2021 Palm Springs ShortFest starts today

Palm Springs ShortFest is back as an in- person event, featuring nearly 300 films from around the world.

What's billed as the largest festival for short films in the United States will be the first film festival in California to return with in-person screenings since the coronavirus pandemic began last year, according to the organizers.

ShortFest, which will run through next Monday at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, will feature 295 films, including 32 world premieres. More than 5,500 films from 104 countries were submitted.

Films to be shown include the American comedy-drama "David," featuring Will Ferrell.

(The complete list of films being screened is available at the bottom of the article

For tickets and more information, visit www.psfilmfest.org.

"As we collectively move toward this next stage together, we feel a strong sense of gratitude to share the 2021 edition of ShortFest in person,'' said Lili Rodriguez, the festival's artistic director. "At the center of our plans has been a commitment to this great community of storytellers and moviegoers, and we're excited to make our return to the silver screen a safe and enjoyable one.''

Due to the coronavirus, guests must wear masks at all events, except while seated, according to organizers. A 75% capacity maximum in all theaters will be enforced, along with required advanced reservations for all showings.

Virtual classes and panels featuring industry representatives, filmmakers and other guests will be featured throughout the festival.

Organizers said this year's panels will cover a wide range of industry-specific topics, including social change and impact filmmaking.

Award winners will be announced on Sunday, when five Academy Award- qualifying awards will also be presented.
The annual affair went virtual last year due to the pandemic for the first time in its 25-year history. More than 300 films from 69 countries were selected.

Organizers previously announced that the 2022 Palm Springs International Film Awards will return as an in-person event, to be held Jan. 6-17.

An awards gala will kick things off at the Palm Springs Convention Center, with film screenings beginning the next day, according to the Palm Springs International Film Society, which organizes both festivals. Film Award Gala seats and tables will go on sale Aug. 1, along with festival passes.

COMPLETE SHORT-FEST LINE-UP

Animation

• À La Mode (France) Director: Jean Lecointre
• Affairs of the Art (UK/Canada) Director: Joanna Quinn
• After-life Service (France) Director: Coline César, Florent Chaput, Steven Lecomte, Claire Maury, Emilie Milcent, Sophie Payan
• All Those Sensations in My Belly (Croatia/Portugal) Director: Marko Dješka (Documentary)
• Are You Still Watching? (Australia) Director: Tali Polichtuk, Alex Cardy, Kitty Chrystal
• Bad Seeds (Canada) Director: Claude Cloutier (U.S. Premiere)
• Bearly (USA) Director: Cherry Zhou
• BoxBalet (Russia) Director: Anton Dyakov
• Cockpera (Croatia) Director: Kata Gugić
• Colorful (South Korea) Director: Jae Hyeon Cha, Byeong Hyeon Hwang
• Friend of a Friend (France) Director: Zachary Zezima
• Ghost Dogs (USA) Director: Joe Cappa
• Good Night Little Tomato (France) Director: Cyprien Nozières (North American Premiere)
• Heart of Gold (France) Director: Simon Filliot
• Horacio (France) Director: Caroline Cherrier
• I, Barnabé (Canada) Director: Jean-François Lévesque
• I'm Here (Poland) Director: Julia Orlik
• It's All the Salt's Fault (Colombia) Director: María Cristina Pérez González (U.S. Premiere)
• Love Is Just a Death Away (Czech Republic) Director: Bára Anna Stejskalová
• Millennial Prince (USA) Director: Julie Fliegenspan
• Misery Loves Company (South Korea/USA) Director: Sasha Lee
• Navozande, the Musician (France) Director: Reza Riahi
• Night Bus (Taiwan) Director: Joe Chan (U.S. Premiere)
• Nuevo Rico (USA) Director: Kristian Mercado Figueroa                        
• Our Bed Is Green (USA) Director: Maggie Brennan
• Our Mine (USA) Director: Shayna Strype (California Premiere)
• Pigeon (South Korea/USA) Director: Sang Joon Kim (North American Premiere)
• Polka-Dot Boy (France) Director: Sarina Nihei
• Postpartum (Germany) Director: Henriette Rietz
• Self Scratch (France) Director: Chenghua Yang (North American Premiere)
• Souvenir Souvenir (France) Director: Bastien Dubois (Documentary)
• Step Into the River (China/France) Director: Weijia Ma
• A Stone in the Shoe (France/Switzerland) Director: Eric Montchaud (North American Premiere)
• Them (Switzerland) Director: Sunitha Sangaré. (International Premiere)
• The Train Driver (Germany) Director: Christian Wittmoser, Zuniel Kim (Documentary, North American Premiere)
• Tulip (USA) Director: Andrea Love, Phoebe Wahl
• The Walk (Canada) Director: Yoakim Bélanger (U.S. Premiere)
• We Have One Heart (Poland) Director: Katarzyna Warzecha (Documentary)
• What Resonates in Silence (France) Director: Marine Blin
• Your Own Bullshit (Poland) Director: Daria Kopiec

