- A Fabulous Film Festival Magnificently Slouches Towards Palm Springs in January-
Glamorous stars, creative directors and Hollywood moguls congregate in luscious Palm Springs sunshine at the 19thannual Palm Springs International Film Festival. They come here to accept their awards, meet their fans and celebrate their notoriety. But there's also another reason for their presence here. Since the 1930's and the golden days of the Palms Springs Racquet Club, stars have been attracted to the Desert like fireflies to a porch light on a balmy, summer day.
Why is that?
Forget the films, the panels, the chance to meet the stars- while you're in the middle of all that, stand outside a little apart from the crowd and look up. You will see and feel the natural opulence, the breathtaking presence of a star-studded a Palm Springs evening. The star-studded jewels in the sky and the jewelry-studded Hollywood stars on the Red Carpet are natural companions in this fabulous venue. More than 200 films from all over the world, dozens of appearances and award ceremonies, an unbeatable congregation of incredible film panels create the intrigue and excitement of this event but they can never completely obscure the natural opulence of their setting.
Although the entire schedule is still draped in mystery, we do know that this year, Jerry Weintraub will receive the prestigious Patrons of the Arts Award presented by emissaries from SAG in honor of his contributions to the film industry. Sometime actor, sometime producer and sometime manager of the Stars, Hollywood has surely felt his touch. We also know that Jason Reitman's Juno will receive the Chairman's Vanguard award. But when the full schedule is released, it will be as dazzling and surprising as ever.
January 3-14 is just stone's throw away in time, but there is still chance to plan for a twelve-day event that you will never forget. This is the 19thyear of the famous film festival, started by Mayor Sonny Bono, Cher entrepreneur/singing partner, whose visionary political leadership spanned the rebuilding of Palm Springs downtown, a serious Salton Sea initiative and the creation of an enduring film festival. By this time, there are few directors, actors or cinematographer's who have not somehow touched the Festival with their talents or their personal appearance. Recently Shirley Maclaine, Kate Winslett and Sydney Pollock have received their honors personally. Last year, Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett accepted an award for their Movie, Babel.
The film festival is a natural place for the stars to visit as they have continued to do since they fell in love with Palm Springs real estate during the era of Charles Farrell and Ralph Bellamy's discovery of the Racquet Club. Elvis Presley, Groucho Marx, Bob Hope, Liberace, Frank Sinatra were one of the hundreds who have lived or played here. We wonder if, besides the living, the shades of many Hollywood celebrities of Palm Springs rest easier as this festival honors their great legacies. Surely, Sonny Bono will be among them, a happy parent to what is now an enriching global epiphany of talent, film and natural splendor.
Picture from Creative Commons
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