Michael Gracey’s Robbie Williams biopic musical Better Man will open The 36th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) on Thursday, January 2, and will close Sunday January 12 with The Penguin Lessons directed by Peter Cattaneo and starring Steve Coogan in the heartwarming story of a teacher who rescues and adopts an adorable penguin. Both films had premieres at the Toronto Film Festival earlier this year, and Better Man first had its World Premiere at Telluride.
As always a hallmark of PSIFF are screenings of numerous entries into the Oscar International Film race, this year with 35 scheduled to screen in the desert.
The Festival has programmed 158 films from 71 countries, including 68 premieres (3 World, 3 International, 15 North American, 15 U.S., and 32 California) from January 2-13, 2025. The lineup also includes sections like Talking Pictures, a focus on Spanish films with a spotlight on Pedro Almodóvar, New Voices New Visions, Modern Masters, Queer Cinema, Cine Latino, True Stories, World Cinema Now, and more.
‘Better Man’
Paramount Pictures
Other highlights for this year, with filmmakers in person, include the local spotlight feature Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion with fashion designer Bob Mackie; Drive Back Home with actor Alan Cumming; Group Therapy with comedian London Hughes; Lilly with actress Patricia Clarkson; another TIFF debut, Millers in Marriage with actor/writer/director Edward Burns; Reading Lolita in Tehran with actress Zar Amir Ebrahimi and a Family Day screening of Flow with director Gints Zilbalodis. The festival will have three world premiere titles: Bun Tikki with director Faraz Arif Ansari; The Stamp Thief with director Dan Sturman; and You’re No Indian with director Ryan Flynn.
‘The Penguin Lessons’
Courtesy of TIFF
“Our lineup this year is truly something special. In true PSIFF fashion, it spans genres and crosses borders to bring an exciting mix of films to the Coachella Valley,” shared Artistic Director Lili Rodriguez. “Over the past year, our Palm Springs International Film Festival team has carefully crafted a program that celebrates the art of storytelling, and promises an array of films– from family-friendly films, to thought-provoking and urgent works. It’s all about fostering that dynamic community of film lovers who gather here in Palm Springs each year to experience transformative stories and forge meaningful connections.”
The annual PSIFF Gala celebrating numerous previously announced Oscar contenders will take place on January 3, 2025.
Here is the lineup:
AWARDS BUZZ – BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM SUBMISSIONS
This section is selected by Festival programmers as the strongest entries in this year’s Academy Awards® race and will screen 35 official submissions from the Best International Feature Film category. A special jury of international film critics will review these films to present the FIPRESCI Award for Best International Feature Film of the Year, as well as Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay in this category. On Monday, January 6, The Hollywood Reporter will also host an in-depth panel discussion with some of the directors that have made the Best International Feature Film short-list.
- Armand (Norway), Director Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel
- Come Closer (Israel), Director Tom Nesher
- Dahomey (Senegal), Director Mati Diop
- Drowning Dry (Lithuania), Director Laurynas Bareiša (North American Premiere)
- Emilia Pérez (France), Director Jacques Audiard
- Everybody Loves Touda (Morocco), Director Nabil Ayouch
- Flow (Latvia), Director Gints Zibalodis
- From Ground Zero (Palestine), Anthology featuring 22 contributing directors, see website for full list (California Premiere)
- The Girl with The Needle (Denmark), Director Magnus von Horn