Documentary

• Águilas (USA) Director: Kristy Guevara-Flanagan, Maite Zubiaurre
• Ain’t No Time for Women (Canada) Director: Sarra El Abed
• All Riders (USA) Director: Victor Dias Rodrigues
• Beautiful!  (USA) Director: Caydon LiRocchi, Liv Layhee (World Premiere)
• A Broken House (USA/Lebanon) Director: Jimmy Goldblum
• The Brother (Canada/France) Director: Jérémie Battaglia (U.S. Premiere)
• Bug Farm (USA) Director: Lydia Cornett
• Citizen (USA) Director: Charlie Mysak (World Premiere)
• Club Quarantine (USA) Director: Aurora Brachman
• The Communion of My Cousin Andrea (Spain) Director: Brandán Cerviño (North American Premiere)
• Dying in Your Mother's Arms (USA) Director: John Beder
• F1-100 (USA/Malaysia) Director: Emory Chao Johnson
• Faraway (Canada) Director: Aziz Zoromba (U.S. Premiere)
• From Devil's Breath (UK/Portugal/Switzerland) Director: Orlando von Einsiedel (World Premiere)
• The Game (Switzerland) Director: Roman Hodel
• Homegoing (USA/South Korea) Director: Yeon Park (U.S. Premiere)
• Imperial (Switzerland) Director: Coline Confort (North American Premiere)
• The Interview (USA) Director: Jon Miller, Zach Russo
• Joychild (USA) Director: Aurora Brachman
• Junior (Haiti/USA) Director: AJ Wilhelm
• Just Hold On (USA) Director: Sam Davis, Rayka Zehtabchi
• La Espera (Germany/Brazil) Director: Danilo Do Carmo, Jakob Krese (North American Premiere)
• Let My Body Speak (UK/Lebanon) Director: Madonna Adib
• The Lord’s Day (Canada) Director: Simon Weizineau
• Maalbeek (France) Director: Ismaël Joffroy Chandoutis              
• Make Him Known (USA) Director: Rudy Valdez
• Mission: Hebron (Israel) Director: Rona Segal (North American Premiere)
• The Nannies (Denmark) Director: Signe Barvild Staehr (North American Premiere)
• The Nightwalk (France) Director: Adriano Valerio (U.S. Premiere)
• No Pain (USA) Director: John Picklap     
• Paulette (USA) Director: James Gallagher
• The Promised (Egypt) Director: Ahmed El Ghoneimy (North American Premiere)
• The Queen of Basketball (USA) Director: Ben Proudfoot             
• Rachel (USA) Director: Zen Pace (World Premiere)
• Scarlet Medusa (USA/Japan) Director: Spencer MacDonald
• Scars (Canada) Director: Alex Anna
• Seahorse (Germany) Director: Nele Dehnenkamp
• Since You Arrived, My Heart Stopped Belonging to Me (USA/Mexico) Director: Erin Semine Kökdil
• Sing Me a Lullaby (Canada) Director: Tiffany Hsiung                   
• Snowy (USA) Director: Kaitlyn Schwalje, Alex Wolf Lewis            
• Son of Sodom (Colombia/Argentina) Director: Theo Montoya     
• Stanley Stellar: Here for This Reason (USA) Director: Eric Leven  
• Street Angel (USA) Director: Michelle Sui                                   
• Team Meryland (USA) Director: Gabriel Gaurano
• They Keep Quiet So We Make Noise (USA/Malaysia) Director: Marlena Skrobe                 
• Three Songs for Benazir (Afghanistan) Director: Elizabeth Mirzaei, Gulistan Mirzaei
• The Unchosen One (USA) Director: Ben Proudfoot. (World Premiere)
• Unforgivable (El Salvador) Director: Marlén Viñayo
• The Void Inside (Germany/Iran) Director: Julian Dieterich (North American Premiere)
• When We Were Bullies (USA/Germany) Director: Jay Rosenblatt 
• Who Do You Protect? (USA) Director: Madeline Kate Kann, Carter Stoddard (World Premiere)

