's 4 other nominations including Awards Gala presenter John Patrick Shanley for Best Adapted Screenplay
• Ensemble Performance Award: The cast of Revolutionary Road, which earned 3 nominations including Supporting Actor for Michael Shannon
• Breakthrough Performance Award: Freida Pinto in Slumdog Millionaire, which earned 10 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture
• Chairman's Award: Dustin Hoffman, who helped voice Best Animated Film nom Kung Fu Panda
• Frederick Loewe Award for Film Composing: Alexandre Desplat, who earned a Best Score nom in addition to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button's 12 other nominations including Best Picture, including Awards Gala presenter Taraji P. Henson for Best Supporting Actress

The following nominees were Advance Member Screenings:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Defiance, Doubt, The Duchess, Frost/Nixon, Happpy-Go-Lucky, Milk, Revolutionary Road, Slumdog Millionaire and The Wrestler.

Once again, PSIFS proves itself as the place for good film!

PSIFF 2009 Awards

2009-01-18T14:30:00.000-08:00

The PSIFF 2009 Awards have been announced & the full Best of the Fest schedule is in.

What do you think?

The final countdown

2009-01-16T15:40:00.000-08:00

Here it is -- already the last weekend of PSIFF 2009! Time to watch those films, submit your votes, and wait to see if your fellow filmgoers agree on the Audience Favorites for the Best of the Fest day on Monday.

What have been your favorite films? What's the buzz in line? Which do you think will make the cut?

Oscar shortlist...shorter

2009-01-13T13:38:00.000-08:00

The Oscars have whittled down their list of 65 Best Foreign Film nominees to 9 (to be whittled to 5 on Jan.22), and SURPRISE! They're all playing at the Palm Springs International Film Festival!

The Baader Meinhof Complex, Germany
The Class, France
Departures, Japan
Everlasting Moments, Sweden
The Necessities of Life, Canada
Revanche, Austria
Tear This Heart Out, Mexico
Three Monkeys, Turkey
Waltz with Bashir, Israel

Have you seen any of these? Do you plan to?

See the full PSIFF Awards Buzz offerings.

Ready, set, go!

2009-01-09T11:02:00.001-08:00

Here we go! Black Tie Awards Gala, Student Screening Day, Opening Night -- bam! bam! bam!

Now the fest kicks into full swing, and it's time to use your blogging power to tell your fellow festgoers what's hot amongst the 209 films offered.

Give and take advice RIGHT HERE, at your very own PSIFF blog. Dish it!

VH1 follows PSIFF's lead

2009-01-09T10:42:00.000-08:00

Last night's VH1 Critics' Choice Awards seemed to be a recap of the fabulous Black Tie Awards Gala that kicked off the 20th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival. Their banquet was filled with stars from the PSIFF Tuesday night gala.

• Slumdog Millionaire nabbed 5 awards -- PSIFF honored the film's star Freida Pinto with the Breakthrough Performance Award.

• Sean Penn won Best Actor for Milk -- PSIFF honored him for the second year in a row, this time with the Desert Palm Achievement Award

• Anne Hathaway won Best Actress for Rachel Getting Married -- PSIFF also honored her with the Desert Palm Achievement Award.

SEE THE PSIFF GALA PHOTOS HERE!

PSIFF 2009!

2008-12-26T10:12:00.000-08:00

It's here! On December 27, the schedule for PSIFF 2009 is announced on the site.

What films are you looking forward to? What are you curious about? Which Awards Gala honorees are you excited about?

The 20th anniversary fest is ready to shake up the desert!

Frost/Nixon

2008-12-18T10:00:00.000-08:00

Frost/Nixon has earned Golden Globe noms for Best pic, Best director (Ron Howard - a PSIFF Awards Gala honoree for Director's Lifetime Achievement Award), Best actor (Frank Langella), Best screenplay (Peter Morgan) and Best original score (Hans Zimmer).

What did you think?

Rancho Mirage resident Attorney Fred L. Leydorf talks about his experience with Nixon and the famous interview.

The Wrestler

2008-12-16T17:07:00.000-08:00

Mickey Rourke gets back into the ring in Darren Aronofsky's latest film, The Wrestler.
Watch the NYT slideshow.

How did he do?

