Palm Springs Recap

It's Me!

My friends, I am back from the Palm Springs International ShortFest!  It was a fun time with many fabulous movies to see and people to meet but I am happy to have left the heat behind.


Arriving on Friday afternoon, I checked into the hotel and then went over to the Film Market to drop off copies of Behind the Bush (yes this is it finally online).  


The Market is a giant lending library where you can go and check out the films that did (and didn't) make it into the festival and then watch them on computers which are positioned throughout the room.

Ooh, we're in a binder.

After that, while awaiting the arrival of friend and fellow filmmaker, Erin, I started talking to people and watching movies! The people I met were nice, interesting and came from all over the world. While some of the movies were um, well you know, it's not easy to finish a film so bless us all for the effort, some of them were fantastic! Fantastic I tell you!

Waiting for Gus Van Sant...

A few films to check out if you can... 

A Brush With the Tenderloin - "A portrait of one of San Francisco's grittiest, yet most diverse, neighborhoods -- the Tenderloin -- told through the evolution of a community-inspired mural by artist Mona Caron."  It will be screening at the Roxie in San Francisco on July 25th at 8pm.  Go check it out. Seriously. If you are not teary by the end of this film then I guess you are not as prone to getting teary as I am.

Detras del Espejo (Behind the Mirrors) - "The worker of a cheap motel resorts to questionable actions in order to make ends meet." Oh, that doesn't make it sound half as exciting as it is.  The film starts in the middle (just like a good improv scene) and the situation keeps getting worse for said worker, Ernesto.  It's a Peruvian movie and was awarded Best of the Festival this year.  I don't know where you might be able to see it but try.

Insert your own witty
blowing wind/dress
comment here.

But a film festival can not be all about networking and movie-watching.  Eventually, even though walking around in Palm Springs is like being a bug crawling around on a lady's head while she sits under a hair dryer on full blast, gossiping with her friends, one must get out.

Mmm... margaritas!

Erin and I strolled through town, stopping to take pictures with their new Marilyn Monroe statue (well I did) and then sampling the local Mexican food and margaritas.  Bueno, Palm Springs.  Muy bueno!

More movies, more networking, more parties.  I have some filmmakers I want to stay in touch with - am getting on those emails right after this, I swear - so that's good.

The final party was at a place called Lulu.  Filet mignon on mashed potatoes in little plastic cups, a photo booth where you could have your picture taken and film festival volunteers/retirees dancing up a storm to Michael Jackson.  I mean really, what's not to love?

Final party at Lulu.

The whole trip was pretty inspirational and now my goal is to have another film together for next year so I can send it in and go back!  Now that I've learned how to better maximize the networking opportunities and to stay indoors during the middle of the afternoon, how can I not?

Rockin' our lanyards
at Lulu.