By Crystal Harrell
Festival Theaters in Downtown Palm Springs aims to usher in an incredible movie-viewing experience and host local events that will bring excitement to everyone in the Coachella Valley. From elevated concessions to premium seating, the new theater strives to bring only the best to guests and the local community.
Coachella Valley Weekly caught up with Theater Manager/Creative Director/Projectionist Sky Ciolino, to provide some insight about Festival Theaters’ vision for upcoming programming and special events.
CV WEEKLY: Thanks for talking the time to talk, Sky! Your Grand Opening Party and ribbon cutting ceremony took place just last month. What was reception like following your grand opening?
SKY: We had a wonderful time joining the Chamber of Commerce! Nona and Evan are such a force. It was so fun to celebrate with everyone, especially coming off the craziness of the Palm Springs International Film Festival! Everyone really loved the tours of the projector room and theater, led by Gerald Noonan our COO. We all just needed to take a moment to see everyone enjoying the space together after we accomplished so much in a short period of time.
CVW: For sure, how exciting to be part of this year’s Palm Springs International Film Festival. Can you provide some details on your international film programming?
SKY: Yes! We are working with Efi, a wonderful member of the International Film Showcase. They help us curate an international film pick that we screen the last weekend of each month at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., Thursday through Sunday. This month is The Seed of the Sacred Fig! We think it is so important to bring in films from other countries because it shows us the wide scope of talented filmmakers that fly under the radar. There are some incredible films from across the world that can provide new perspectives from our own. My favorite foreign director is Dario Argento, an Italian film maker who has one of the most creative minds in the industry. I highly recommend his films Suspiria and Tenebrae!
CVW: That’s definitely true of international cinema. What are some special events or screenings you’ve held so far?
SKY: We have many special events we are working on! Currently, we are screening Rocky Horror Picture Show the first Saturday of every month. We have one this coming Saturday March 1st at 7 p.m. We also recently joined Flashback Cinemas, which brings classic films from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. We are kicking of the program the month of March and these throwback screenings with be on Wednesdays and Sundays! Lastly, we are going to be hosting a mixer and screening for the 20th Anniversary of Star Wars Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.
CVW: Sounds like there’s a lot that guests can expect for the future. What separates Festival Theaters from other theaters in the Coachella Valley?
SKY: Our mission is to be here for our community! Palm Springs is such an iconic and unique place! We want to be a cinema house for the locals, bringing films here they want to see and events that they want to be a part of. We have been in touch with Palm Springs businesses and member groups to host events here! We also are going to be hosting Shorts Fest this June, a film festival of short films that really highlight the creatives in the industry.
CVW: There are a lot of exciting things in store for Festival Theaters. What is your favorite part of your job?
SKY: I love being our projectionist and creative programmer! Working with the studios to select our films each week is very rewarding, and the job doesn’t stop there! I then get to receive the films and build the playlists and send those to each theater projector, this role includes the maintenance of all the technical equipment. I was so fortunate to be trained by cinema technician, Aaron Ridenour, who taught me everything from replacing the projector bulbs, to troubleshooting network issues. He is an incredible teacher! I also create all our graphic designs and digital and print materials, which is so fun! I had a blast creating our Festival Theaters logo and branding.
CVW: You definitely created a very unique look. What do you hope for the future of Festival Theaters?
SKY: We would love to be the place for locals and visitors alike to feel like they are having a great time and movie experience! We plan to have a lot of facility upgrades, from new projectors to building out an incredible lounge space for creatives and Palm Springs locals to enjoy. Personally, I would love to collaborate with creatives from the film and music industry, bringing events you cannot get anywhere else. There is so much we can do, but as long as we can do it with heart and lead with kindness, I know we can be a great place to visit in Palm Springs!
CVW: Thank you again, Sky. Is there anything else you’d like to add?
SKY: Just that we would love to see everyone and to never hesitate to bring your suggestions to the team! We want to hear from you, what movies you want to see, what events we can host, even what snacks you love! You can reach us at movies@festivaltheaters.com.
