Palm Springs International Film Festival: What To Watch For In 2024

PALM SPRINGS, CA — The Palm Springs International Film Festival has shared numerous accolades that will be awarded during the 2024 run. With so many awards planned, we've outlined a few that deserve special note.

Emma Stone Thursday will receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award for her role in "Poor Things," and the film's director Yorgos Lanthimos will receive the Creative Impact in Directing Award Friday at Variety's annual 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards brunch.

Stone will be presented with her award Thursday night at the Palm Springs Convention Center, 277 N. Avenida Caballeros and she will present Lanthimos with his award Friday at Parker Palm Springs.

"Emma Stone continues to exert influence as one of the most important actresses of this generation, whose performances are always exceptional no matter the role," festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi said in a statement. "In her latest film `Poor Things,' Emma delivers a burning intensity and character bound for liberation."

"Poor Things" features a tale of a young woman brought back to life by a scientist, and under his protection, she is eager to learn and runs off on an adventure across continents. Stone stars in the film which also features Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef, Suzy Bema, Kathryn Hunter and Hanna Schygulla, among others.

"Yorgos Lanthimos established himself as one of world cinema's top filmmakers nearly 15 years ago when his film `Dogtooth' startled and excited the crowds in Cannes at its premiere," Variety's Executive Vice President of Content Steven Gaydos said in a statement.

The film received seven Golden Globe nominations, 13 Critics Choice Awards nominations, and was named to both the AFI and National Board of Review lists of the year's top 10 films, according to festival officials.

The Desert Palm Achievement Award has previously been awarded to Cate Blanchett, Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Renee Zellweger, Olivia Colman, Marion Cotillard and Sandra Bullock among others. The Creative Impact in Directing honor has previously been presented to Baz Luhrmann, Ryan Coogler, Charlie Kaufman, and Patty Jenkins.

The Palm Springs International Film Festival will be held from Thursday to Jan. 15.

The Vanguard Award will be presented to "Killers of the Flower Moon" Thursday and co-writer of the film Eric Roth will receive the Creative Impact in Screenwriting Award Friday at Variety's annual 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards brunch.

Director Martin Scorsese, actor Leonardo DiCaprio and actress Lily Gladstone will be presented with the Vanguard award Thursday night at the Palm Springs Convention Center, 277 North Avenida Caballeros, and Roth will receive his award Friday at Parker Palm Springs.

"`Killers of the Flower Moon' is a powerful and important film not only for its cinematic poetry, but also as a complicated story about the suspicious murders of members of the Osage Nation, one which fully illustrates the evils of racism and corruption," said Palm Springs International Film Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi in a statement.

The Vanguard Award has previously been presented to films including "Green Book," "The Shape of Water," "Belfast," "La La Land," "Little Miss Sunshine," "The Fablemans" and "The Trial of the Chicago 7."

"Roth's oeuvre is the stuff of legends and the legends seek him out, as exhibited by this year's mighty true-life contender, `Killers of the Flower Moon,"' Steven Gaydos, Variety's executive vice president of content said in a statement. "A huge canvas and a major production, telling a vital story about America's appalling treatment of our indigenous peoples required a uniquely skilled voice, so directing legend Martin Scorsese called on Eric Roth to bring `Moon' to the screen," he said

The Palm Springs International Film Festival will continue until Jan. 15.

A list of 10 Directors to Watch will be honored at the Palm Springs International Film Festival on Friday, according to Variety.

The directors will be honored during the film festival as part of the industry trade publication's annual 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards brunch on Friday at Parker Palm Springs.

"Particularly at a time when changes in financing, shooting and distribution generate new challenges for artists to get their films funded, their visions fulfilled and finally their work shown to audiences, recognizing young artists feels more important than ever -- especially those who have much to say so early in their careers," Variety reporters wrote in an article.

The highlighted directors are Blitz Bazawule for "The Color Purple," Ilker Catak for "The Teachers' Lounge," Sophie Dupuis for "Solo," Cord Jefferson for "American Fiction," Titus Kaphar for "Exhibiting Forgiveness," Anna Kendrick for "Woman of the Hour," Kobi Libii for "The American Society of Magical Negroes," Aaron Schimberg for "A Different Man," Ena Sendijarevic for "Sweet Dreams" and Eva Trobisch for "Ivo."

The film festival will get underway Thursday will film awards and continue with screenings of 179 films from 74 countries and several programs through Jan. 15.