Amanda Seyfried stars in Skin & Bone, one of 300 short films screening in-person at the Palm Springs International ShortFest, June 21-27.
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL SHORTFEST
Films will return to the big screen when the 28th annual Palm Springs International ShortFest 2022 takes place June 21-27 at the Camelot Theatres (Palm Springs Cultural Center). The festival will screen 51 curated programs showcasing 300 films including 38 world premieres, 17 international premieres, 35 North American premieres and 18 U.S. premieres.
More than 5,800 short films from 134 countries were submitted. The complete line-up and schedule is available on the ShortFest website.
ShortFest 2022 welcomes 10 foreign countries exhibiting at least five films each – Australia (7), Belgium (8), Canada (20), France (23), Germany (16), India (7), Israel (5), Sweden (8), Switzerland (5) and the UK (12) – along with films from Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar and Sudan. Especially of note this year are three Ukrainian shorts, all from women directors: The Diaper Cake (U.S. premiere), Jordan ‘96 (world premiere) and Operator Victoria (North American premiere).
Palm Springs International ShortFest 2022 is a bellwether for awards recognition, with two of this year’s Oscar winners screening at last year’s ShortFest – The Queen of Basketball (Best Documentary Short Subject) and The Long Goodbye (Best Live Action Short Film) – along with a half-dozen Oscar nominees across animated, documentary and live action categories: Affairs of the Art, BoxBallet, On My Way, Please Hold, Three Songs for Benazir and When We Were Bullies. Over the course of 27 years, the festival has presented over 100 films that have gone on to receive Academy Award nominations.
Juried award winners will be announced June 26 from the official selection presenting them with awards and cash prizes worth $25,000 including five Academy Award qualifying awards. Best of the Fest shorts will screen on the final day, June 27. This year’s categories, which will have their own group of jury members, include:
Oscar Qualifying Awards: Best of the Festival Award, Best Animated Short, Best Documentary Short, Best Live-Action Short Over 15 Minutes and Best Live-Action Short 15 Minutes and Under
Student Short Awards: Best Student Animated Short, Best Student Documentary Short, Best Student International Short, Best Student U.S. Short
Special Jury Awards: Best International Short, Best U.S. Short, Best Comedy Short, Best LGBTQ+ Short, Best Midnight Short, Local Jury Award, Young Cineastes Award, Bridging the Borders Award, Vimeo Staff Pick Award
The ShortFest 2022 Forum will also take place June 22-26, with virtual classes and in-person panels, roundtables, and interactive events featuring industry representatives, filmmakers and additional guests. ShortFest Jury members and Forum programs and participants will be announced June 7.
• READ NEXT: 6 Summer Activities to Do With Kids in Greater Palm Springs.