Live Action

• 1978 (Pakistan) Director: Hamza Bangash (U.S. Premiere)
• 8007 Marina Apartment (Norway/UK) Director: Thor Brenne. (International Premiere)
• Abada (Belgium/France) Director: Jean-Benoît Ugeux (North American Premiere)
• Abracitos (Spain/Belgium) Director: Tony Morales               
• The Affected (Norway) Director: Rikke Gregersen                  
• After Dark (USA) Director: Minka Bleakley (World Premiere)
• Alice and the Frog (Poland) Director: Olga Bołądź (North American Premiere)
• Along Came a Prince (Romania/Czech Republic) Director: Cristina Groșan (North American Premiere)
• Al-Sit (Sudan/Qatar) Director: Suzannah Mirghani                
• Aly (France) Director: Thomas Wood (World Premiere)
• American Eid (USA) Director: Aqsa Altaf                               
• Americanized (USA) Director: Erica Eng                                 
• Angh (India) Director: Theja Rio  
• Aniksha (Canada/Mauritius) Director: Vincent Toi
• Anita (India/USA) Director: Sushma Khadepaun                   
• Are You Still There? (USA) Director: Rayka Zehtabchi, Sam Davis
• August (Norway) Director: Gaute Rørvik Rosslund (U.S. Premiere)
• Ava From My Class (South Korea/USA) Director: Youmin Kang                                   
• Bad Omen (Afghanistan/Canada) Director: Salar Pashtoonyar (U.S. Premiere)
• Bambirak (Germany/USA) Director: Zamarin Wahdat           
• Beau (USA) Director: Constance Tsang
• Beauty Marks (USA) Director: Gina Hackett (North American Premiere)
• Bechora (Israel/UK) Director: Maya Armon (North American Premiere)
• Birdie (Turkey) Director: Çağatay Ulusoy
• Bits (Slovenia) Director: Áron Horváth                                 
• Blind Spots (Germany) Director: Luis Schubert (World Premiere)
• Borekas (Israel) Director: Saleh Saadi (International Premiere)
• Break In (USA) Director: Alyssa Lerner                                  
• Break Point (Austria) Director: Guy Lichtenstein (World Premiere)
• Bruised Fruit Tastes Sweeter (USA) Director: Jake Kolton
• Bruiser (USA) Director: Miles Warren
• Bubble (China) Director: Haonan Wang                                
• Buzzkill (USA) Director: Kathy E. Mitrani
• Cabin for Two (USA) Director: Sam Hoiland
• Catch a Girl (USA) Director: LeRon E. Lee                             
• Cherry Cola (USA) Director: Amandine Thomas                     
• The Chicken (USA) Director: Neo Sora                                  
• Chuj Boys of Summer (USA/Guatemala) Director: Max Walker-Silverman
• City Penguin (Germany) Director: Florinda Frisardi (North American Premiere)
• Cocoon Love (China/USA) Director: Xiaowen Wang (U.S. Premiere)
• Complicated (Israel) Director: Isak Kohaly
• Congratulations (USA/Pakistan) Director: Asad Farooqui
• The Criminals (France/Romania/Turkey) Director: Serhat Karaaslan
• Customs (Norway) Director: Armita Keyani (North American Premiere)
• Daily Massacre in Tehran (Iran) Director: Hessam Hamidi (World Premiere)
• The Dangerous Type (USA) Director: Tipper Newton
• David (USA) Director: Zach Woods                                       
• The Departure (France/Morocco) Director: Said Hamich Benlarbi
• Dirt Devil 550 XS (Switzerland) Director: Rolf Hellat
• Dogs Bark (Spain) Director: Sergio Serrano (North American Premiere)
• Don't Go Tellin' Your Momma (USA/Germany/France/Italy) Director: Topaz Jones, Jason Sondock, Simon Davis
