PSIFF opens with screening of Golden Globe nominated film
Flashbulbs lit up the red carpet outside the Palm Springs Art Museum for the opening night of the 27th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival.
“We have films from more than 60 countries which is great, I mean how many film festivals can you see so many films from so many countries, by so many talented directors and actors,” asked Robert Moon, mayor of Palm Springs.
Tonight’s screening is of the Finnish film ‘The Fencer’ by director Klaus Hr. The film has Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.
“Whatever trouble goes into making a film it’s worth it, because then you get to go to the Palm Springs Film Festival if you are really lucky. So just to be here is an award and to be an opening film it’s amazing for us,” said Hr.
‘The Fencer’ takes place in 1950’s Estonia. A man hiding from the Russian secret police opens up a fencing school for orphaned children, until his past catches up with him.
“When I first read the script I just fell in love with it and I know there is the Estonian language in there and there is Russian, I don’t speak a word of it. I don’t do fencing, there are like 50 kids to direct, but those are things, that if you really like something, just to say we will deal with that later. We had a lot to deal with but we are happy with the film and are very excited to present it here tonight,” said Hr.
Film lovers who live east of Palm Springs now have a place a little closer to home to catch screenings.
“One of the things that’s different this year is we have added the Mary Pickford Theaters in Cathedral City so we will have audience members going out there as well, which is very convenient for people who are down valley,” said Helen du Toit, artist director for PSIFF.
For the next 10 days there will be 413 screenings of 174 films from more than 60 countries. You can watch the PSIFF Red Carpet Gala Saturday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday on KESQ.
