Best of the Fest - Fest Feedback
My own films' rating & recommendation See below.
"I hope you come and see me in the movies" - Song by The Beatles
Palm Springs International Film Fest's (PSIFF) claim to fame, has been earned due to the largest quantity and top selection quality of international foreign films screened every year, around US Film Festivals,
This 36th year of operation, PSIFF, by far, out-did itself!
Being the movie buff I am , I have been attending PSIFF , each January, for about 15 years, enjoying at least a week of "movie heaven" experiences, as well as, the visits to this sleepy desert Resort/ Retired community Town, that "perks up" during the Film Fest season.
This year the 9 days I spent on seeing 3-4 movies a day, lasted from Jan 5th to the 13th. (The Fest run from Jan 2nd -13)
Located in South CA Riverside County Palm Springs is set within Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley,
(2,5 hours drive from LA and 8 hours drive from San Fransisco.
It is more convenient to save on driving and fly into the town's PSP airport,
which I did
The town is sheltered by majestic bare mountains range, looming above it, and dotted by many Ca fan Palm trees at its foothills
(San Bernardino Mountains to the north, the Santa Rosa Mountains to the south, by the San Jacinto Mountains to the west and by the Little San Bernardino Mountains to the east.
More than 10% of the city is part of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
which were attracted to the area because to the abundance of water and shade. in the canyons of Palm Springs and the hot springs used in winter time
European residents started arriving in the area in the 19th C along with Jack Summers, who ran the stagecoach station on the Bradshaw Trail in 1862.
14 years later (1876), the Southern Pacific railroad reached the area, as well as setting irrigation system which allowed crops growing further boosted this desert area expansion.
The town became a fashionable resort in the 1900s when health tourists arrived with conditions that required dry heat. Because of the heat, however, the population dropped markedly in the summer months.
in the 1930+ Hollywood movie stars were attracted by the hot dry, sunny weather and seclusion—they built homes and estates and this became popular, and also among the Gay striving center,
There are about 50,000 inhabitants in Palm Springs. However, because the town is a retirement and a winter snowbird destination, the city's population triples between November and March, and the plush resorts are full
Although the town is set in an arid location it is certainly not a cultural desert
on Tahquitz Canyon Way on Tahquitz Canyon Way
Eating Places Recommended on: E Tahquitz Canyon Way,
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Films Rating
My own Rating and recommendation of the Feature Movies screened at the Festival also includes rating of some feature films, I already saw prior to attending the fest, Over all in the course of my stay I saw 30 films
The rating is divided to 4 categories and indicate the country/language the film is identify by,
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Just O.K
IMDB numeric rating. is also mentioned,
Liked Doco films are noted at the end. of the list. as are Fest's Films of interest which I didn't get to see.
Excellent
Waves - (also called Viny) - Czech. (8.4)
Dynamic suspenseful drama , in modern Czech history set in 1968 and follows the international office at Czechoslovak Radio led by editor Milan Weiner, whose commitment to honest journalism and the truth puts the organization in the crosshairs of the secret police.
The New Year that Never Came - Romanian. (8.3)
On the brink of revolution in 1989 Romania, six lives intersect amid protests and personal struggles, leading to the explosive fall of Ceausescu and the communist regime.
There' s Still Tomorrow - Italy. (7.7)
follows an industrious working-class woman in post-WWII Rome as she rises above domestic violence to forge a brighter future for her daughter.
Conclave - UK. (7.4)
Cardinal (Ralph Fines) Conspiracy drama that could shake the very foundation of the Catholic Church.
Very Good
I am Still Here. - Brazil. (8.9)
A mother of 5 is forced to reinvent herself as an activist after her family endures an unspeakable arbitrary act of violence, and her family's life is shattered .during 1971 Brazil's military dictatorship.
Never Alone. - Finish. (8.1)
1942 in Helsinki. The state of Finland has made an alliance with Nazi Germany. One man alone is trying to stop the Finnish security services which were operating in secrecy, to turn into the hands of Gestapo and deport 8 Austrian-Jewish refugees during World War II.
