Palm Springs International ShortFest Begins

PALM SPRINGS, CA — More than 300 short films from across the globe will be showcased starting Tuesday evening at the 24th annual Palm Springs International ShortFest, which organizers say is the largest short film event in North America.

The festival begins with an opening night ceremony at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, formerly the Camelot Theatres, where the festival's programming will be screened through Sunday. Six shorts are slated for the opening night festivities.

In addition to daily screenings through next weekend, the festival will also feature the ShortFest Forum, where more than a dozen panel discussions will be hosted by more than 50 industry professionals, who will lend their firsthand experiences and knowledge for filmmakers and movie lovers. Panel topics include emerging trends and the ins and outs of the industry from both the business and technical side of things. The ShortFest Forum will be held across three days at the Riviera Palm Springs.

Camp ShortFest on Thursday will feature programming geared toward kids and a keynote speech from Rider Strong of "Boy Meets World" fame. Animated, documentary and live-action films will be screened.

Five 21 and over filmmaker parties will also be held at venues throughout the city, offering a chance for attendees to network and enjoy music, cocktails, dancing and more.

General screenings and panels are $13. For tickets and more information, visit https://www.psfilmfest.org/ .

— By City News Service / Image via Shutterstock