Doubt

2008-12-12T07:43:00.000-08:00

Doubt went from Broadway to Palm Springs to examine the certainty and truths that we can believe without proof. PSIFS held its member screening of the film last night.

What did you think?

PSIFS v. Golden Globes

2008-12-11T09:32:00.000-08:00

The Golden Globe nominations are in...

PSIFF 2009 BLACK TIE AWARDS GALA HONOREES:

Amy Adams - Best supporting actress (Doubt)
Clint Eastwood - Best original score (Changeling); Best original song (Gran Torino)
Anne Hathaway - Best actress (Rachel Getting Married)
Ron Howard - Best director (Frost/Nixon)
Revolutionary Road cast - Best pic; Best actress (Kate Winslet); Best actor (Leo DiCaprio); Best director (Sam Mendes)

MEMBER SCREENINGS:

Burn after Reading - Best comedy/musical; Best actress in comedy/musical (Frances McDormand)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Best pic; Best actor (Brad Pitt); Best director (David Fincher); Best screenplay (Eric Roth); Best original score (Alexandre Desplat)

Defiance - Best original score (James Newton Howard)

Doubt - Best actress (Meryl Streep); Best supporting actress (Amy Adams & Viola Davis); Best supporting actor (Philip Seymour Hoffman); Best screenplay (John Patrick Shanley)

The Duchess - Best supporting actor (Ralph Fiennes)

Frost/Nixon - Best pic; Best actor (Frank Langella); Best director (Ron Howard); Best screenplay (Peter Morgan); Best original score (Hans Zimmer)

Happy-Go-Lucky - Best comedy/musical; Best actress in comedy/musical (Sally Hawkins)

Milk - Best actor (Sean Penn)

Revolutionary Road - Best pic; Best actress (Kate Winslet); Best actor (Leo DiCaprio); Best director (Sam Mendes)

Slumdog Millionaire - Best pic; Best director (Danny Boyle); Best screenplay (Simon Beaufoy); Best original score (A.R. Rahman)

The Wrestler - Best actor (Mickey Rourke); Best supporting actress (Marisa Tomei); Best original song

You say you wanna Revolution?

2008-12-10T23:38:00.000-08:00

It can't be said that the member screening of Revolutionary Road didn't stir up debate amongst members. Director Sam Mendes' film starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio got the audience talking after the show.

What did you think?

Defiance

2008-12-09T10:08:00.000-08:00

Edward Zwick (Blood Diamond, The Last Samurai, Glory) directs another historical underdog story with Defiance, starring Daniel Craig (Quantum of Solace), Liev Schreiber (The Painted Veil) and Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot).

Did you attend the member screening? What did you think?

Curiouser and curiouser

2008-12-04T15:23:00.000-08:00

Tonight's member screening is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and with few screenings and a wide release not until Christmas, there is much buzz about David Fincher's latest project with Brad Pitt (Se7en, Fight Club).

What did you think?

Got Milk?

2008-11-19T14:11:00.000-08:00

PSIFS is excited to show an advance member screening of Milk, directed by Gus Van Sant and starring Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, James Franco and Diego Luna.

Are you looking forward to it? Did you see it?
Do you remember the events surrounding Harvey Milk's life?

Slumdog Millionaire

2008-11-11T16:48:00.000-08:00

Danny Boyle's latest film, Slumdog Millionaire, has been getting massive buzz on the fest circuit.
Did you catch the Winner of the Toronto International Film Festival's People's Choice Award? What did you think?

Who wears short shorts?

2008-10-17T13:34:00.000-07:00

ShortFest attracts not only emerging directors, previously unknown to the world, but glam actors and actresses trying their hand at a new aspect of filmmaking.

In our Shooting Stars program, we have been honored to feature films resulting from Glamour Reel Moments, created to entice more women behind the camera. In the past we've had films directed by Kate Hudson, Kirsten Dunst, Bryce Dallas Howard and Jennifer Aniston.

This year's GRM participators include Demi Moore, Courteney Cox and screenwriter Kirsten "Kiwi" Smith (The House Bunny, Legally Blonde).

Maybe Ashton will be sneaking into the front row next year instead of JT.

Happy-Go-Lucky

2008-10-15T15:31:00.000-07:00

Did you skip the mudslinging of the debate (or at least Tivo it) for the happiness that oozes from Mike Leigh's latest film and our latest Special Member Screening of Happy-Go-Lucky?

