Short Film Fest Heads To Palm Springs: What To Know

PALM SPRINGS, CA — The Palm Springs International ShortFest, a showcase of short-form cinema, will return later this year at Festival Theaters, with passes on sale Wednesday.

The 32nd iteration of the annual event will be held from June 23-29.

The seven-day competitive event is an award-qualifying festival for the Academy Awards, British Academy of Film and Television Arts and the Goya Awards.

Five Academy Award-qualifying films will be announced on June 28, with the Best of the Fest program screening to conclude the festival on June 29. Awards and cash prizes worth $25,000 will be handed out.

Officials said ShortFest Forum -- a series of classes and panels featuring industry representatives and filmmakers -- will be available at the Hilton Palm Springs.

Notable short films that have screened at ShortFest in previous years include the Oscar-winning documentary short "The Queen of Basketball," Oscar- winning live action short "The Long Goodbye" and Oscar-nominated documentary short "The Devil Is Busy."

The festival has a track record of giving filmmakers a platform early in their careers, including Ava DuVernay, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Dee Rees, Denis Villeneuve, Francesca Scorsese, Janicza Bravo, Jason Reitman, Jim Cummings and Lulu Wang.

Passes and tickets can be purchased at www.psfilmfest.org.