Quisling; The Final Days - Norway. (7.2)
Five years of occupation during WW2 ends in Norway. Vidkun Quisling a delusional authoritarian, in prison for treason and is to be held accountable for his actions.
Reading Lolita in Tehran , - Iran/Israel (7.3)
A gripping adaptation of Azar Nafisi’s autobiographical memoir , a fearless professor who secretly gathers seven of her female students to read forbidden Western classics in revolutionary Iran.
From Hilda With Love. , - Germany (7.1)
This true story about Hilde Coppi ( ( star Liv Lisa Fries from Babylon Berlin), a member of an anti-Nazi group. who falls in love with another member, Hans. takes place in Berlin of 1942. The two spend a summer together until they get caught by the Gestapo and Hilde pregnant and gives birth at prison.
Vermiglio - Italy. (7.0)
The arrival of a young army deserter in 1944 from the South, into a remote mountain village. during the final year of World War II, and his love for a teacher's eldest daughter, sends ripples through the family of the local teacher, and changes the course of everyone's life.
The Penguin Lessons. - UK/Spain (8)
A poignant dramedy follows a personal and political awakening of an Englishman schoolteacher (Steve Coogan), during a cataclysmic period in militaristic Argentina, whose life – and those of his spoiled pupils – are transformed when he rescues and adopts an adorable penguin.
Good
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies - Thailand. (8)
A lazy college dropout quits his job to care for his terminally ill grandmother. motivated by his desire for a multi-million dollar inheritance,
Touch - Iceland (7.4)
A romantic endearing story that spans over several decades and continents; follows an older widower,'s emotional journey as COVID-19 shuts down international travel, Before his time runs out he travels from Iceland to England and Japan to find his first love who got away, and disappeared 50 years ago,
My Late Summer - (Nakon Ljeta) Bosnia/Herzegovina (6,1)
In this corky comy-drama a feisty woman travels to a remote Croatian island seeking answers about her past. As her mission takes longer than expected, the charming locale, quirky locals, and an unexpected romance reshape her views about her identity and ambitions.
Hard Truths - UK (7.4)
A disturbing dramatic tale of a dysfunctional family about a fierce matriarch, the prickly angry depressed housewife (Jean-Baptiste), who stands in stark contrast to her easygoing
hair-salon owner sister, (Michele Austin).
Marco. - Spain (6.7)
Exposing the lie of Enric Marco, (Eduard Fernández) a Spanish trade unionist who has spent years crafting a convincing lie, falsely claiming that he was a prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp. and a survivor.
His charm and alleged bravery even earned him the presidency of the Spanish Association of Holocaust Victims. But one day, the truth catches up with him.
The Hungarian Dress Maker. - Slovakia. (6,7)
Set in the nationalistic, Nazi-allied wartime Slovak state, the tale follows a widowed dressmaker from the Hungarian minority, who loses her job in Bratislava.
Back in her late husband’s village home, she shelters a young Jewish boy.
in her home on the Slovak-Hungarian border during the turbulent years of WW2
The Room Next Door - US. (7)
Adapting Sigrid Nunez’s novel “What You Are Going Through,” Pedro Almodóvar’s latest morbid drama, first English-language features Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton
as two friends reunited when one falls ill.
Lilly - US. (8.1)
A drama based on the life of activist. Lilly Ledbetter. (Patricia Clakson) an Alabama Goodyear factory worker, whose tireless fight for women’s equal pay went all the way to the Supreme Court. Like Norma Rae and Erin Brockovich, Lilly packs a sweet punch for justice. in the fight for Fair Pay.
Emilia Perez - France/Spanish. (6.5)
A Mexico-hood genre-defying musical, recounts a tale of a notorious Mexican Cartel leader - Emilia. (Karla Sofía Gascón) enlists Rita, (Zoe Saldaña) an unappreciated but resourceful lawyer, to help undergo gender-affirming surgery, and fake her death so that she can start anew as Emilia Pérez and finally live authentically as her true self.
Pink Lady. - Israel. (7.8)
In an ultra-Orthodox community in Jerusalem, Bati leads a seemingly perfect life with her husband and three children. But her world begins to crumble when her gentle husband is blackmailed by the Wolf's gang. over a secret affair with his male Torah study partner.