What did you think??

The Secret Life of Bees

2008-10-14T15:32:00.000-07:00

The pun is so obvious, it has to be said.

After watching tonight's Special Member Screening, what is the buzzzz on The Secret Life of Bees -- the adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd's novel about a girl (Dakota Fanning) who escapes her father when taken in by the independent Boatwright sisters (Queen Latifah, Sophie Okonedo and Alicia Keys)?

Cin-E-File poll: Fall buzz films

2008-10-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

PSIFS members will be invited to fantastic Fall Special Member Screenings including The Secret Life of Bees, Happy-Go-Lucky, Slumdog Millionaire, Defiance, Milk, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Revolutionary Road and The Wrestler.

What films are you looking forward to this Fall?

Cin-E-File poll: Political films

2008-10-08T14:30:00.000-07:00

PSIFS staffers weighed in on their favorite political films in the latest Cin-E-File.

What political films get your vote?

"Palm Springs is supposed to be nice, so says the word on high."

2008-10-02T10:01:00.000-07:00

So says the troubled Frank Whitaker in Todd Haynes' Far from Heaven, the spot-on homage to Douglas Sirk films and the perfect penultimate screening in our melodramatic Drama Queens series. Did you attend? What did you think?

We'll take it one step further by visiting Haynes' rarely seen but highly regarded 1995 film, Safe. Winner of the Seattle International Film Festival's American Independent Award and nominated for numerous Independent Spirit Awards, this is a unique opportunity to view a film presently unavailable on DVD.

On top of that, we will be joined by guest speaker and film critic John Anderson. His reviews regularly appear in Newsday, Variety and the New York Times, and he should provide fantastic insight on our final Drama Queens film.

Please join us on Oct. 8 at the Palm Canyon Theater!
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From PSIFF to Emmy noms

2008-09-24T17:17:00.000-07:00

Autism: The Musical -- Tricia Regan's 2008 Palm Springs International Film Fest winner of the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature -- was nominated for not one, not two, but FIVE Emmy Awards in Outstanding Nonfiction Special, Cinematography, Picture Editing, Sound Editing and Directing categories.

The film WON two: Outstanding Nonfiction Special & Nonfiction Editing at the Creative Arts Primetime Emmys.

Learn more about the film & support The Miracle Project.

The life & times of a ShortFest director

2008-09-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

Steve Dildarian -- director of the Hard C Hi Five to Lo-Fi Award at the 2006 ShortFest for his film, "Angry Unpaid Hooker" -- has broke onto the small screen with "The Life and Times of Tim" (based on "AUH").

The series hits HBO on September 28 at 11pm.
Support a ShortFest alum & tune in!

The Duchess

2008-09-18T15:21:00.000-07:00

Beauty and scandal surround Princess Diana's ancestor Georgiana Spencer, the Duchess of Devonshire in the 18th century.

Did you attend our Sept. 18 Special Member Screening of The Duchess?
What did you think of the film?

Get your film on!

2008-09-09T16:15:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, September 10, PSIFS will offer not one, but TWO fantastic film screenings!

Start the evening at 5pm with the 1956 Douglas Sirk classic, Written on the Wind, as part of our Drama Queens series. Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall, Robert Stack, Dorothy Malone...so much soap but not enough to get these tortured souls clean.

Then make a mad dash over to our Member Screening of the Coen Brothers' Burn After Reading at 7pm. Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich and Tilda Swinton get wacky with a misplaced CIA memoir.

Be sure to come back here and give the scoop to the poor lost souls who were unable to attend!

Day 6: The short & long of it

2008-08-26T23:59:00.000-07:00

The awards have been announced, the drinks have been served and the photographers attacked.

ShortFest 2008 comes to an end with the Best of the Fest extravaganza on Wednesday. Start working on those entries so that we may relive the chaos in 2009!

Day 5: Come dancing

2008-08-25T23:59:00.000-07:00

ShortFest has been full of great films with great stories. There are the three Italians (and their hats) who came all the way to Palm Springs to volunteer (...and to push their marketplace film). There is Israeli filmmaker Khen Shalem ("On the Road to Tel Aviv") who, based on his work on this short, will be creating a film concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for a United Nations conference in February. There is the Australian short that was a colaboration of Aussie filmmakers who met at last year's ShortFest ("Cane Cutter," whose actor-director Dustin Clare has been acting as roving party pirate). But as the fest comes to a close and the filmmakers have gotten to know one another, it's really about the dancing.

