By Heidi Simmons
The Palm Springs International Film Festival finished Monday with the popular Best of Fest all day screenings of 17 audience favorites. With 800 volunteers, over 120 employees, 130,000 paid admissions and box office revenue of over $1.4 million, the 24th annual event ended on a high note.
The festival’s success is the culmination of twelve concentrated months of hard work by the Palm Springs International Film Society. At the close of the fest, you would think the permanent staff of eight fulltime employees and one part time employee, would take a few weeks off and decompress from the intensity of the 11 days of go go go. But they don’t. They go back to their offices in Palm Springs and meet with every department of the festival to review, evaluate and consider what could be done better and create an action plan for improvements in the next year.
“We work all year but the four months leading up to the festival is very high impact and very intensive work,” said Darryl Macdonald Festival Director. As one might imagine, there is an enormous amount of coordination that has to be done. “Once the films are chosen, we have to create a line-up and schedule. There are invitations that have to go to filmmakers and the press. There’s all the printed materials which require art work and design … there is so much to do and so many details,” explained Macdonald in the middle of a very busy day during the festival.
The PSIFF is an amazing success and it is a passion for Macdonald. The film festival utilizes nine theaters in Palm Springs with a total of 15 screens: the Regal Cinemas, Camelot Theater, Palm Springs High School auditorium, the Annenberg Theater and the Palm Canyon Theater. To expand the festival, the film society may someday build a theater, but for now its focus is to create a more enjoyable experience.
“We strive to make it easier and better for film-goers. We always want to add new features and new programming angles,” said Macdonald. “We rely on our staff and volunteers to set the ambience, quality of service, and mood. Many have been with us for years.”
Seventy percent of those attending the festival are from out of state. It has been estimated that those coming into town, when not in a theater, will spend between $100 to $320 a day during their stay in the CV. It is a significant financial contribution to local communities.
It turns out that film festivals are not big money making events, but the PSIFF is fortunate to brake even and continue with its important non-profit charitable work. They have programs with the Rancho Mirage Library and the Palm Springs Art Museum.
Macdonald is enthusiastic about what he does. He has already begun work on the Palm Springs International Short Film Festival that will be held in June. “Submissions started in December for the Short Fest and I’ll begin viewing films as soon as this event ends,” remarked Macdonald. He and his staff will view 3,400 short films during the next several weeks.
The Palm Springs International Film Festival is one of the great events in the CV. There is a love for film by wide audiences and a dedication by those involved that keep the festival one of the best in North America. Next year will be its 25th anniversary. It is already shaping up as a great celebration of world cinema.
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