• Don vs Lightning (UK) Director: Big Red Button, Johnny Burns, Pier van Tijn (World Premiere)
• Dosing (UK) Director: Matty Crawford (International Premiere)
• Double Happiness (China/USA) Director: Scarlett Li (North American Premiere)
• Double Murder (USA) Director: Louise Parker (World Premiere)
• Doublespeak (USA) Director: Hazel McKibbin
• Drought (Lebanon/UK) Director: Remi Itani
• Dustin (France) Director: Naïla Guiguet                                 
• Eggshells (Bulgaria) Director: Slava Doytcheva (U.S. Premiere)
• Eighteen (Belgium) Director: Olivier Lambrechts, Dimitri Baronheid (International Premiere)
• Eine Schokoladen Lampe (Lithuania) Director: Andrius Bartkus (U.S. Premiere)
• El Clásico (Mexico) Director: Joel Vázquez Cárdenas
• El Fantasma (USA/Mexico) Director: Arturo R. Jiménez (World Premiere)
• Endless Video (USA) Director: Gwendolyn Infusino
• Enjoy (UK) Director: Saul Abraham
• Everything Stays (USA) Director: Cole Bacani (World Premiere)
• Everything ALL AT ONCE (Australia) Director: Tamara Hardman (North American Premiere)
• Excuse Me, Miss, Miss, Miss (Philippines) Director: Sonny Calvento                           
• Exposed (USA/China) Director: Shuli Huang (World Premiere)
• Ferrotipos (Spain) Director: Nüll García                                
• Fervor (Chile/USA) Director: José Manuel Vélez (World Premiere)
• Flex (Sweden) Director: Josefin Malmen David Strindberg     
• Flex (USA) Director: Matt Porter  
• Forgive Us (USA) Director: D.W. Hodges (World Premiere)
• Four Cups of Coffee or Three (Poland) Director: Sebastian Łach (World Premiere)
• Fourth of July (USA) Director: Major Dorfman
• Fragments (Canada/France) Director: Aline-Sitoé N'Diaye (International Premiere)
• Free Flow (France) Director: Sâm Mirhosseini  (North American Premiere)
• Freya (Canada) Director: Camille Hollett-French                   
• The Girls Who Burned the Night (Saudi Arabia) Director: Sara Mesfer (North American Premiere)
• The Girl Who Comes on Thursdays (Spain) Director: Noemi Chantada (U.S. Premiere)
• Girl With a Thermal Gun (China) Director: Rongfei Guo
• God's Daughter Dances (South Korea) Director: Sungbin Byun
• The Goldfish (USA) Director: Ashley Paige Brim
• Good German Work (Germany) Director: Jannis Alexander Kiefer (North American Premiere)
• Good Grief (USA) Director: Nastasya Popov (World Premiere)
• The Gospel According to Gail (UK) Director: Florence Winter Hill (International Premiere)
• Growing Fangs (USA) Director: Ann Marie Pace                    
• Heaven Reaches Down to Earth (South Africa) Director: Tebogo Malebogo                
• Hector's Woman (USA) Director: Ricardo Varona (World Premiere)
• Her Dance (Israel) Director: Bar Cohen (North American Premiere)
• A Holiday From Mourning (Netherlands) Director: Zara Dwinger (North American Premiere)
• Home to You (France) Director: Olivier Bonnaud (International Premiere)
• Howling (Belgium) Director: Laura Van Haecke (North American Premiere)
• I Am Afraid to Forget Your Face (Egypt) Director: Sameh Alaa
• I Really Love This Piece (USA) Director: Graham Goldstein
• Ieva (Lithuania/Germany/Norway) Director: Vytautas Plukas, Domas Petronis (U.S. Premiere)
• If Found (USA) Director: India Donaldson (World Premiere)
• Immaculate Virtual (Canada/Germany) Director: Ryley O'Byrne (World Premiere)
• I'm Not Telling You Anything, Just Sayin (Croatia/France) Director: Sanja Milardović   
