Better Man Movie Director Michael Gracey, Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi and Artistic Director Lili Rodriguez. Photo by Pat Krause

DLNews Entertainment:

Palm Springs again lit up with cinematic magic as the 36th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) proudly revealed its juried award winners. Taking place from January 2 to 13, 2025, this year’s festival brought together a dazzling array of 165 films from 71 countries, including 68 premieres. The lineup, which featured 35 International Feature Film Oscar® submissions, celebrated everything from bold new voices to compelling documentaries, setting a high bar for cinematic artistry. 

Palm Springs Mayor Ron deHarte and Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. Photo by Pat Krause

Among the festival's prestigious honors, the FIPRESCI Prize spotlighted international storytelling at its finest. Brazilian director Walter Salles won the Best International Feature Film award for I’m Still Here, while Italian filmmaker Maura Delpero earned accolades for her screenplay Vermiglio. Zoe Saldaña dazzled in Emilia Pérez, earning Best Actress honors, and the dynamic trio of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Provái from Kneecap won Best Actor awards for their riveting performances. 

The Best Documentary Award celebrated No Other Land, a poignant Palestinian film helmed by Yuval Abraham, Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, and Rachel Szor. The jury awarded a special mention to Blue Road - The Edna O’Brien Story, a heartfelt exploration by Sinéad O’Shea. 

New filmmakers took center stage with the New Voices New Visions Award, which Romanian director Bogdan Mureșanu won for The New Year That Never Came. A special mention went to South Africa’s Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight, directed by Embeth Davidtz, which showcased fresh and innovative storytelling. 

The Ibero-American Award, celebrating cinematic excellence from Latin America, Spain, and Portugal, was recognized by Sujo by Mexican directors Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez. Manas received a special mention for its Brazilian-Portuguese collaboration. 

Local pride ran deep with the Desert Views Award, which celebrated films that foster understanding and connection. Joshua Zeman's Checkpoint Zoo captured hearts with its compelling narrative, while Vincent DeLuca's Desert Angel earned a special mention. 

The next generation of filmmakers left their mark as the Young Cineastes Award jury, composed of passionate high schoolers, honored Tatami by Zar Amir Ebrahimi and Guy Nattiv, with a special mention for Superboys of Malegaon by Reema Kagti. 

The Bridging the Borders Award, an honor highlighting films that unite divided worlds, went to Suleymane’s Story by Boris Lojkine. A special mention was awarded to Happy Holidays by Scandar Copti, an inspiring collaboration of filmmakers from Palestine, Germany, France, Italy, and Qatar. 

As the festival closed, excitement built for the Audience Awards announcement. The Palm Springs International ShortFest, which will take place June 24-30, 2025, will continue the city’s love for film.