Day 4: Filmmakers on a mission

2008-08-24T23:59:00.000-07:00

Sunday found ShortFest going strong with a packed day of film. One of the evening programs was "Boy Meets Girl," where it became apparent that the attending filmmakers had created a very supportive group based on the howling applause for each film (not that the rest of the audience wasn't lovin' the films, but you know how rowdy filmmakers get). Directors Casey Stangl ("CU@ED'S"), Chuck Rose ("Side Effects"), Jasmine Kosovic ("Kate Wakes") and a rep from "No Parking" entertained the audience with a Q&A following the show (pictured above).

Rose revealed that his short raised money for a relief fund for those involved in the writer's strike. All services were donated (with hefty help from the "CSI:NY" crew) and the actors worked for free, and Rose reflected on the great community that this project created. The film and others will be available next month on StrikeTV.

Stangl and Kosovic had also been part of a unique experience as graduates from the AFI's Directing Workshop for Women. Out of the 8 women selected to participate in the program, 5 were accepted to ShortFest. Quite impressive for few having any film experience outside of a 3-week crash course (granted, many work in theatre or production). Below are three of the talented women: Devi Snively ("Death in Charge"), Chris Sanagustin ("Fleece") & Casey Stangl ("CU@ED'S").

The filmmakers let loose at a party at Azul, and it was quickly discovered that Prince speaks the international language of filmmakers when the entertainers belted "Purple Rain" and everyone joined in.

Cute directors Brian Crano ("Official Selection") and John Irwin ("Banditos") rocked the plaid vibe. Irwin just launched SmallDreamsTV, a site that develops original short films.

Day 3: The stars at night...

2008-08-23T23:59:00.000-07:00

The Camelot Theatre was packed for an evening of star-studded shorts on Saturday night. Jessica Beil and Kirsten Dunst garnered the spotlight before the show, with Beil's beau Justin Timberlake sneaking into his front row seat so as not to distract from her moment.
CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS

Dunst sat in the middle of the theatre, accompanied by the producer of her ghost story film, "Welcome," starring Winona Ryder and Jason Clarke (and featuring a nice little remake of "Happy Together" by pal Jason Schwartzman). Her first foray in the director's chair was compliments of the Glamour Reel Moments series, which brings readers' stories to film and allows actresses a new role in an attempt to up the minuscule 7% female population of the Directors' Guild. At last year's ShortFest, GRM put Bryce Dallas Howard behind the camera with "Orchids" and Jennifer Aniston co-directed "Room 10." This year also witnessed Kate Hudson's first writing and directing experience with the charming GRM film, "Cutlass" (co-starring dad Kurt Russell in a wicked 70s 'stache).

Ric Halpern and Justin Wells, directors of the Tony Shaloub-staring short "LA Actors" about the fake world of Hollywood, revealed that it's a good idea to keep contacts close so that they may scratch your back later (Halpern helped Shaloub out with a previous project). Halpern plans to co-direct Commander and Chief, a film that allows a future George Bush to frustratingly reflect on how his presidency was ultimately written into history.

Beil produced and co-starred in "Hole in the Paper Sky," a moving film about an intellectual introvert (Jason Clarke, again) whose shell is broken by a lab dog. Director Bill Purple revealed that all of the actors devoted their services for free, but the dog (previously seen in Bruce Almighty) had the only paying role. Proving once again that it's a dog's life.

ShortFest Day 2: Ending to begin

2008-08-22T23:59:00.000-07:00

Today the fest began in full force, with more films, more filmmakers and more good times. One of the evening's unique programs was Odds & Endings, a batch that ranged from the final page to the final breath and contained a good share of World Premieres.