- Grand Tour (Portugal), Director Miguel Gomes
- How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (Thailand), Director Pat Boonnitipat
- The Hungarian Dressmaker (Slovakia), Director Iveta Grófová
- I’m Still Here (Brazil), Director Walter Salles
- Julie Keeps Quiet (Belgium), Director Leonardo Van Dijl (California Premiere)
- Kill the Jockey (Argentina), Director Luis Ortega (U.S. Premiere)
- Kneecap (Ireland), Director Rich Peppiatt
- La Suprema (Colombia), Director Felipe Holguín Caro
- The Last Journey (Sweden), Director Filip Hammar & Fredrik Wikingsson
- Life (Turkey), Director Zeki Demirkubuz
- Lost Ladies (India), Director Kiran Rao
- Meeting With Pol Pot (Cambodia), Director Rithy Panh (North American Premiere)
- Memories of a Burning Body (Costa Rica), Director Antonella Sudasassi Furniss (California Premiere)
- My Late Summer (Bosnia-Herzegovina), Director Danis Tanović (U.S. Premiere)
- Old Fox (Taiwan), Director Hsiao Ya-Chuan
- Santosh (United Kingdom), Director Sandhya Suri
- Saturn Return (Spain), Director Isaki Lacuesta, Pol Rodríguez
- The Seed of The Sacred Fig (Germany), Director Mohammad Rasoulof
- Shambhala (Nepal), Director Min Bahadur Bham (U.S. Premiere)
- Sujo (Mexico), Director Astrid Rondero, Fernanda Valadez
- Three Kilometers to The End of The World (Romania), Director Emanuel Pârvu (California Premiere)
- Touch (Iceland), Director Baltasar Kormákur
- Twilight Of the Warriors: Walled In (Hong Kong), Director Soi Cheang
- Universal Language (Canada), Director Matthew Rankin
- Vermiglio (Italy), Director Maura Delpero
- Waves (Czech Republic), Director Jiří Mádl
TALKING PICTURES
The Talking Pictures program includes in-depth discussions with directors, writers and actors from the year’s top titles. The following film selected for this year’s program with guests attending are:
- Emilia Pérez (France) with director Jacques Audiard and actors Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, and Edgar Ramírez
- Sing Sing (United States) with actor Colman Domingo
MODERN MASTERS
New films, classic auteurs.
- Hard Truths (United Kingdom/Spain), Director Mike Leigh
- Never Alone (Estonia/Finland), Director Klaus Härö (North American Premiere)
- Parthenope (Italy), Director Paolo Sorrentino
- Presence (United States), Director Steven Soderbergh
- A Traveler’s Needs (South Korea), Director Hong Sangsoo
- When Fall Is Coming (France), Director François Ozon (U.S. Premiere)
NEW VOICES NEW VISIONS
Unique viewpoints from first- and second-time directors.
- Bob Trevino Likes It (United States), Director Tracie Laymon
- Bonjour Tristesse (Canada/Germany), Director Durga Chew-Bose
- Color Book (United States), Director David Fortune
- Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight (South Africa), Director Embeth Davidtz (California Premiere)
- Hanami (Switzerland/Portugal/Cape Verde), Director Denise Fernandes
- The New Year That Never Came (Romania), Director Bogdan Mureșanu (California Premiere)
- To A Land Unknown (United Kingdom/Palestine/France/Greece/Netherlands/Germany/Qatar/Saudi Arabia), Director Mahdi Fleifel
AMERICAN INDIES
Independent films from rising American filmmakers.
- Bad Shabbos (United States), Director Daniel Robbins
- The Friend (United States), Directors Scott Mcgehee, David Siegel (California Premiere)
- I Don’t Understand You (United States/Italy), Directors Brian Crano, David Craig
- Lilly (United States), Director Rachel Feldman (California Premiere)
- Love Me (United States), Director Sam Zuchero & Andy Zuchero
- Millers In Marriage (United States), Director Edward Burns (U.S. Premiere)
- Paper Flowers (United States), Director Mahesh Pailoor
- Sacramento (United States), Director Michael Angarano
TRUE STORIES
Non-fiction filmmaking at its most urgent and illuminating.
