Palm Springs International Film Festival to Open With ‘Wicked Little Letters,’ Full Lineup Announced
The Palm Springs International Film Festival has announced its 2024 lineup.
Held by the Palm Springs International Film Society, the PSIFF aims to spotlight and celebrate a range of global films. The 35th annual festival’s opening night will host the U.S. premiere of Thea Sharrock’s “Wicked Little Letters” on Jan. 5. The British black comedy mystery centers on two neighbors who find themselves plagued with obscene letters. Sharrock will be in attendance.
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PSIFF’s closing night will feature a screening of the comedy “Ex-Husbands,” which follows Peter Pearce (Griffin Dunne), a father who jets off to Tulum where his two sons, played by James Norton and Miles Heizer, are at his oldest son’s bachelor party. Noah Pritzker, who serves as writer and director, will attend as will stars Dunne and Heizer.
On Jan. 4 and Jan. 5, PSIFF will host its Talking Pictures program, featuring screenings of “American Fiction” with star Jeffrey Wright, “Barbie” with director Greta Gerwig and “Killers of the Flower Moon” with writer Eric Roth. Festival attendees can also anticipate the world premieres of Adam Breier’s “All About the Lefkoviches,” Cady Voge’s “All We Carry” and Stephen Ujlaki and Christopher Jones’ “Bad Faith” at the festival, among others. There will be a selection of South Korean films highlighted such as “The Handmaiden,” “Train to Busan” and “Memories of Murder.”
“Sprawling in scope, this year’s lineup spotlights programming from both international and domestic communities, including first-time filmmaking from American stars, impactful documentaries from abroad, and the very best in contemporary cinema for our Coachella Valley audience,” said Lili Rodriguez, PSIFS’s artistic director.
The full lineup follows.
AWARDS BUZZ – BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM SUBMISSIONS
20 Days in Mariupol (Ukraine) Director Mstyslav Chernov
About Dry Grasses (Turkey) Director Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Behind the Haystacks (Greece) Director Asimina Proedrou (North American Premiere)
Blaga’s Lessons (Bulgaria) Director Stephan Komandarev
Brothers (Czech Republic) Director Tomáš Mašín (International Premiere)
The Burdened (Yemen) Director Amr Gamal
Bye Bye Tiberias (Palestine) Director Lina Soualem
City of Wind (Mongolia) Director Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir
Concrete Utopia (South Korea) Director Um Tae-Hwa
The Delinquents (Argentina) Director Rodrigo Moreno
Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World (Romania) Director Radu Jude
Fallen Leaves (Finland) Director Aki Kaurismäki
Four Daughters (Tunisia) Director Kaouther Ben Hania
Godland (Iceland) Director Hlynur Pálmason
Goodbye Julia (Sudan) Director Mohamed Kordofani
Housekeeping for Beginners (North Macedonia) Director Goran Stolevski
In Flames (Pakistan) Director Zarrar Kahn (U.S. Premiere)
Inshallah A Boy (Jordan) Director Amjad Al Rasheed
Io Capitano (Italy) Director Matteo Garrone
The Missing (Philippines) Director Carl Joseph E. Papa (International Premiere)
The Monk and the Gun (Bhutan) Director Pawo Choyning Dorji
The Mother of All Lies (Morocco) Director Asmae El Moudir
Opponent (Sweden) Director Milad Alami
The Peasants (Poland) Director DK Welchman, Hugh Welchman
Perfect Days (Japan) Director Wim Wenders
The Promised Land (Denmark) Director Nikolaj Arcel
The Settlers (Chile) Director Felipe Gálvez
Seven Blessings (Israel) Director Ayelet Menahemi (U.S. Premiere)
Shayda (Australia) Director Noora Niasari
Sira (Burkina Faso ) Director Apolline Traoré
Smoke Sauna Sisterhood (Estonia) Director Anna Hints
Society of the Snow (Spain) Director J.A. Bayona
Songs of Earth (Norway) Director Margreth Olin
Sweet Dreams (Netherlands) Director Ena Sendijarević
The Taste of Things (France) Director Tr N Anh Hùng
The Teacher’s Lounge (Germany) Director İlker Çatak
Tiger Stripes (Malaysia) Director Amanda Nell Eu
Tótem (Mexico) Director Lila Avilés
Vera (Austria) Director Tizza Covi, Rainer Frimmel
The Zone of Interest (United Kingdom) Director Jonathan Glazer
TALKING PICTURES
American Fiction (United States) with Actor Jeffrey Wright
Barbie (United States) with Director Greta Gerwig
Killers of the Flower Moon (United States) with Screenwriter Eric Roth
MODERN MASTERS
Anselm (Germany) Director Wim Wenders
