The Palm Springs International ShortFest is one of only a handful of Oscar®-qualifying Festivals in the US. First place winners in our Live Action, Animation, and Best of the Fest categories are automatically qualified for nomination consideration by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Palm Springs International ShortFest started in 1995 and takes place in Palm Springs, California, U.S.
The 2020 Palm Springs International ShortFest announced its juried award winners from the 332 shorts films that were part of the Official Selection and made available online to screen from June 16-22. The top prize, Best of the Festival Award went to Matriochkas directed by Bérangère Mc Neese.
Palm Springs International ShortFest has selected 332 short films in their Official Selection of the 26th edition that will be eligible for jury award consideration. These films represent 69 countries and were selected from more than 6,000 submissions received this year. While ShortFest will not hold an in-person event, a number of the official selection films will be available to screen for free online from June 16-22, 2020.
Palm Springs Film Society announced their plans for Palm Springs International Film Festival ShortFest 2020 taking place in June in a recent update from Artistic Director Lili Rodriguez and Managing Director Rhea Lewis-Woodson. Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, an in-person festival will not take place in June, however, official selected films will screen on the festival’s website for free from June 16 to 22, 2020.
The Palm Springs International Film Society has announced the dates for the 32nd annual Palm Springs International Film Festival. Festival dates will be Thursday, January 7 through Monday, January 18, 2021.
The 2019 Palm Springs International ShortFest announced its Festival juried award winners with the Romanian film The Christmas Gift, directed by Bogdan Muresanu, winning the Best of Festival Award. The prize for Best International Short went to Guaxuma directed by Nara Normande; and Manila is Full of Men Named Boy directed by Andrew Stephen Lee won for Best U.S. Short.
The 25th annual Palm Springs International ShortFest will showcase 369 films including 60 World Premieres, 25 International Premieres, 46 North American Premieres, 17 U.S. Premieres and 98 California Premieres. There are 60 curated programs, which will screen June 18-24, at the Camelot Theatres (Palm Springs Cultural Center) in Palm Springs.
Fauve, Jérémy Comte[/caption]
After screening 333 short films, the 2018 Palm Springs International ShortFest, the largest short film festival and only short film market in North America, announced its Festival award winners on Sunday, June 24, 2018. More than $87,500 in prizes, including $27,000 in cash awards were awarded in 21 categories.
“The award winners truly capture the amazing pool of talent and the incredible range of films found at the festival,” said Festival Director Lili Rodriguez. “We’re honored to witness and share such a skilled level of filmmaking and can’t wait to do it again next year.”
All that We Carry (USA), Directed by: Erin Semine Kökdil[/caption]
The 2018 Palm Springs International ShortFest will showcase 333 films including 42 World Premieres, 32 International Premieres, 42 North American Premieres and 13 U.S. Premieres with films coming from 62 countries around the world. There are 55 curated programs, which will screen June 19-25, at the Palm Springs Cultural Center in Palm Springs. More than 5,300 of the festival submissions will be available in the Film Market for industry attendees to view.
“We’re thrilled to be sharing this year’s lineup,” said ShortFest Festival Director Lili Rodriguez. “With an increase in submission numbers, we knew we’d have our work cut out for us, but the programming team has narrowed down the selection to a wonderful collection that includes some of this year’s festival favorites as well as amazing new discoveries. We were so impressed by the quality of these stories and we can’t wait to pack into theatres and share them with our audience this summer.”
This year’s list of films include the following:
Variety will present writer Aaron Sorkin with the Creative Impact in Screenwriting Award and director Patty Jenkins with the Creative Impact in Directing Award at the 2018 Palm Springs Film Festival on January 3, 2018.
The award will celebrate Sorkin’s prolific screenwriting career, which includes an Academy Award® for “The Social Network” and multiple Emmy Awards for “The West Wing”, as well as his directorial debut with the upcoming film, “Molly’s Game” from STX films and The Mark Gordon Company, opening Dec. 25. Aaron has received a Golden Globe nomination as well as a Critics Choice nomination for the screenplay of the film.
“It’s no exaggeration to say that Aaron Sorkin has dramatically changed the art of modern film and TV writing,” said Steven Gaydos, VP and Executive Editor, Variety. “With intelligence, passion and wit in equal portions, his propulsive expressiveness has redefined the limits of character and dialogue, and his newest film, “Molly’s Game,” is a thrilling example of the maestro at the top of his game.”