- Adrianne & The Castle (Canada), Director Shannon Walsh
- Agent of Happiness (Bhutan/Hungary), Director Arun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbó
- Apocalypse in the Tropics (Brazil), Director Petra Costa (California Premiere)
- Billy Preston: That’s The Way God Planned It (United States), Director Paris Barclay
- Blue Road – The Edna O’Brien Story (Ireland/United Kingdom), Director Sinéad O’shea (California Premiere)
- Bring Them Home (United States), Directors Ivan Macdonald, Ivy Macdonald, Daniel Glick
- Checkpoint Zoo (United States/Ukraine), Director Joshua Zeman
- Counted Out (United States), Director Vicki Abeles
- Desert Angel (United States), Director Vincent Deluca (California Premiere)
- The Diamond King (United States), Director Marq Evans (California Premiere)
- Diane Warren: Relentless (United States), Director Bess Kargman
- Driver (United States), Director Nesa Azimi (California Premiere)
- Every Little Thing (Australia), Director Sally Aitken (California Premiere)
- Good Men (United States), Director Bobby Roth
- Group Therapy (United States), Director Neil Berkeley
- Headhunting To Beatboxing (India), Director Rohit Gupta (North American Premiere)
- His Own Way – The Cinema of Avi Nesher (Israel), Director Yair Raveh
- Homegrown (United States), Director Michael Premo
- Igualada (Colombia/Mexico/United States), Director Juan Mejía
- Janis Ian: Breaking Silence (United States), Director Varda Bar-Kar
- Jean Cocteau (United States), Director Lisa Immordino Vreeland (California Premiere)
- Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story (United States), Director Bruce David Klein (California Premiere)
- Mistress Dispeller (China/United States), Director Elizabeth Lo
- My Sweet Land (Jordan/United States/France/Ireland), Director Sareen Hairabedian
- Nasty (Romania), Directors Tudor Giurgiu, Tudor D. Popescu, Cristian Pascariu (North American Premiere)
- No Other Land (Palestine), Directors Yuval Abraham, Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Rachel Szor
- Paul Anka: His Way (United States), Director John Maggio (California Premiere)
- Sabbath Queen (United States), Director Sandi DuBowski
- Schindler Space Architect (United States), Director Valentina Ganeva
- Shelf Life (United States/Japan/Switzerland/Georgia/England/Egypt/Spain/Wales), Director Ian Cheney (California Premiere)
- Space Cowboy (United States), Directors Marah Strauch, Bryce Leavitt
- The Stamp Thief (United States/Poland/Germany), Director Dan Sturman (World Premiere)
- A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things (United Kingdom), Director Mark Cousins (California Premiere)
- Tokito: The 540-Day Journey of A Culinary Maverick (Japan), Director Aki Mizutani (North American Premiere)
- Transfers (Argentina/Uruguay), Director Nicolás Gil Lavedra (North American Premiere)
- Walk With Me (United States), Director Heidi Levitt
- Whatever It Takes (United Kingdom/United States), Director Jenny Carchman
- You’re No Indian (United States), Director Ryan Flynn (World Premiere)
- Zurawski V. Texas (United States), Directors Maisie Crow, Abbie Perrault
SPANISH FOCUS
Stories from Spanish filmmakers.
- Afternoons of Solitude (Spain/France/Portugal), Director Albert Serra
- The Exiles (Spain/Chile), Director Belén Funes (U.S. Premiere)
- Holy Mother (Spain/Belgium), Director Antonio Chavarrías (California Premiere)
- I Am Nevenka (Spain/Italy), Director Icíar Bollaín (California Premiere)
- Marco, The Invented Truth (Spain), Directors Aitor Arregi, Jon Garaño (California Premiere)
- Rioja, The Land of a Thousand Wines (Spain), Director José Luis López-Linares
- The Wailing (Spain/France/Argentina), Director Pedro Martín-Calero (U.S. Premiere)
SPOTLIGHT: PEDRO ALMODÓVAR
As part of the Spanish Focus there will be a spotlight selection featuring films from celebrated filmmaker, Pedro Almodóvar.
- All About My Mother (1999)
- Matador (1986)
- The Room Next Door (2024)
- Talk To Her (2002)
QUEER CINEMA TODAY & THE GAYLA
Poignant, heartfelt and insightful stories from the LGBTQ community.