Directors Kevin Acevedo ("The Last Page"), the Salto Brothers [Jesse & Louie] ("Finding"), producer & Ryan Goebel ("Confinement")

•"The Last Page" (WP) comically teases about the drama of a tortured prisoner that is in fact taking place inside the mind of a tortured author attempting to find the perfect ending to his novel. In order to clear his head, our literary hero sets out for coffee, only to find himself in absurd situations that still fail to provide inspiration. The director, who made the short as his thesis film for Chapman University, attended with co-writer Matt Akey and actress Mekenna Melvin. When asked about his favorite director, Acevedo replied that it was himself, because otherwise no one else would root for him -- to which Jesse seconded the motion.
•"A Small Silent Film about Death" (WP) plays off of a joke about the worst thing that could happen when an e-mail mistakenly gets sent to a widow.
•"The Last Thing to Go through a Fly's Mind" follows the reincarnation of a crude Brit who never seems to get it right as he transforms from cat to crustacean.
•"The Weight of Sunken Treasure" cleverly unfolds the memory of a man consumed by a life long past in such a way that all is far from what it seems. Tragedy finds no comfort in the passing of time.
•"Confinement" won the local Palm Springs Student Film Fest and concerns a boy who finds himself part of a tragic countdown. The Corona High School filmmakers said they were inspired by a friend with the same affliction as the central character.
•"Finding" is an impressively polished film that, like "Sunken Treasure," prefers to reveal the full picture pixel by pixel, building anticipation to the conclusion. Jesse said the secret was to make the film conclude just as the audience would prefer, yet without them being able to anticipate that desire. Tricky business. The directors revealed that they are working on creating a feature-length version that expands the short's ending, making the fact that this was the short's World Premiere all the more exciting.
The internationally-raised brothers with parents of Swedish, Polish and Dutch ancestry revealed the importance of language in film. When later speaking with Louie, he claimed that though the film takes place in Paris, it had to be in English, just as other comic videos they've made had to be in French. Expanding from dramatic sensibilities, each language expresses far more than a country's culture. He would love to do a film in Brazil or some other country where he didn't speak the language in order to tap into that unique state of mind.
•"Lightborne" is a remarkably gentle telling of a mother's final night, as her son attends to her medically while her daughter-in-law recognizes the need for a peaceful release. The film focuses on a very short period and yet alludes to an entire lifetime. An absolutely beautiful film, there were few dry eyes left in the house. Jesse complimented the film by stating that it takes a long time to start but rises like a soufflé.

ShortFest Day 1: Let the dogs out

2008-08-21T23:59:00.000-07:00

The dogs and ponies broke out of the ShortFest gates with an impressive award-winning lineup in the Opening Night ShortSplash. The energy was evident in the sold out theatre, as the audience dove into high comedy and beautiful imagery.

•"Procrastination" got everyone in the mood with deceptively simple-looking art and stop-motion animation illustrating tactics for putting off anything and everything. The audience roared through examples such as color-coordinating book shelves, creating an elaborate teabag dipper and imagining playing a computer game with your furniture.
•"Life's Hard" finds a thief choosing the wrong woman to carjack. As he becomes a backseat driver, she turns the tables.
•"The Wednesdays" found fans through its hilarious story about an elderly couple who gets over Hump Day and onto Bingo Thursday with the help of "disco biscuits." It's actually a very sweet story about getting through the final day-to-days.
•"Tadeo Jones and the Basement of Doom" spins an Average Joe Indy into an animated quest to save pets from becoming burger patties.
•"Manon on the Asphalt" is a lovely film about a woman's final thoughts about friends and family as she lay dying in the street. A very careful reflection of moments past and the small details we associate with our loved ones.
•"Sikumi (On the Ice)" is a visually arresting film about a seal hunter who happens upon a senseless murder, the blood bold against an endless snowy landscape. It is the perfect one-act, needing no more or less information to explain the hunter and murderer's relationship or the dilemma of divulging the situation to the community. According to the film's web site, it is the first film spoken entirely in the Iñupiaq language.

Fans got their first introduction to the filmmakers at the Hilton party that followed.
•Brian Crano returns to Palm Springs with his film, "Official Selection," after bringing his comedy hit, "Rubberheart" to last year's fest.

•The fellas from "The Cousin" (producer Alex Castillo, actor Manny Montana & producer Stephen Mann above) were happy to add Palm Springs to their wild ride of 8 fests in 8 weeks. Manny recalled his excitement at first attending ShortFest two years ago. Alex teased that the film delivers 1 cup of gay in the closing credits. I'm curious to see what that measurement looks like.
•Jeremy Brunjes, the Minnesota-by-way-of-New York director of "No Parking" laughed it up with "Premature" director Rashaad Ernesto Green (below at left with ShortFest staffers Emily and David), who stated that even though HBO's American Black Film Fest provided door-to-door transportation, they failed to serve food like ShortFest. So we win.