“Molly’s Game” star Jessica Chastain will be presenting Sorkin the award at the brunch. Chastain will receive the Chairman’s Award at the PSIFF Film Awards Gala the evening before.
Jenkins will be the first female director to ever receive the honor, and the award will celebrate her career, from her award-winning first feature, “Monster,” to her most recent work directing Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Wonder Woman.” Among that film’s many accolades, it was recently named one of AFI’s Best Films of The Year, and Jenkins and the film’s star, Gal Gadot, will receive the National Board of Review Spotlight Award.
“Patty Jenkins has directed one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful films of the year with “Wonder Woman,” said Variety Co-Editor in Chief, Claudia Eller. “The film grossed $820 million worldwide and has inspired women-and men-old and young, to feel as empowered as the superhero at its center. Patty also scored a big one for female directors, which are in short supply in Hollywood.”
“Wonder Woman” star Gal Gadot will be presenting Patty the award at the brunch. Gadot will receive the Rising Star Award at the PSIFF Film Awards Gala the evening before.
Previous recipients of this award have included Jeff Nichols, Charlie Kaufmann, David O. Russell, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Facing Mecca[/caption]
The 2017 Palm Springs International ShortFest announced its Festival award winners on Sunday, June 25, 2017, with Swiss film Facing Mecca directed by Jan-Eric Mack winning the prize for the Best of Festival Award.
“After spending a week in and out of theaters, and talking with filmmakers and audiences, we close out the festival with such a strong sense of community,” said Festival Director Lili Rodriguez. “Filmmakers are making movies about the changing world around them. I think our award winners showcase an understanding and compassion for people and it’s a great thing to see.”
The 2017 Palm Springs International ShortFest award winners are:
Idris Elba in Five by Five[/caption]
This year’s 23rd Palm Springs International ShortFest taking place June 20-26, 2017, at the Camelot Theatres in Palm Springs will showcase 338 films including 46 World Premieres, 12 International Premieres, 42 North American Premieres and 16 U.S. Premieres.
“Each year, the quality of films we watch for ShortFest keeps getting stronger,” said Festival Director Lili Rodriguez. “It makes our job of narrowing down the final selection that much harder, but also incredibly rewarding. There are so many unique and strong voices and we’re really proud to champion these films at the festival.”
This year’s star-studded shorts feature Academy Award® winners and nominees, as well as film and television stars including Summer Phoenix in Across My Land (USA/France); Thomas Lennon and Lennon Parham in All Exchanges Final (USA); Tatiana Maslany in Apart From Everything (Canada); The Dark of Night (USA) directed by Robin Wright and starring Leslie Bibb and Sam Rockwell; Sir Ian McKellen in Edmund the Magnificent (UK); Toby Jones in The Entertainer (UK); Julian Sands in The Escape (UK); Idris Elba in Five by Five (UK); Rick Fox in Game (USA); Carrie Coon in Great Choice (USA); Kate Winslet in The Lost Letter (Ireland); Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale in Martha Monster (Australia); Valerie Harper in My Mom and the Girl (USA); Helena Bonham Carter in Poles Apart (UK); Show Business (USA) directed by Clark Duke; and Super Sex directed by Matthew Modine and starring Kevin Nealon, Edward Asner, Elizabeth Perkins and Efren Ramirez.
In addition to ShortFest’s award-winning short films, each year the Festival also welcomes a long guest list of filmmakers and industry attendees for the ShortFest Forums of panels and roundtables. Other prominent industry figures from AMPAS®, Anonymous Content, CAA, Cartoon Network, FX Networks, ICM Partners, NASA, Preferred Content, Seed&Spark, UTA, Vimeo and other organizations will participate in three days of ShortFest Forums covering a wide range of emerging trends and new practices in the global film community.
The 2015 Palm Springs International ShortFest held from June 16-22, 2015, announced its Festival award winners. CARRY ON (Esel) (pictured above) directed by Rafael Haider, a sublime tale that focuses on an elderly couple who tend to what’s left of their once-thriving farm with the help of an aged donkey on its last legs, won the Best of Festival Award.
“It’s been a spectacular success on all fronts for ShortFest this year, with a uniformly ecstatic response from audience and filmmakers alike for the screenings, the panels and seminars and the special events the Festival mounted,” said Festival Director Darryl Macdonald. “With record numbers of attendees and filmmakers, the Festival lived up to its growing reputation as one of the most important events of its kind in the world.”
