Palm Springs International Film Festival enters fifth day with screenings
The Palm Springs International Film Festival entered its fifth day today, featuring special screenings, notable appearances and preparations for the announcement of juried awards later this week.
Screenings on Monday morning included the film "Nickle Boys,'' an adaptation of Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, exploring the harrowing experiences of two boys at an abusive reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida and the movie "Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story," a whimsical portrayal of the iconic Liza Minnelli.
Other movie screenings will also include visits from filmmakers and creatives as part of the "Books to Screen'' series. "Queer" screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes will give insight at 6 p.m. Monday on Luca Guadagnino's adaptation of the William S. Burroughs novella, starring Daniel Craig. Kuritzkes was also the lone writer credited on Guadagnino's other 2024 film, "Challengers," which won Best Score - Motion Picture at the Golden Globes on Sunday.
A new crop of filmmakers were honored Saturday during Variety's Creative Impact Awards ceremony as part of the entertainment publication's "10 Directors to Watch'' series, including Coralie Fargeat ("The Substance''), Malcolm Washington ("The Piano Lesson") and Halina Reijn ("Babygirl").
The other names in the class of 2025 are Durga Chew-Bose ("Bonjour Tristesse''), David Fortune (``Color Book''), Drew Hancock (``Companion''), Zoe Kravitz ("Blink Twice''), Tom Nesher (``Come Closer''), James Sweeney (``Twinless'') and Magnus von Horn (``The Girl With the Needle'').
Honorees from past lists include Academy Award winners Wes Anderson, Alfonso Cuarón, Christopher Nolan, Chloé Zhao and Taika Waititi. Cord Jefferson, an alumnus from the most recent group of 10, won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar at the 2024 ceremony for ``American Fiction.''
Variety's event also recognized more established artists, including ``Wicked'' star Cynthia Erivo (Creative Impact in Acting) and ``Emilia Pérez'' auteur Jacques Audiard (Creative Impact in Directing) -- both of whom are representing musicals.
Both of those award recipients also attended special screenings of their films as part of the festival's ``Talking Pictures'' series.
Audiard was present for an 11 a.m. showing along with four Vanguard Award-winning cast members, while Erivo introduced ``Wicked'' with co-star Ariana Grande and director Jon M. Chu prior to a 1 p.m. screening of the Broadway adaptation at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. Grande was given the Rising Star Award at Friday's ceremony.
``Conclave'' director Edward Berger, whose film was previously recognized with the Ensemble Performance Award, made an appearance Saturday for a showing of the papal election thriller, adapted to the big screen from a Robert Harris novel.
``Reading Lolita in Tehran'' director Eran Riklis, author Azar Naifisi and screenwriter Marjorie David were on hand for their movie's North American premiere.
After the day's events, the festival will continue through next week, including the announcement of juried awards on Jan. 12. The complete lineup of films can be found at psfilmfest.org.
