Local Attractions and Businesses in Indio, California - Quality

The Palm Springs International ShortFest is the USA's biggest short film event. It is a competitive festival which annually screens around 200 films from more than 60 countries and awards nine different prizes.

Industry interest in the event is always strong and first-prize winners become eligible for Oscar consideration by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The festival has given out awards for the best animated, live action and student shorts since its debut in 1995. In 2000 it added a documentary category as well. Two juries of filmmakers and industry types screen all the films and then announce the winners to the anxious short-film makers at the end of the festival.

The list of festival categories is as follows: Best Animation, Best Live Action (15 minutes and under), Best Live Action (over 15 minutes), Best Documentary, Best Student Animation, Best Student Live Action (15 minutes and under), Best Student Live Action (over 15 minutes), Best Student Documentary and the Best Of The Festival Award. Entries have to be available for projection in 35mm, 16mm or Beta SP. A Shorts Market is also held during the festival, consisting of a video library of all the entries for the viewing pleasure of agents and execs.

This is one of the main places for aspirant Hollywood filmmakers to get their shorts shown, which means that the competition for entry is bracingly intense. This can only mean that the quality of the films screened is higher than at most short film festivals and, of course, it can also be the first important step of a filmmaker's career.