Palm Springs International Shortfest Announces 2024 Programming

Palm Springs, CA (June 3, 2024) – Today, the Palm Springs International ShortFest announced its programmed lineup. Sponsored by the City of Palm Springs, this year’s 30th-anniversary ShortFest will be presented at the Regal Palm Springs from June 18-24, 2024. In all, the festival will screen 52 curated programs showcasing 310 films from 63 countries and territories, including 49 World Premieres, 15 International Premieres, 28 North American Premieres, 9 U.S. Premieres., and 106 California Premieres. In all, more than 6,300 short films from 130 countries and territories were submitted. The full schedule and tickets will be available on Wednesday, June 5 at www.psfilmfest.org/shortfest-2024. The complete lineup is included at the bottom of this release.

“Year after year, short filmmaking continues to gain recognition, reaching broader audiences and offering filmmakers a striking canvas from which to experiment, innovate, and explore the stories which make them dream,” said Lili Rodriguez, Artistic Director of the Palm Springs International Film Society. “Celebrating our 30th-anniversary, we have both the unique gift of looking back toward the creativity which has sprouted at ShortFest across its significant tenure, as well as the still rich environment from which to see emerging creatives grow. We are honored to share these captivating works with our loyal Palm Springs audience, and cannot wait to welcome these artists from around the globe once again to the Coachella Valley.”

Short films featuring celebrated film and television actors include Unsettled directed by Bella Thorne; Agonist starring Peyton List; ALOK directed by Alex Hedison and executive produced by Jodie Foster; Aphasia starring Canadian stage-actor Clare Coulter; Caller Number Nine! directed by Sandy Honig and starring Patti Harrison; CAN co-starring Mamoudou Athie; Fish Out of Water directed by Francesca Scorsese; Guts starring Kate Burton; Holiday House starring AnnaSophia Robb; How Can I Help You starring Thomasin McKenzie and directed by Eliza Scanlen; ILY, BYE starring Meg Stalter, Kanoa Goo, and Rainn Wilson; In Our Own Way starring Matt Jones; Intergalactic Cafe directed by Mike Mitchell and starring James Murray; Loser starring Angourie Rice; Mog’s Christmas voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy; Officer Stanley starring Matt Walsh, Jimmi Simpson and Jodi Balfour; Paper starring Josh Brener; Relationship to Patient starring H. Jon Benjamin; Speed Queen 51 starring Rory Culkin; Tea starring Michael Gandolfini; The One Note Man starring Ian McKellen; The Talent starring Emma D’Arcy; and Vlog directed by and starring Yvonne Stahovski.

Each year ShortFest reflects the evolving film industry and the world at large. As reported by the filmmakers themselves, 153 out of 310 films (49%) feature women directors. Beyond American films (142 U.S. shorts), ShortFest remains committed to its mandate of showcasing film excellence worldwide as this year’s slate includes international stories from France (29), the United Kingdom (28), Canada (19), Belgium (10), Australia (8), Germany (7), the Netherlands (7), Spain (7), Switzerland (7), Mexico (6), Brazil (5), and Chile (5) along with films from Argentina, Austria, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland,, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Lithuania, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Palestine, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Scotland, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Ukraine, and Vietnam.

The Palm Springs International ShortFest remains a key indicator for awards recognition, with over 100 of its past-presented films going on to receive Academy Award® nominations. Juried award winners will be announced on Sunday, June 23, from the official selection, which includes five Academy Award-qualifying awards and cash prizes totaling $25,000. The Best of the Fest shorts will be screened on the final day, Monday, June 24, and will also be available virtually from July 10-14. This year’s categories, which each have their own group of jury members, include:

Oscar®Qualifying Awards: Best of the Festival Award, Best Animated Short, Best Documentary Short, Best Live-Action Short Over 15 Minutes and Best Live-Action Short 15 Minutes and Under.

Student Short Awards: Best Student Animated Short, Best Student Documentary Short, Best Student International Short, and Best Student U.S. Short.

Special Jury Awards: Best International Short, Best U.S. Short, Best Comedy Short, Best LGBTQ+ Short, Best Midnight Short, Desert ViewsAward, Young Cineastes Award, Kids’ Choice Award, and Bridging the Borders Award presented by Cinemas Without Borders.

The 2024 Palm Springs International ShortFest will screen the following films:

Animation

Documentary

Live Action