Palm Springs Film Festival Opens To Crowd Exceeding 1,000
Opening night at the Palm Springs International Film Festival on Thursday was sold out.
More than 1,000 attended the first screening, and by all accounts, the evening was been a smash.
In the evening, the filmmakers and the hardworking people who put in the countless hours to make the festival happen wined and dined at the Palm Springs Art Museum to celebrate the first of 11 successful nights for the City of Palm Springs.
The lights shined bright on the red carpet.
Hollywood rolled into town and joined desert celebrities to celebrate the start of the 23rd Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival.
“I’ve been coming to the festival since 1991,” said Arlyn Rudolph, an attendee.
Rudolph said every year, the festival just keeps getting bigger and bigger.
“What would Palm Springs do without it? That’s what I say,” said Rudolph. “I always see good films.”
PSIFF executive director, Darryl Macdonald shared the spotlight with mayor Steve Pougnet.
Congresswoman Mary Bono-Mack also made an appearance, as did Palm Springs resident and German actor, Udo Kier.
“Where can you see in 10 days, 187 films?” said Kier.
The Palm Springs High School jazz band serenaded the large crowd that lined up along the auditorium to see the first film of the festival — “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen.”
Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt co-star in the film.
More than 1,000 people showed up for the first screening.
“I want people to feel a great sense of hope,” said Blunt. “I want people to enjoy a film. It’s very much like a breath of fresh air.”
“Some of the films are sold out, but there are plenty of tickets left,” said Helen du Troit, the PSIFF artistic director. “So, we’re just delighted with the response.”
