Palm Springs International Short Film Festival

Today marks the beginning of the 14th Annual Palm Springs International Short Film Festival, which runs through August 27th. The Short Film Fest, held in the summer each year is not to be confused with the full feature length Palm Springs International Film Festival, which is held in January. (The January film festival is the more significant of the two events.) This year's Short Film Fest features an impressive line up of films with big names in Hollywood. Two feature films directed by Kate Hudson and Kirsten Dunst, as well as films starring Jessica Biel, Rainn Wilson, Winona Ryder, Dana Delany, David Arquette, Kurt Russell and Tony Shalhoub will be featured. Confirmed celebrities attending include Bill Pullman, and Jessica Biel, who is with recipient of the 2007 Palm Springs International Film Festival's Rising Star award, and several other stars are expected to be attending.

Once again, Hollywood has taken notice of Palm Springs; there are 317 short films being screened, which makes Palm Springs important to the U.S. film industry. Of the films being screened, 53 are world premieres, 47 North American and 24 U.S. premieres.

above: A scene from "Cutlass", directed by Kate Hudson, and stars Kurt Russell.
The festival kicks off with several short films that already won awards at other film fests around the world this year including: Life's Hard (Romania), Manon on the Asphalt (France), Plastic (Australia), Procrastination (UK), Sikumi (USA), Tadeo Jones and the Basement of Doom (Spain) and The Wednesdays (Ireland).

above: "Hole in the Paper Sky", featuring Jessica Biel
The Hilton Hotel plays host to a glamorous poolside reception as part of the Gala opening festivities. If you want to see any of the 317 short films being screened in Palm Springs, tickets can be purchased online or by phone during the day at 1-800-898-7256. It is an ideal film fest to see celebrities, as it is a low key festival, which attracts Hollywood actors who want to relax in the desert and take in a film or two.
-Rick Rockhill