Palm Springs, CA
The Palm Springs International ShortFest has announced its full lineup for the 32nd annual festival, set to run June 23–29, 2026 at the Festival Theaters in Palm Springs, California.
This year’s edition will screen 329 films across 50 curated programs, representing 71 countries and territories. The selection includes 52 World Premieres, 21 International Premieres, 40 North American Premieres, 30 U.S. Premieres, and 79 California Premieres. The lineup was drawn from a record-breaking pool of more than 7,000 submissions from 145 countries and territories. Tickets go on sale June 4 at psfilmfest.org.
The festival features a number of short films with notable talent both in front of and behind the camera. Highlights include Chop Cheese, directed by Sophia Meloni and starring Christopher Meloni and Michael Gandolfini; Going Home starring Patton Oswalt; General Admission starring Nina Dobrev; Homebodies starring Sam Richardson and Martha Kelly; and Kiloran Bay starring Alan Cumming, among dozens of others.
Artistic Director Lili Rodriguez described the lineup as “funny, strange, emotional, political, chaotic, gorgeous,” adding that discovering emerging filmmakers is one of the festival’s greatest strengths.
Beyond screenings, ShortFest continues its community outreach through two programs aimed at the next generation. The Curator Fellowship gives Coachella Valley young adults ages 18–25 hands-on experience in film curation alongside the programming team, culminating in the locally curated “Valley Visions” program screening June 23. The Filmmaker Bootcamp, returning June 25, connects local high school students directly with industry professionals.
The festival also carries significant awards weight. With more than 100 alumni films earning Academy Award nominations over the years, ShortFest offers five Oscar-qualifying award categories alongside student, special jury, and audience awards, with cash prizes totaling $30,000. Juried winners will be announced June 28, with the Best of the Fest closing program on June 29. Bennett Awards is the official awards sponsor.