Matthew Modine shout-out

2008-08-21T16:07:00.001-07:00

While being interviewed about his short, "I Think I Thought" [featured in the Shooting Stars program on Saturday], Matthew Modine referred to ShortFest as "the Super Bowl of film festivals."

It's good to have him on our team. Check it out.

Viva la French Film!

2008-08-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

French directors François Truffaut (Day for Night) and Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amélie) first cut their cinematic teeth on short films. Who is to say the next great Gallic filmmaker will not make an appearance at the 2008 ShortFest? This year's French submissions created such a stir that the festival programmers chose to highlight the country's 30 best short films, second in representation only to the United States.

The idea of French cinema may produce images of café romances, but recent offerings suggest that Cupid has taken a vacation. That does not stop mere mortals from seeking love on their own.

Actress Virginie Peignien writes and directs her first short film, "Just One Hour" ("Juste Une Heure"). When a woman approaches a stranger and suggests they have anonymous sex, the proposition is intriguing. Some women lack such daring, for example the bookish beauty in the world premiere of "Original Sin" ("Péché Originel") and the desperate wallflower in Héléne Guétary's "Animal Bloom" ("Animal Singulier") who becomes a guinea pig for a hormone injection that drives men crazy. Man is more civilized but has yet to evolve from swinging amongst the branches in Vincent Vizioz's North American premiere, "Boy in the Tree" ("La Pomme de Newton"), as the titular boy becomes ruffled by the presence of a girl with her feet firmly on the ground.

A young man cannot escape his personal oddity when it is attached squarely to his face. In Valentin Potier's "Tony Zear" ("Tony Zoreil"), Tony lives in a world too loud and judgmental for his massive auditory organs (Tony's ear, get it?), and love is a hard sell. In contrast, romance barely utters a whisper in Céline Novel's delightful, subtle comedy, "Ocean Boulevard" ("Boulevard L’Océan"). Two could-be lovers on holiday just miss each other when distracted by hobbies, but sparks ignite a careful flame.

In darker tales, love earns an expiration date. In Ronan Moucheboeuf's "Orange Juice," a wife worries when her premonitory dreams suggest that her husband will decide the beverage is not just for breakfast. With a title like "The Gravedigger" ("Le Fossoyeur"), Sylvie Benavides' short suggests an ominous end for the girlfriend of the character's soon-to-be ex-wife.

Such diverse topics find a welcome home in short films as feature films attempt to stretch French cinema and Hollywood boundaries.

"Films take an important place in France, and we are lucky that lots of producers, film companies, distributors and associations are working hard to keep it that way even if it is getting more difficult with the surge of American blockbusters," said Benavides. "I am very happy to see that these efforts are rewarded, in particular at the Cannes Film Festival with the Palme d'Or which went to a French film this year."

Other directors do not wholly share this sentiment. "Good French feature films are very rare nowadays," said Benoît Ameil. "This situation is at the same time scarring and motivating. For my short, 'A Juicy Turkey' ('La Dinde Marinée'), it helped me. There is a cinematographic area in short filmmaking that almost doesn't exist in feature films."

Expanding upon such limitations, director Marc Alepee said, "All the stories I want to tell are fantasy stories, so the problem I have with French cinema is that it does not really produce genre movies. For producers in France, fantasy is not a serious way to tell stories and express ideas. However, I think that fantasy films are the perfect way to express my point of view on the world we are living in."

Such fantasy films represent some of the more visually creative shorts of the festival. Award-winning Lorenzo Recio directs the disquieting film "Lisa" in its North American premiere, suggesting a world where Alice scurried down the wrong rabbit hole. In Alepee's film, "In the Rope" ("Dans La Corde"), a man finds himself alone on a cliff with only a rope leading to a sliver of hope. Solitude remains the theme in "Skhizein," Jérémy Clapin's 3D animated North American premiere. After colliding with a meteorite, Henry is beside himself -- exactly 91 centimeters beside himself. In a busy world, he becomes lost in the shifted shuffle.

So take note. Palm Springs may be the stepping stone for future grands directeurs.