• Inheritance (USA) Director: Annalise Lockhart
• In the Air Tonight (USA) Director: Andrew Norman Wilson
• Itch (Israel) Director: Ma'ayan Rypp (World Premiere)
• It’s Alright (Lithuania) Director: Jorūnė Greičiūtė (North American Premiere)
• Jean (Australia) Director: Alisha Hnatjuk (International Premiere)
• Landing Point (UK/China) Director: Sei Hong Cheng (World Premiere)
• The Last Marriage (Sweden) Director: Johan Tappert, Gustav Egerstedt
• La Virgen, La Vieja, El Viaje (Chile/USA/Spain) Director: Natalia Luque Barrios
• Learning Tagalog with Kayla (USA) Director: Kayla Abuda Galang
• Lemongrass Girl (Thailand) Director: Pom Bunsermvicha
• Lighting Tests (UK) Director: Tom Nicoll (North American Premiere)
• The Lights Are On, No One's Home (USA) Director: Faye Ruiz  
• Like Flying (USA) Director: Peier "Tracy" Shen
• Like the Ones I Used to Know (Canada) Director: Annie St-Pierre
• Little Bear (France) Director: Nicolas Birkenstock (North American Premiere)
• The Little Prince(ss) (USA) Director: Moxie Peng                   
• Lizard (UK/Nigeria) Director: Akinola Davies Jr.                     
• Lonely Blue Night (USA) Director: Johnson Cheng                 
• The Long Goodbye (UK) Director: Aneil Karia (North American Premiere)
• Lost and Found (Switzerland) Director: Paul Choquet (International Premiere)
• Lost Kings (USA) Director: Brian Lawes                                 
• Love Hurts (France) Director: Elsa Rysto (U.S. Premiere)
• Macabre Night (Brazil) Director: Felipe lesbick
• Marlon Brando (Netherlands) Director: Vincent Tilanus        
• Marvin's Never Had Coffee Before (USA) Director: Andrew Carter
• Massacre (France) Director: Maïté Sonnet                           
• Masterclass (UK) Director: Nancy Sullivan
• Max Is Bleeding (USA) Director: Jordan Anstatt (World Premiere)
• Menarca (Brazil) Director: Lillah Halla                                  
• Midwife Man (France) Director: Juliette Denis (North American Premiere)
• The Mohel (Canada) Director: Charles Wahl                        
• Monocacy (USA) Director: Lincoln Robisch
• Monsters Never Know (China) Director: Yang Ming (North American Premiere)
• The Moogai (Australia) Director: Jon Bell
• Muscle Memory (USA) Director: Saladin White II
• My Own Mecca (USA) Director: Alba Roland Mejia
• Neurim (Israel) Director: Shaylee Atary
• Night of the Living Dicks (Finland/Denmark) Director: Ilja Rautsi (U.S. Premiere)
• The Night Train (Sweden) Director: Jerry Carlsson                
• No More Parties (Canada) Director: Natalie Murao               
• Nour Shams (Saudi Arabia/USA/UK) Director: Faiza Ambah (World Premiere)
• Nova (Netherlands) Director: Luca Meisters (North American Premiere)
• Of Hearts and Castles (USA/Spain) Director: Ruben Navarro 
• On My Way (Belgium) Director: Sonam Larcin
• The Other Morgan (USA) Director: Alison Rich                      
• Palma (France) Director: Alexe Poukine (North American Premiere)
• Passage (Germany) Director: Ann Oren                               
• A Period Piece (USA/France) Director: Shuchi Talati              
• Plaisir (USA/France) Director: Molly Gillis
• Play It Safe (UK) Director: Mitch Kalisa                                 
• Please Hold (USA) Director: KD Dávila                                  
• Private Photos (Brazil) Director: Marcelo Grabowsky (North American Premiere)