Close Your Eyes (Spain/Argentina) Director Victor Erice
The Convert (New Zealand/Australia) Director Lee Tamahori (U.S. Premiere)
Green Border (Poland/France/Czech Republic/Belgium) Director Agnieszka Holland
Kidnapped (Italy/France/Germany) Director Marco Bellocchio
La Chimera (Italy/France/Switzerland) Director Alice Rohrwacher
Monster (Japan) Director Hirokazu Kore-Eda
The Old Oak (United Kingdom/France/Belgium) Director Ken Loach
Shoshana (United Kingdom/Italy) Director Michael Winterbottom (U.S. Premiere)
NEW VOICES NEW VISIONS
Animalia (Morocco/Qatar/France) Director Sofia Alaoui
The Animal Kingdom (France) Director Thomas Cailley
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (Canada) Director Ariane Louis-Seize (U.S. Premiere)
The Kitchen (United Kingdom) Director Kibwe Tavares, Daniel Kaluuya (North American Premiere)
Solitude (Iceland/Slovakia/France) Director Ninna Pálmadóttir
Stolen (India) Director Karan Tejpal (North American Premiere)
The Sweet East (United States) Director Sean Price Williams
We Have Never Been Modern (Czech Republic/Slovakia) Director Matěj Chlupáček (U.S. Premiere)
AMERICAN INDIES
Fairyland (United States/France) Director Andrew Durham
Fancy Dance (United States) Director Erica Tremblay
Fresh Kills (United States) Director Jennifer Esposito
LaRoy (United States/France) Director Shane Atkinson
Late Bloomers (United States) Director Lisa Steen
TRUE STORIES
A Look Through His Lens (United States/France/Ireland/United Kingdom) Director Matthew Berkowitz, Gregory Hoblit (World Premiere)
All Illusions Must Be Broken (United States) Director Laura Dunn, Jef Sewell (World Premiere)
All We Carry (United States/Mexico) Director Cady Voge (World Premiere)
Art for Everybody (United States) Director Miranda Yousef
Bad Faith (United States) Director Stephen Ujlaki, Chris Jones (World Premiere)
Born Hungry (Canada/India) Director Barry Avrich (World Premiere)
Call Me Dancer (India/United States/Israel) Director Leslie Shampaine, Pip Gilmour
Common Ground (United States) Director Josh Tickell, Rebecca Tickell
Copa 71 (United Kingdom) Director Rachel Ramsay, James Erskine
The Echo (Mexico/Germany) Director Tatiana Huezo
First We Bombed New Mexico (United States) Director Lois Lipman
Flipside (United States) Director Chris Wilcha
Gloria Gaynor: I Will Survive (United States/Spain) Director Betsy Schechter
Going Varsity in Mariachi (United States) Director Alejandra Vasquez, Sam Osborn
The Gullspång Miracle (Sweden/Norway/Denmark) Director Maria Fredriksson
Hidden Master: The Legacy of George Platt Lynes (United States) Director Sam Shahid
In the Rearview (Poland/France/Ukraine) Director Maciek Hamela
Liv Ullmann: A Road Less Traveled (Norway/United Kingdom) Director Dheeraj Akolkar
Mad About the Boy: The Noel Coward Story (United Kingdom/United States) Director Barnaby Thompson (U.S. Premiere)
Maestra (United States) Director Maggie Contreras
Música! (United States) Director Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Obsessed With Light (United States/France/Netherlands/Spain/Iceland) Director Sabine Krayenbühl, Zeva Oelbaum
Queendom (France/United States) Director Agniia Galdanova
Sloane: A Jazz Singer (United States) Director Michael Lippert
The Space Race (United States) Director Diego Hurtado De Mendoza, Lisa Cortés
Susan Feniger. FORKED (United States/Vietnam/China) Director Liz Lachman
Swan Song (Canada) Director Chelsea Mcmullan (U.S. Premiere)
This World is Not My Own (United States/Sweden) Director Petter Ringbom, Marquise Stillwell
Truth Be Told (United States) Director Nneka Onuorah
SOUTH KOREAN FOCUS
A Normal Family (South Korea) Director Hur Jin-ho
Cobweb (South Korea) Director Kim Jee-woon
The Handmaiden (South Korea) Director Park Chan-wook
The Housemaid (South Korea) Director Kim Ki-young
In Our Day (South Korea) Director Hong Sang-soo
Memories of Murder (South Korea) Director Bong Joon-ho
Oasis (South Korea) Director Lee Chang-dong
Sleep (South Korea) Director Jason Yu
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring (South Korea/Germany) Director Kim Ki-duk
Sunny (South Korea) Director Kang Hyeong-cheol
Train to Busan (South Korea) Director Yeon Sang-ho
QUEER CINEMA TODAY & THE GAYLA
Big Boys (United States) Director Corey Sherman
Bonus Track (United Kingdom) Director Julia Jackman (North American Premiere)
Chasing Chasing Amy (United States) Director Sav Rodgers
Chuck Chuck Baby (United Kingdom) Director Janis Pugh (Gayla Film)