The final countdown

2008-08-19T10:13:00.000-07:00

ShortFest is only two short days away!

Have you planned out your schedule? Are you prepared to dig into the nitty-gritty details with the filmmakers and stars? Have you registered to shoot your own film with Kodak or practiced your acting exercises for Bill Pullman?

Let's see...3-4 programs a day...6-7 films per programs...that's about 130 films that you have no excuse not to see.

Are you ready?

Getting ready for ShortFest!

2008-08-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

The buzz is palpable in the PSIFS office. Films are piling up, credentials are being sorted and most of all the staff and many helpful volunteers are becoming excited about the upcoming best bet of the summer -- the Palm Springs ShortFest!!

Sure, partying the night away with international filmmakers is a great reward for all of the hard work that's put into this fest, but the hard work is done to promote a great slate of films. How wild it is to think of what could become of the filmmakers who not only will have their films screened at ShortFest, but who will be there to present them. More filmmakers than ever are attending because they know that this is the place to be.

Come join them on August 21!

Brideshead Revisited

2008-07-29T14:43:00.000-07:00

Evelyn Waugh's novel gets an update (and a trimming from the 11-part series in 1981) as Julian Jarrold (Becoming Jane) directs the new version of Brideshead Revisited, starring the fantastic Emma Thompson as Lady Marchmain and up-and-coming Matthew Goode (Match Point) as Charles Ryder.

The PSIFS will hold a special member screening on Wednesday, July 30.

What Ever Happened to Bette & Joan?

2008-07-22T11:13:00.000-07:00

The July 23 Drama Queens screening is What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Put on your best white dress and practice your lines:

Blanche: You wouldn't be able to do these awful things to me if I weren't still in this chair.
Jane: But you ARE, Blanche! You ARE in that chair!

Jane: I didn't bring your breakfast, because you didn't eat your din-din!

Dr. Shelby: I don't quite understand. Is this some kind of emotional disturbance you're talking about?
Blanche: Yes, she's emotionally disturbed. She's unbalanced!

Jane: Blanche, you aren't ever gonna sell this house, and you aren't ever gonna leave it, either.

Make way for Mildred

2008-07-15T10:27:00.000-07:00

The July 16 Drama Queens screening is Mildred Pierce.
Take a nibble:

Ida: "Personally, Veda's convinced me that alligators have the right idea. They eat their young."

Wally: "Oh boy! I'm so smart it's a disease!"

Ida: "When men get around me, they get allergic to wedding rings."

Mildred: "That Ted Forrester's nice-looking, isn't he? Veda likes him."
Monte: "Who wouldn't? He has a million dollars."

Policeman #1: "Say, he says there's a dead guy in the house."
Policeman #2: "You never saw a deader."

Mildred: "You've too many sisters. They all seem to be my size too."
Monte: "I know, I like them your size."
[raises glass] Monte: "To brotherly love."

American Teen

2008-06-27T11:57:00.000-07:00

Last night the film society held an early screening of American Teen.

The doc recorded the senior year of high school for five teens -- including the good, the bad, and the very ugly. No airbrushing here, audiences catch the teens at their highs and lows, yet their actions are very identifiable. Peer pressure, parental pressure, the hope for a miraculous change in status -- it's all there.

And so were the teens. The audience met with all five for a Q&A following the show (on the "heartthrob"'s 21st birthday, no less).

Grow those claws

2008-06-25T09:38:00.000-07:00

In honor of tonight's Drama Queens film, The Women (1939), below are a few juicy lines. Practice your catty one-liners and be sure to grab a seat at CSUSB!

Sylvia: "Then let the story ride; it'll be forgotten in the morning. You remember the awful things they said about what's-her-name before she jumped out the window?"

Peggy: "I think Sylvia's a perfectly dreadful woman and I'm gonna tell her."
Edith: "Oh darling, she can't help it. It's just her tough luck she wasn't born deaf and dumb."

Maggie: "The first man that can think of a good explanation of how he can be in love with his wife and another woman is gonna win that prize they're always giving out in Sweden."

Countess DeLave: "My way, your marriage may not last 'til death, but it's fun while it hangs together."

Countess DeLave: "Isn't it wonderful to see all of our lives so settled...temporarily?"

Mary: "I've had two years to grow claws, Mother. Jungle red."

Crystal: "There's a name for you, ladies, but it isn't used in high society...outside of a kennel."