• Progressive Touch (Austria/Netherlands) Director: Michael Portnoy
• Prude (USA) Director: Yana Alliata                                       
• A Puff Before Dying (USA) Director: Michael Reich, Mike Pinkney
• Raspberry (USA) Director: Julian Doan
• The Recorder (USA) Director: Justine Lupe                           
• The Ref (USA/France) Director: Peter Edlund (North American Premiere)
• Rehearsal (Nigeria) Director: Michael Omonua (North American Premiere)
• Roy (UK/Ireland) Director: Tom Berkeley, Ross White           
• Salem (France) Director: Sophie Beaulieu
• Sales Per Hour (USA) Director: Michelle Uranowit, Daniel Jaffe
• Salidas (Germany) Director: Michael Fetter Nathansky (North American Premiere)
• The School Bus (Turkey) Director: Ramazan Kilic
• Sea Dragon (UK) Director: James Morgan
• Seiva Bruta (Under the Heavens) (Brazil) Director: Gustavo Milan                              
• Shoal (UK) Director: Tammes Bernstein
• Silence (Norway/Iraq) Director: Brwa Vahabpour
• Sisters (Slovenia) Director: Kukla (U.S. Premiere)
• Slow Vine (USA) Director: Glenn Fellman
• Soak (USA/South Korea) Director: Hannah Bang
• So Be It and So It Is (USA) Director: Gianna Badiali (World Premiere)
• Solution for Sadness (Spain/USA) Director: Marc Martínez Jordán, Tuixén Benet Cosculluela
• Some Manifestations of the South (UK/China) Director: Zhiyi Wang (North American Premiere)
• Spotted Yellow (Iran) Director: Baran Sarmad
• Staying (Aros Mae) (Wales) Director: Zillah Bowes (North American Premiere)
• Stephanie (Belgium) Director: Leonardo van Dijl                   
• Stigma, Style (Singapore/USA) Director: Cheryl Wong Ye Han (World Premiere)
• Strike (Canada) Director: Olivier Côté (U.S. Premiere)
• A Summer Place (Cyprus/France) Director: Alexandra Matheou (U.S. Premiere)
• Therefore, Socrates Is Mortal (Canada) Director: Alexandre Isabelle
• There's Cake (Spain) Director: Clàudia Vernis                       
• The Trucker (USA) Director: Raven Johnson (World Premiere)
• Turning to Dust (France) Director: Hüseyin Aydin Gürsoy
• Two Bears (USA) Director: Anthony Florez (North American Premiere)
• The Unseen River (Vietnam) Director: Phạm Ngọc Lân
• Valley (USA) Director: Allan Zhang Tran
• Versailles (Belgium) Director: Hyun Lories (International Premiere)
• Vlada Goes to London (Israel) Director: Arti Savchenko (International Premiere)
• The Voice in Your Head (USA) Director: Graham Parkes         
• Walk With Kings (Belgium) Director: Guillaume Senez (North American Premiere)
• Water (Mexico) Director: Santiago Zermeño                        
• We're Not Animals (France) Director: Noé Debré
• We Won't Forget (USA/Portugal) Director: Lucas Elliot Eberl, Edgar Morais (World Premiere)
• What I See When I Look (USA) Director: Lindsay Calleran
• What We Don’t Know About Mariam (Egypt) Director: Morad Mostafa (North American Premiere)
• White Noises (France) Director: Thomas Soulignac
• Widowers (Australia) Director: Julian Tuna (U.S. Premiere)
• Wiggle Room (USA) Director: Sam Guest, Julia Baylis            
• Winona (Australia) Director: Tilly Robba (World Premiere)
• Wolf in Dude's Clothing (Canada) Director: Solmund MacPherson (North American Premiere)
• The Womb (Portugal) Director: Orkhan Aghazadeh (World Premiere)
• Yoruga (USA/Colombia) Director: Federico Torrado Tobón
• Zona (USA) Director: Masami Kawai