Egoist (Japan) Director Daishi Matsunaga
Studio One Forever (United States) Director Marc Saltarelli (Gayla Film)
Summer Qamp (Canada) Director Jen Markowitz
SPOTLIGHT: JAMES IVORY
The Bostonians (United States) Director James Ivory
Howards End (United Kingdom) Director James Ivory
Maurice (United States) Director James Ivory
Merchant Ivory (United States) Director Stephen Soucy
Quartet (United Kingdom/France) Director James Ivory
Shakespeare Wallah (United States/India) Director James Ivory
FAMILY DAY
Dancing Queen (Norway) Director Aurora Gossé
Flamin’ Hot (United States) Director Eva Longoria
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (United States) Director Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (United States) Director Jeff Rowe
WORLD CINEMA NOW
100 Yards (China) Director Xu Haofeng, Xu Junfeng
20,000 Species of Bees (Spain) Director Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren
All About the Lefkoviches (Hungary) Director Ádám Breier (World Premiere)
Amal (Belgium/France) Director Jawad Rhalib (U.S. Premiere)
Blackberry (Canada) Director Matt Johnson
Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry (Switzerland/Georgia) Director Elene Naveriani
Bonjour Switzerland (Switzerland/Italy) Director Peter Luisi (U.S. Premiere)
Chicken for Linda! (France) Director Sébastien Laudenbach, Chiara Malta
Day Off (Taiwan) Director Tien-Yu Fu
Empire (Denmark) Director Frederikke Aspöck (North American Premiere)
The Extortion (Argentina/United States) Director Martino Zaidelis
Ezra (United States) Director Tony Goldwyn
The Fishbowl (Puerto Rico/Spain) Director Glorimar Marrero Sánchez
Freud’s Last Session (United States) Director Matthew Brown
The Goldman Case (France) Director Cédric Kahn
Guardians of the Formula (Serbia/Slovenia/Montenegro/Macedonia/France) Director Dragan Bjelogrlic (North American Premiere)
Hajjan (Saudi Arabia/Egypt/Jordan) Director Abu Bakr Shawky (U.S. Premiere)
Hesitation Wound (Turkey/Spain/Romania/France) Director Selman Nacar (U.S. Premiere)
Holly (Belgium/Netherlands/Luxembourg/France) Director Fien Troch
Joika (New Zealand/Poland) Director James Napier Robertson (North American Premiere)
Les Indésirables (France/Belgium) Director Ladj Ly (U.S. Premiere)
Let the Dance Begin (Argentina/Spain) Director Marina Seresesky
Lies We Tell (Ireland) Director Lisa Mulcahy (North American Premiere)
Listen Up! (Norway) Director Kaveh Tehrani (North American Premiere)
Memory (United States/Mexico) Director Michel Franco
Mr. Blake At Your Service! (France) Director Gilles Legardinier
Mrs (India) Director Arati Kadav (North American Premiere)
Night Courier (Saudi Arabia) Director Ali Kalthami (U.S. Premiere)
One Life (United Kingdom/United States) Director James Hawes (U.S. Premiere)
The Performance (United States) Director Shira Piven (U.S. Premiere)
Power Alley (Brazil/France/Uruguay) Director Lillah Halla (U.S. Premiere)
Puan (Argentina/Brazil/Germany/Italy/France) Director Maria Alché, Benjamín Naishtat (U.S. Premiere)
Red Rooms (Canada) Director Pascal Plante
Richelieu (Temporaries) (Canada/France) Director Pier-Philippe Chevigny
Robot Dreams (Spain/France) Director Pablo Berger
Running on Sand (Israel) Director Adar Shafran (International Premiere)
Shame on Dry Land (Sweden/Malta) Director Axel Petersén (U.S. Premiere)
Sumo Didi (India) Director Jayant Rohatgi (North American Premiere)
Terrestrial Verses (Iran) Director Ali Asgari, Alireza Khatami
They Shot the Piano Player (Spain/France/Netherlands/Portugal/Peru) Director Fernando Trueba, Javier Mariscal
Together 99 (Sweden/Denmark) Director Lukas Moodysson (U.S. Premiere)
The Trouble With Jessica (United Kingdom) Director Matt Winn (U.S. Premiere)
Unicorns (United Kingdom/United States/Sweden) Director Sally El Hosaini, James Krishna Floyd (U.S. Premiere)
The Vanishing Soldier (Israel) Director Dani Rosenberg (North American Premiere)
Without Air (Hungary/Romania) Director Katalin Moldovai (U.S. Premiere)
Wonderland (Singapore/Malaysia/United States) Director Chai Yee-Wei
FLASHBACK
Goodfellas (United States) Director Martin Scorsese
Paris Is Burning (United States) Director Jennie Livingston
Wild at Heart (United States) Director David Lynch
LOCAL SPOTLIGHT
Amongst the Trees (United States) Director Trent Ubben, Jack Jensen (World Premiere)
The Green Desert (United States) Director Leo Zahn (World Premiere)
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