Add Fish. ,- Iceland. (7.9)
An endearing dramedy, in which two childhood friends get an unexpected opportunity to keep their seafood restaurant in the picturesque Westfjords open year-round. When one comes out of the closet as a trans woman, a strain is put on their friendship and.their long-standing friendship is tested, revealing new perspectives on life and identity.
Trifole. - (Italy (7.3)
This bittersweet portrait of a vanishing rural way of life, features a granddaughter who travels to Piedmont to care for her aging grandfather I an expert forager. Armed with his loyal dog , she hunts for a prizewinning truffle to save his home.
Just O.K
Lost Ladies - Indian (8.4)
This delightful misadventure comedy follows two young brides from arranged marriages who are mistakenly swapped and get lost during a chaotic train ride,
and find their lives flipped upside down when, upon arrival, they lift their veils, revealing that each husband is now with the wrong wife.
Nice Indian Boy US/Canada. (8.0)
In this funny rom-com, Naveen (Karan Soni) introduces his white-orphan-artist boyfriend fiancé Jay (Tony Jonathan Groff) to his conservative Indian parents, who must reconcile their traditional values with their son’s love while planning the perfect traditional Indian wedding to honor two gay men.
Four Mothers - Irish. (7.4)
This Irish twist on the original Italian Mid-August Lunch (2008) follows a shy, struggling commitment-phobic gay novelist living with his elderly mother. who is forced to take care of three additional eccentric older women - and his own mother - over the course of one chaotic weekend in Dublin, when his friends, who dumped on him their mothers, take off for Pride weekend,
Sons. - Denmark/Sweden
In prison drama the idealistic prison correction officer ( Sidse Babett Knudsen from TV’s Borgen) delivers a remarkable performance, faced with the dilemma of her life when a young new inmate, from her past gets transferred to the prison where she works. and untoward interest in a new inmate sets the stage for a gripping thriller.
Bonjour Tristesse. - Canada/Germany. (6.2)
In this adaptation of Françoise Sagan’s classic novel, from 1957 an 18-year-old (Lily McInerney) who spends the summer in a south of France seaside villa, with her charming widowed father father (Claes Bang) and his latest, lover, until the arrival of an old friend Chloë Sevigny) disrupts the idyllic existence.
A Real Pain - US/Poland (7.2)
Mismatched cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the odd-couple's old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.
Souley'sman Story. - France (7.8)
In Paris an undocumented Guinean immigrant, asylum seeker and food delivery cyclist named Souleymane, (Abou Sangaré) exhausted by the grueling Parisian gig economy, races against time as he has only two days to prepare his story for a make-or-break interview to secure legal residency. in this social thriller.
Santosh - UK/India. (7.1)
Newly widowed Santosh (Shahana Goswami) inherits her husband's position as a police constable in the rural badlands of Northern India. and is drawn into a high-profile case where police corruption makes justice elusive for the lower classes. She finds guidance from the magnetic feminist Inspector Sharma (Sunita Rajwar).
Babygirl - US. (6.6)
A high-powered CEO (Nicole Kidman) puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid submissive/dominance flair affair with her much-younger intern (Harris Dickinson)
Recommended Doco.
Checkpoint Zoo , - US/Ukraine. (8.9)
In the early stages of the Russian-Ukrainian War, almost 5,000 animals were trapped behind enemy lines in a wildlife park. The film relates the story of the he heroic efforts of zookeepers and volunteers to rescue the animals under Russian bombardment from the Feldman Ecopark in Charkov during the early days of the war
Good Men - US
Inspired by the birth of his grandson, filmmaker Bobby Roth gathered 50 friends – including Peter Coyote, Henry Winkler, and Michelle Satter – to take stock of their lives, masculinity, femininity, .loves, mistakes, and regrets, questioning also the power to change, in this examination of thought-provoking journey taken.
Stamps Thief - US
In this Doco-farce a Hollywood filmmaker learns of a treasure trove of priceless stamps stolen by a Nazi officer from concentration camp victims and buried in a house in Poland. Employing an Argo-like fake-movie ruse, he and his team set out to find the treasure, but run into complications they never expected.