The 2015 Palm Springs International ShortFest award winners are:
JURY AWARDS
BEST OF FESTIVAL AWARD – Winner received $5,000 cash prize courtesy of the Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Final Cut Pro X courtesy of Apple Computer. The winner of this award may be eligible to submit their film to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Oscar consideration.
Carry On (Esel) (Austria), Rafael Haider
This sublime tale focuses on an elderly couple who tend to what’s left of their once-thriving farm with the help of an aged donkey on its last legs. But when the time comes to face reality, can the farmer do what is called for?
GRAND JURY AWARD – Winner received $2,000 cash prize
Over (UK), Jörn Threlfall
What has happened in this quiet, suburban neighborhood? Has there been a murder, a hit-and-run, an accident? The reality is both profound and deeply unexpected, and unfolds in reverse in this quiet mystery that rewards the patient viewer.
FUTURE FILMMAKER AWARD – Winner received a $2,000 cash prize.
Submarine (Brazil), Rafael Aidar
Love and loneliness waltz in this slow reveal of a man whose connection to his lover keeps him finding new ways to re-ignite his past.
PANAVISION BEST NORTH AMERICAN SHORT – Camera package valued at $60,000 courtesy of Panavision.
Marta Rosa (USA/Mexico), Barbara Cigarroa
In the aftermath of a tragedy, a mother is forced to deal with her own internal grief as well as the harsh realities of the world around her.
BEST STUDENT FILM AWARD (From a US Film School) – $1,000 cash prize courtesy of KQED San Francisco and camera package valued at $10,000 courtesy of Radiant Images
It’s Better in Italian (USA/Italy), Jordan Ledy
A delightful look behind the scenes at the world of dubbing American movie stars in films for the Italian market.
HONORARY MENTIONS
Exceptional Performance by an Actress – Miriam Zohar, Paris on the Water (Paris Al Amayim) (Israel)
Exceptional Cinematography – August (Poland), Tomek Slesicki
AUDIENCE AWARDS
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT
The Way of Tea (les frémissements du thé) (France), Marc Fouchard
Set in a small town in northern France, The Way of Tea explores the meeting of Alex, a young skinhead, and Malic, an Arab shopkeeper, who meet one fateful night that tests the mettle of both men. An eloquent statement about prejudice and stereotypes.
Runner-up – Contrapelo (Mexico/USA/UK), Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
Body Team 12 (Liberia),David Darg
A glimpse into the work of a group of courageous people tasked with the removal and disposal of bodies during the Ebola outbreak in Liberia. Both gut wrenching and inspiring, the film focuses on the sole woman on the team, and her perspective on the crisis in her country.
Runner-up – It’s Better in Italian (USA/Italy), Jordan Ledy
BEST ANIMATION SHORT
Bear Story (Historia de un Oso) (Chile), Gabriel Osorio
Through the magical prism of a marionette theater, a world-weary bear tells his life story.
Runner-up – SOAR (USA), Alyce Tzue
SHORTFEST ONLINE AUDIENE AWARD
The Deadman (Peru), Franco Finocchiaro
A young man who everyone assumed was dead reappears at his parent’s house mysteriously after seven years, shortly followed by two detectives with more questions than answers.
JURY CATEGORY AWARDS
Awards in the non-student and student categories were selected by ShortFest jury members David Ansen (Writer), Gregg Kilday (Film Editor at The Hollywood Reporter),Steve Greene (Assistant Editor of Indiewire’s Criticwire Network), Dan Ireland (Writer/Director/Producer), Roberta Munroe(Writer/Director/Producer), Barry Primus (actor), Kim Waltrip (Independent Film Producer). All first place winners in the non-student categories received a cash award of $2,000. First place winners in the non-student Animation and Live Action categories may be eligible for Academy Awards consideration. Second place recipients received a $500 cash prize.
BEST AnimatION short
First Place ($2,000) – Bear Story (Historia De Un Oso)(Chile),Gabriel Osorio
Through the magical prism of a marionette theater, a world-weary bear tells his life story.