- Bun Tikki (India), Director Faraz Arif Ansari (World Premiere)
- Desire Lines (United States), Director Jules Rosskam
- Drive Back Home (Canada), Director Michael Clowater
- Four Mothers (Ireland/United Kingdom), Director Darren Thornton
- A House Is Not a Disco (United States), Director Brian J. Smith
- I’m Your Venus (United States), Director Kimberly Reed (California Premiere)
- Misericordia (France/Spain/Portugal), Director Alain Guiraudie
- A Nice Indian Boy (United States/Canada), Director Roshan Sethi (California Premiere, Gayla Spotlight)
- Sally! (United States), Director Deborah Craig, Jörg Fockele, Ondine Rarey (Gay!la Spotlight)
FAMILY DAY
Movies to enjoy with the whole family.
- The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie (United States), Director Pete Browngardt
- Flow (Latvia/France/Belgium), Director Gints Zibalodis
- The Mountain (New Zealand), Director Rachel House (U.S. Premiere)
WORLD CINEMA NOW
Travel the world without leaving your seat.
- Arcadia (Greece/Bulgaria/United States), Director Yorgos Zois (North American Premiere)
- Auction (France), Director Pascal Bonitzer
- Audrey (Australia), Director Natalie Bailey (California Premiere)
- Black Dog (China), Director Guan Hu
- Bushido (Japan), Director Kazuya Shiraishi
- The Correspondent (Australia), Kriv Stenders (International Premiere)
- From Hilde, With Love (Germany), Director Andreas Dresen (U.S. Premiere)
- Ghost Trail (France/Germany/Belgium), Director Jonathan Millet (California Premiere)
- Happy Holidays (Palestine/Germany/France/Italy/Qatar), Director Scandar Copti (California Premiere)
- John Cranko (Germany), Director Joachim Lang (North American Premiere)
- Maldoror (Belgium/France), Director Fabrice du Welz
- Manas (Brazil/Portugal), Director Marianna Brennand (North American Premiere)
- My Favourite Cake (Iran/France/Sweden/Germany), Directors Maryam Moghaddam, BehtashSanaeeha
- Odd Fish (Iceland/Finland/Czech Republic), Director Snævar Sölvason (International Premiere)
- On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (Zambia/United Kingdom/Ireland), Director Rungano Nyoni
- Pink Lady (Israel/Italy), Director Nir Bergman (California Premiere)
- The Quiet Ones (Denmark/United States), Director Frederik Louis Hviid (California Premiere)
- Quisling – The Final Days (Norway), Director Erik Poppe (U.S. Premiere)
- Sex (Norway/United States), Director Dag Johan Haugerud (California Premiere)
- The Shameless (Switzerland/France/Bulgaria/Taiwan/India), Director Konstantin Bojanov (North American Premiere)
- Sons (Denmark/Sweden), Director Gustav Möller (North American Premiere)
- Souleymane’s Story (France), Director Boris Lojkine
- Sunshine (Philippines), Director Antoinette Jadaone (U.S. Premiere)
- Superboys Of Malegaon (India/United States), Director Reema Kagti
- Tatami (Georgia/Israel/Iran), Directors Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Guy Nattiv (U.S. Premiere)
- There’s Still Tomorrow (Italy/United States), Director Paola Cortellesi
- Through Rocks and Clouds (Peru/Chile), Director Franco García Becerra (California Premiere)
- Tinā (Mother) (New Zealand), Director Miki Magasiva (California Premiere)
- To Kill a Mongolian Horse (Malaysia/Hong Kong/South Korea/Japan/SaudiArabia/Thailand/United States), Director Xiaoxuan Jiang (North American Premiere)
- Trifole (Italy/South Africa/United States), Director Gabriele Fabbro (International Premiere)
- Waltzing With Brando (United States/French Polynesia), Director Bill Fishman
- The Way, My Way (Australia), Director Bill Bennett (North American Premiere)
- William Tell (United Kingdom), Director Nick Hamm (U.S. Premiere)
