Local businesses get boost from film festival

The 26th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival is underway. This ten day festival draws more than a 130-thousand movie enthusiasts who eat, stay and buy souvenirs from our local local businesses.

“It is going very fast this year, it is very popular and a great design,” said Destination PSP Scott Glover.

Destination PSP, a locally owned store, is the official providers this year of all things film festival.

“We have t-shirts, towels, messenger bags, magnets mugs, anything we had last year, have it this year with a more expanded selection and colors,” said Glover.

You will find it in this Palm Canyon Drive this store and at every screening site.

“It’s like we had a massive expansion for a week. We will be back together next week, but it is a fun adventure for us and it’s something that we love doing because we do care deeply about the film festival and it’s success,” said Glover.

It’s a success that’s spilling over into other business, hotels close to the theaters are sold out or close to it this weekend.

“It’s great to stay out here in the desert we get to enjoy restaurants that we found, discover new ones for meals,” said festival goer Richard Fanning.

“We have a good time being miserable in sad movies,” said festival goer Joanne Hirschfield.

Bari Winchell came in town just for the festival.

“I look forward to it every year, because not only is it an escape it’s like traveling for free because you learn so much about other cultures,” said Winchell.

With nearly 200 films deciding what to see is half the fun.

“It’s always a project to figure out what you want to watch,” said Fanning.

“I’ve spent about 6 hours planning every film out and we usually see about three a day,” said Winchell.

“Sometimes they are interesting sometimes they are not, it’s our wild choice,” said festival goer Donna Pohlman.

But a choice that needs to made quickly, many showings are already sold out.

“It can be a little alarming to see the movie you can to see, sold out three days ago, and there are so many choices it’s a little difficult to pick,” said Fanning.

“It’s the most fabulous vacation I have right at home,” said Hirschfield

It’s not just businesses who are getting a boost, 10 percent of all film festival merchandise bought at Palm Springs High School will go the school’s drama department.

For information about the films and how to buy ticket click here.