Liza ; A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story, - US (8.6)
Liza Minnelli tells her own story in this tribute to this iconic artist's unlimited raw talent and the deep, creative relationships she has with her mentors .from: her childhood, in mother Judy Garland's shadow, her bonds with mentors Kay Thompson, Charles Aznavour, and Bob Fosse, her up-and-down marriages, and the triumphs of Broadway and Cabaret.
Diane Warren: Relentless. - US (7.2)
The untold story of Hollywood’s most coveted prickly, fascinating musical poet/songwriter – with Beyoncé, Cher, Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, Toni Braxton, Cher, Common, Jennifer Hudson, Gloria Estefan, Kesha, LeAnn and Rimes among her many devotees – writes heart-rending love songs but prefers animals to people. She’s worth billions but isn’t interested in spending it. She has been nominated for 15 Oscars® – but never won.
Paul Anka -His Way. - US. (6.3)
With a career spanning eight decades, Ottawa born to immigrants, singer-songwriter Paul Anka exhibited early musical talent leaving a lasting mark on the music industry.,
At 16, he ambitiously headed to New York and unlike other teen idols, he wrote his own songs. His multi-genre, multi-decade success resonates across generations. Anka – still going strong – offers in his own words a vivid glimpse into his remarkable life and enduring legacy.
Recommended Movies of Interest Screened at the Fest which I Missed
Drive Back Home - Canadian (8.5)
The Correspondent - Australia (8.2)
Waltzing with Brando. - US/Tahiti . (8.2)
The Last Journey - Sweden. (Doc0) (7.9)
Seed of the Sacred Fig. - Germany/Iran. (7.6)
Girl with a Needle. - Denmark (7.5)
Tatami - Georgia/Israel/Iran. (7.5)
My Favorite Cake - Iran/France (7.5)
Mistress Dispeller - China /Us (7.2)
Happy Holidays - Palestine/Germany (7.2)
A Traveler's Needs - South Korea. (6.5)
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But most dramatic substantial tales of this Jan 2025, first weeks were
two Reality- life changing shattering features, outside of the movie screens..
The first was the greater Los Angeles raging Wild Fires
Fueled by powerful winds and dry drought conditions, low humidity, a build-up of previous winter's vegetation and hurricane-force Santa Ana winds, series of ferocious wildfires have destroyed and damaged , since Jan 7th, hundreds of homes, (more than 12,401) and structures of major neighborhoods like Palisades and Eaton, while over 200,000 people were under evacuation and at least 25 people,were killed
As of January 16, 2025, 4 fires remain active, including the 2 largest.
My heart is with all those who have been impacted and suffered these traumatic events
The second, and much overdue historical astonishing tale is, that after many months of intensive diplomacy by the United States, along with Egypt and Qatar,
and hopeful rumors circulating all week,
Israeli Hostages Deal and Gaza Cease Fire, finally took place on Jan 15th
The involved parties : Israel and Hamas signed this bitter-sweet agreement in Doha Qatar today on Jan 16th.
The Israeli hostages who will be released and reunited with their families, will experience sheer joy and relief, while the families who were impacted by the thousands of murderous terrorists that Israel captured before and after Oct. 7 that would be release, will experience excruciating rage, pain and a sense of betrayal.
Thus sadly the dramatic ripples of these loaded events, will continue vibrating, for many more years to come
Israeli Protest for Ending the War
Furthermore, Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya said during a televised speech from Qatar on Jan 15th, that the Hamas-led massacres of Israelis on Oct. 7, 2023, lead to a "defeat to Israel" a Hamas "military accomplishment" and "a source of pride for our people".
Displaced Gazans also celebrated the ceasefire news after much of Gaza has been destroyed, with Hamas terrorists joining the celebrations with their guns raised. There were also celebrations in the West Bank city of Ramallah and on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. And Iran Says Gaza Ceasefire Is a "Victory" for Palestinian Resistance"
May all the hostages return home peacefully and heal,
May this ceasefire be a lasting one, NO MORE WAR
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