Palm Springs ShortFest kicks off

The Palm Springs International Short Film Festival beginsTuesday night at 6:30. For the first time, a second auditorium is being used to accommodate a large opening night crowd at the Camelot Theatre.

More than 400 film makers from all around the world come to share their stories at ShortFest in Palm Springs. Some of them stay here all week to network with more than 100 film industry representatives, and when they leave, they all have new stories of experiencing the Coachella Valley to tell.

“It further reinforces the allure of Palm Springs as a place where film makers love to gather,” said ShortFest Executive Director Darryl MacDonald. “For our reputation as Hollywood’s back yard and a place that’s connected with the movies in very visceral and real ways.”

The more than 25,000 people who attend ShortFest should know they are here to take in bite-size cinema, with four to nine thematically linked shorts packaged together into a feature length presentation for the price of a 12 dollar ticket.

“The great thing about ShortFest is everything is put together in packages of films,” MacDonald said. “If you’re not crazy about what you’re watching right now, stick around for five minutes and the next one is sure to get you.”

ShortFest partners with Palm Springs hotels and restaurants, like the Ace Hotel, which is hosting a party for 400 plus people Saturday night.

“ShortFest is great for business,” Ace Hotel Events Manager, Taneka Morris said. “It drives a lot of cinephiles and amateur movie goers to come to the hotel and come to the city of Palm Springs and see as many films as they can while they are here.”

MacDonald is grateful for the partnership ShortFest has formed with Coachella Valley restaurants and hotels.

“It really makes Palm Springs,” he said, “A city wide celebration of film.”

For more information, go to psfilmfest.org.