Palm Springs ShortFest Returns Next Week with Star-Studded Jury, Forums on AI and the Film Industry

The Palm Springs International ShortFest is one week away, and organizers are already rolling out the names behind the scenes. The Palm Springs International Film Society, the nonprofit that brings the beloved Palm Springs International Film Festival to the desert every January, announced today the jury lineup and full Forum schedule for the festival's 32nd edition.

ShortFest runs June 23 through 29, screening more than 300 films from over 60 countries at Festival Theaters in Palm Springs. The festival is Academy Award, BAFTA, and Goya qualifying, meaning a win here can put a filmmaker on a direct path to awards season. 

Heading up the Best of the Festival jury is a group that includes "Moana 2" writer, director, and producer Dana Ledoux Miller, acclaimed director Gus Van Sant, director and actress Julia Aks, and producer Kayla Foster. Separate juries will also judge categories including Best Animated Short, Best Documentary Short, Best LGBTQ+ Short, Best Student Short, and several others, pulling in programmers, agents, editors, and producers from across the industry.

Beyond the screenings, the ShortFest Forum, held at the Hilton Palm Springs, is where much of the professional programming happens. This year's panels cover the nuts and bolts of building a career in film, and one session in particular reflects a conversation the entire industry is having. A panel called "You, Me and the AI We Know" on Friday, June 26 will bring together filmmakers and industry insiders to talk through what artificial intelligence actually means for short filmmakers working with small crews and tight budgets, where the line between efficiency and creativity sits, and what guardrails the industry should be thinking about.

There are other Forum programs as well, designated for filmmakers specifically, including "Pitch Perfect," an interactive masterclass on Friday, June 26, where attendees can submit their ideas ahead of time for a chance to pitch live in front of a panel of seasoned executives. Those will require prior registration. 

The festival's screenings are open to everyone though. Programs run around 90 minutes, with Q&As after each block giving audiences a direct look at the creative process behind the films.

Tickets and more information on the full lineup of screenings and panels are available here.