Colin Firth (right) and Keira Knightley appear in “Steve,” a short film directed by Rupert Friend. It will be screened during the Palm Springs Short Film Festival. / Courtesy of Palm Springs Short Film Festival
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An annual summer highlight in Palm Springs is expected to flicker across screens at Camelot Theatres, as the 17th annual Palm Springs Short Film Festival takes place Tuesday through June 27.
With a list of notable film stars such as Keira Knightley, Jason Alexander, Melissa Leo and Kirsten Dunst, you'd think they would be taking a walk up the red carpet at the annual Palm Springs International Film Festival in January, but these and many more major names are appearing in short films to be featured at the annual ShortFest.
The short film in general, which must be less than 40 minutes long, has become an increasingly popular format for a number of A-list actors such as James Franco and Kirsten Dunst to also try their hand behind the camera. Many of the films are under 10 minutes, presenting a creative challenge for the filmmaker to tell a story in a brief snapshot.
However, for many of these prominent stars who have established a reputation in major feature films, the short film format can be freeing.
“The short film is liberating and provides them the chance to flex their creative muscles,” noted festival director Darryl Macdonald.
The Palm Springs ShortFest will present 331 short films that were culled from 3,000 entries and more than 50 countries. The films will be presented in 52 thematic programs such as Make 'Em Laugh, Idiot's Delight and Altered States. Each program features six to 12 short film subjects for one ticket price.
“We have seen an upsurge in both the number of countries and the quality of the films, many from countries in the Middle East like Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon,” Macdonald said. “The quality from the Middle Eastern countries is remarkable in its sophistication and in the storytelling. The stories are fascinating, exotic and revelatory and go beyond the TV clichés.”
Nearly 400 young filmmakers are expected to attend the ShortFest from countries such as Australia, France, Romania, Iceland, Egypt, the UK, Israel and New Zealand. Moviegoers will get a window on the world through the stories told by these young filmmakers.
“I feel flattered and honored to have my film in Palm Springs because I have friends who had films screened there, and I discovered it is one of the premier short festivals not only in America but globally,” said Paul Ashton, an Australian actor and filmmaker who moved to Los Angeles three years ago. His film, “In Loco Parentis,” will be screened in the Make 'Em Laugh program on opening night.
Filmmaker Michael Jortner, who had his 16-minute short “Strip” screened at last year's festival, described ShortFest as a positive experience.
“It was exciting to have the world premiere in Palm Springs,” he added. “I was really impressed with the top-notch programming and the fact that it's an Oscar-qualifying festival.”
The impact of having a short film accepted at the Palm Springs International ShortFest can give a filmmaker's career a boost.
“Because there is a film market attached to our festival, there are buyers from all over the world. From our surveys we know that 2/3
So it's not just fun and entertainment; it's big business.
For a complete list of films and program schedule visit www.psfilmfest.org
Lydia Kremer writes about the people, places and events that make our community special. She can be reached at lydia@thevortexnews.com.
