Palm Springs theater hits record holiday box office as film festival gets underway

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) While Hollywood tallies up holiday box office totals, a local theater in Palm Springs is celebrating a milestone of its own.

Festival of Theaters says it just posted its best day ever in operations, a notable achievement for a theater that has only been open about a year. The record-setting holiday turnout comes as the Palm Springs International Film Festival begins screenings across the city.

“We had our busiest day ever on Christmas Day,” said Zack Solomon, general manager of Festival of Theaters. 

The theater reopened last year after transitioning from a former Regal Cinema into an independent, boutique moviegoing experience focused on a mix of commercial releases, independent films, and more.

This holiday season, Solomon says the biggest driver of crowds wasn’t just a blockbuster.

He said the strong turnout was largely for Marty Supreme, which he says has delivered full houses night after night. 

“We have Avatar playing, it’s been doing well, but Marty Supreme has been full houses,” Solomon said. 

Nationally, films like Avatar: Fire and Ash continue to drive holiday ticket sales, but Solomon says Festival of Theaters audience tends to gravitate toward adult dramatic programming and independent releases.

Outside the theater, moviegoers lined up not only for mainstream films, but also for international and documentary screenings tied to the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

“We come every year,” said one attendee visiting from Newfoundland, Canada, while waiting for a festival screening.

Festival of Theaters is hosting multiple festival screenings this weekend and into next week, welcoming audiences eager for stories from around the world and treating moviegoing as more than just entertainment.

In an era increasingly dominated by streaming and scrolling, this holiday week offered a reminder that the theatrical experience still resonates.

Because sometimes the best holiday tradition isn’t under the tree, it’s under the marquee.