Join the Palm Springs International Film Society!
The Palm Springs International Film Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit membership-driven organization dedicated to enriching the cultural landscape of the Coachella Valley and beyond.
With a year-round program of screenings and special events, the PSIFS hosts two major annual festivals, and presents monthly screenings of contemporary international films, many with special guests attending for post-screening Q&A's. Among our offerings:
Invitations to SPECIAL MEMBER SCREENINGS and select SPECIAL EVENTS are a year-round specialty of the Palm Springs Film Society, with a minimum of 8 free screenings a year extended to members at the Associate level, additional invitations guaranteed at higher membership levels. Among previous advance member screenings: The Hurt Locker, Precious, Up in the Air and A Single Man. Members are also granted free access to community series such as the popular Behind the Scenes filmmaker series.
The PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. Held in January each year, this celebrated annual event is one of the largest festivals in North America, presenting more than 200 films from over 70 countries, and hosting over 200 flimmaking guests for its program of screenings, seminars, tributes and special events. The Festival presents the best of the official submissions for the Best Foreign Language Film category of the Academy Awards®, along with a large number of new international films, American independent and major studio features, many of them award winners at home and abroad, including some 80 world or U.S. premieres. A dazzling centerpiece of the event is the annual Black Tie Awards Gala, honoring such stellar talent as Clint Eastwood, Ron Howard, Gus Van Sant, Sean Penn, Kate Winslet and Anne Hathaway. Members receive Festival benefits and discounts commensurate with their membership level.
The PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL SHORTFEST is the largest short film festival in North America, featuring screenings of more than 300 international short films with filmmakers attending to engage audiences in post-screening discussions and special programs. Each year's program is a voyage of discovery, introducing audiences to the major filmmakers of tomorrow in its celebration of new voices and new visions. In its first decade, PSISF has premiered more than 45 films which went on to win Oscar® nominations or awards in the short film categories. Member discounts will also apply to ShortFest individual tickets.
The Film Society supports students in the community through the Screenings in Schools program. Past programs have included casting director Margery Simkin discussing Freedom Writers, and the program coupled 12 Angry Men with a conversation with law professor Katherine Darmer after students observed the Supreme Court of California. This relationship between PSIFS and area schools culminates in Student Screening Day at the PSIFF, where hundreds of students have the opportunity to view films and meet the filmmakers behind them.
The film community of the Coachella Valley is alive and well all year long, and the Palm Springs International Film Society is thrilled to be at the center of the area's best cinematic events! (And because of the Film Society's charitable status, part of your membership fees is tax deductible!)