The 35th Palm Springs International Film Festival
By John Bayern
The Palm Springs International Film Festival brings Hollywood to Palm Springs
Now entering its 35th year, the Palm Springs International Film Festival has a well-established reputation as one of the most prestigious and well-attended film festivals in the country. The Festival has long secured its place on the world stage as the portal for the very best in world cinema, welcoming thousands of enthusiastic filmgoers to Palm Springs every January.
Launched in 1990, the Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) is a premier presenter of world cinema located in the beautiful Coachella Valley at the base of Mt. San Jacinto in southern California. The Festival brings together a sophisticated and diverse audience, including industry, film aficionados from across the country and filmmakers from around the world.
Explore the exciting selection of films at this year’s Palm Springs International Film Festival. From heartwarming narratives to riveting thrillers that will keep you on the edge of your seat, our carefully curated lineup spans genres, cultures, and continents. Whether you’re a seasoned cinephile or a newcomer to the world of cinema, there’s something for everyone to discover and enjoy.
The Standard Magazine recommends the following films that include poignant, heartfelt and insightful stories from the LGBTQ+ Community.
20,000 Species of Bees
Eight-year-old Lucía spends a summer in the country with the family’s widowed matriarch when questions about her gender identity arise, leading each woman in the family to face her own doubts and fears.
Big Boys
This endearing, understated ode to queer self-discovery follows awkward 14-year-old Jamie (the wonderful Isaac Krasner), who discovers on a family camping trip to Lake Arrowhead that he can’t take his eyes off his cousin’s hunky older boyfriend.
Bonus Track
An underachieving teenager navigates the rocky road through high school by immersing himself in music. His dream of winning the school talent show seems attainable when he pairs up with a famous musician’s son who understands his music – and his heart.
Chasing Chasing Amy
Kevin Smith’s Chasing Amy was the movie that saved 12-year-old Sav Rodgers’ life. Now a filmmaker, Rodgers embarks on a journey of self-discovery as he seeks out Smith and the cast to explore the 1997 film’s controversial legacy.
Housekeeping for Beginners
Dita lives with her girlfriend, her girlfriend’s two daughters, and a group of queer misfits in the North Macedonian capital, Skopje, in this tender story about families – the ones we’re born into and the ones we find for ourselves.
Let the Dance Begin
Carlos and Margarita were once the most famous tango couple of their time. When Carlos receives word that Margarita has passed, he embarks on an unexpected road trip where old resentments surface, decades-old secrets are revealed, and old flames rekindle.
The Missing
When mouthless young Eric learns that his uncle has passed away, he begins to hallucinate of an alien visitation – a shadowy figure from his hazily remembered childhood.
Monster
Hirokazu Kore-eda’s latest is a Rashomon-like story of a mother who alleges that her son’s teacher has verbally and physically abused him. The scenario is approached from three perspectives, each complicating the previous, while unfolding deeper layers of humanity and hope.
Opponent
In the aftermath of a devastating rumor, Iman and his family flee Iran, winding up as refugees in northern Sweden. To increase their chances of asylum, Iman breaks a promise to his wife and joins the local wrestling club.
Paris is Burning
This chronicle of New York’s drag scene in the 1980s focuses on balls, voguing, and the ambitions and dreams of those who gave the era its warmth and vitality.
Queendom
A stirring portrait of the fearless, queer Russian performance artist “Gena,” who risks life and limb making astonishing drag appearances on the Moscow streets. Arrested for protesting Putin’s Ukrainian war, her survival depends on escaping to the West.
Studio One Forever
At the center of Hollywood gay life in the 1970s, Studio One was an erotic, liberating mecca in an anything-goes era. This star-studded documentary takes us back to the wild disco nights, and bears witness to the devastating morning after.
Truth Be Told
This deeply emotional and probing documentary looks at the troubled relationship between the Black church and its LGBTQ+ members. Featuring Billy Porter, Cedric the Entertainer and the rousing lesbian Pastor Pam, who shows the way toward healing.
Hidden Master: The Legacy of George Platt Lynes
A pioneer of homoerotic photography, the great early 20th-century fashion photographer George Platt Lynes was creating iconic images of the nude male body long before Robert Mapplethorpe. His glamorous, unconventional life was as rule-breaking as his art.
Egoist
In this hot and heartbreaking Japanese queer drama, a handsome fashion editor falls for his endearing but troubled personal trainer. This haunting exquisitely made love story has been hailed for its moving mixture of eroticism and deep emotion.
Visit www.psfilmfest.org/film-festival-2023/gay/queer-cinema for complete synopsis and full schedule of all the films.