Animation: Not just for Saturday mornings

2008-06-10T09:38:00.000-07:00

As they should be, animation is hitting the theatres again.

Mike Judge ("King of the Hill," Office Space) takes the Animation Show on the road (coming to San Diego & LA on June 13), featuring films that have graced the Palm Springs ShortFest (such as 2006's Hard C Hi Five to Lo-Fi Award for Best Low Budget Short, "Angry Unpaid Hooker" and Bill Plimpton's "Hot Dog" -- the animator who held a special demonstration at the 2007 fest). Where else would they mine for the best short films?

If you miss the live show, grab a DVD and get comfy with animated good stuff (the latest features ShortFest faves "Everything Will Be OK" and "Rabbit").

Madonna gets tossed

2008-06-05T09:18:00.000-07:00

...out of her Beamer* by Clive Owen, courtesy of Guy Ritchie. Scorsese develops 3.5 pages of a mystery Hitchcock script, preserving a film that was never made (and selling a little wine in the process).

If all commercials were this much fun we wouldn't use the fast-forward button on the Tivo.

*"The Hire" series, branded entertainment by BMW Films, also featured shorts by John Frankenheimer, Ang Lee, Wong Kar-wai, Alejandro González Iñárritu, John Woo, Joe Carnahan and Tony Scott. Not bad.

Mongol

2008-05-30T16:22:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-28T10:05:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-20T11:02:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-14T09:11:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-08T09:50:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-06T13:33:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-05T09:10:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-01T11:02:00.000-07:00

Tonight is the special member screening of Son of Rambow.

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

Short life

2008-04-24T09:10:00.000-07:00

New Yorker Films has stepped up to the plate to compile a DVD of international shorts.

The World According to Shorts includes Chile's "La Perra," Australia's "We Have Decided Not to Die," Norway's "United We Stand," Poland's "Antichrist," Brazil's "The Old Woman's Step" and Germany's "Ring of Fire."

I think they're on to something.

The sexy side of film

2008-04-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

Isabella Rossellini - daughter of Ingrid Bergman, star of creepy David Lynch films, seductive insect in the Sundance Channel shorts, "Green Porno." Why doesn't that seem so off base?

And speaking of, well, sex -- this time for humans -- have you seen the latest cover of Film Arts magazine? It features a little doc that played at last January's PSIFF, Passion & Power: The Technology of Orgasm. Hopefully the article's not censored, because when filmmakers Emiko Omori & Wendy Blair Slick attended the PSIFF screening they had been interviewed by a local TV station and were not allowed to say the word "vibrator"...the topic of the film. Good to know.

Another 48 hours

2008-04-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

Think short filmmakers have it easy and want to see them work under pressure?

The 48 Hour Film Project makes filmmakers sweat under the clock. On Friday they're given a character, a prop, a line of dialogue and a genre. On Sunday, they better have a film.

Check out the tour or watch the results online.

Noises off

2008-04-17T09:03:00.000-07:00

Tonight is our special member screening of Noise.

If you attended, what did you think of Henry Bean's (The Believer) dark comedy starring Tim Robbins as a fed up New Yorker?

DIY Hi-Desert short fest

2008-04-16T09:09:00.000-07:00

PAH-Fest (that's Project Accessible Hollywood) is coming to the desert with a cell phone in each holster.

Christopher Coppola (Francis' nephew, Nic Cage's brother) is arming desert residents with video-capable phones and a little guidance and then letting them go to town...literally. Given a topic and a limited time to film, his goal is to sweep the nation, leaving newly enabled storytellers in his wake.

The mini-PAH of the California Hi-Desert will take place May 2-4 in Twentynine Palms, Joshua Tree and Yucca Valley. Check it out.

Jonesin' for some shorts?

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This month, tap into KCET's Festival of Student Film.

Every Saturday night in April, they'll be playing a batch of good films from students in sunny California. If your TV sits in SoCal, you're set. If not, wait until after the episode airs, and it becomes available online.

Just another reminder that good things come in small packages.

Hey, have we met?

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There's no better time than smack-dab between the Palm Springs International Film Fest and the Palm Springs ShortFest to get to know one another.

Keep comin' back for film news, fest updates and to chat up our latest screening or film series.

We'll be here, and we want to hear from you!