Second Place ($500) – The Orchestra (Australia), Mikey Hill
BEST Live Action short over 15 minutes
First Place ($2,000) – The Good Life-Over There (Det Gode Livet, Der Borte) (Norway), Izer Aliu
Sami, an Albanian immigrant to Norway, spends the day babysitting his boss’ spoiled adolescent son who teaches him a surprising lesson about the sacrifices he’s made for his family back home.
Second Place ($500) – Submarine(Brazil), Rafael Aidar
Special Mention– Brothers(UK), Thordur Palsson
BEST Live Action short 15 MINUTES AND UNDER
First Place ($2,000) – August(Poland), Tomek Slesicki
A teenage boy hangs out with a pretty girl and a young boy and his dog in the fields. Over his shoulder is slung a bag with unknown contents, which will eventually prove the cost of first love.
Second Place ($500) – Over (United Kingdom), Jörn Threlfall
Special Mention – Ave Maria (Palestine/France/Germany), Basil Khalil
BEST Documentary short
First Place ($2,000) – Pink Boy(USA), Eric Rockey
This remarkable documentary introduces us to Jeffrey, a young, ‘gender non-conforming’ boy being raised by his lesbian moms in conservative rural Florida who provide him with exactly the kind of support and guidance he needs to make his way in a potentially hostile world.
Second Place ($500) –Pebbles At Your Door (Denmark), Vibeke Bryld
STUDENT CATEGORIES
All first place winners in these categories received a 1-year download membership to Videoblocks, AudioBlocks or GraphicStock.
BEST STUDENT ANIMATION
First Place – SOAR (USA), Alyce Tuze
A precocious young girl makes a new friend when a tiny boy pilot drops out of the sky on a broken flying machine. Now she must race against time to return him home, before her new friend becomes stranded on Earth forever.
Second Place – After the End (UK), Sam Southward
Honorable Mention – The Present (Germany), Jacob Frey
BEST STUDENT Live Action short over 15 minutes
First Place – Paris on the Water (Paris Al Amayim) (Israel), Hadas Ayalon
Bathya and Michel – both actors – have been married for 50 years, and while Michel has continued to have a successful career in a TV medical drama series, her once-thriving career has gone dormant. Then Bathya finds herself up for a potential key role in a new movie, bringing her hopes for a career revival, but on the morning of her audition, something happens that forces her to reassess her priorities in life.
Second Place – The Little Death (Den Lille Døden) (Norway), Simon Tillaas
BEST STUDENT Live Action short 15 MINUTES AND UNDER
First Place – Marta Rosa (USA/Mexico), Barbara Cigarroa
In the aftermath of a tragedy, a mother is forced to deal with her own internal grief as well as the harsh realities of the world around her.
Second Place – Zelos (USA/Iceland), Thoranna Sigurdardottir
BEST STUDENT DOCUMENTARY short
First Place – It’s Better in Italian (USA/Italy), Jordan Ledy
A delightful look behind the scenes at the world of dubbing American movie stars in films for the Italian market.
Second Place – The Tour Guide (Ha Madricha) (Israel/Germany), Amos Geva
ADDITIONAL PRIZES
ALEXIS AWARD FOR BEST EMERGING STUDENT FILMMAKER – The Alexis Award is selected by the Festival’s programming team and was created in honor of Alexis Echavarria, a young filmmaker, whose talent as a budding filmmaker and gift for inspiring excellence among his fellow students were cut short suddenly in 2005 at age 16. The recipient received Final Cut Pro X courtesy of Apple Computer.
First Place – Zelos (USA), Thoranna Sigurdardottir
As a modern woman you have an endless to-do list. Between your family, your career, and your hobbies, you want to do it all, and do it all well. With Zelos, YOU CAN…
Second Place – Discipline (Switzerland), Chrisopher M. Saber
HP BRIDGING THE BORDERS AWARD PRESENTED BY CINEMA WITHOUT BORDERS – The winner received the award’s diploma and an HP ZBook Mobile Workstation with a color critical HP DreamColor display and Thunderbolt™ 2, an approximately $3000 value. The runner received a certificate for an upcoming Method Acting Intensive Workshop provided by The Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute with a value of $2000
First Place – Ave Maria (Palestine/France/Germany), Basil Khalil
A Jewish family’s car breaks down outside a nunnery during Shabat, inadvertently knocking off the head of the Virgin Mary. The driver’s mother and wife are eager to return home. After exhausting all options they turn to the nuns for help.
Special Jury Prize – Rangan 99 (Iran), Tiyam Yabandeh