Palm Springs Film Festival patrons include some of the biggest names in Hollywood, and in many ways, this annual event is a lead up to the Academy Awards in nearby Los Angeles. Held in February, the Palm Springs International Film Festival, as it is more formally known, puts most of its focus on international films. These films are more popular than ever, and according to many industry experts, the Palm Springs Film Festival is among the best foreign film showcases. More than 200 films are showcased during any given year, and patrons will have the chance to enjoy them during the festival's twelve-day run.

A variety of Palm Springs Film Festival events help to make this such as popular film festival. The main events are the movie screenings. These screenings highlight films from more than 70 different countries, and appropriately enough, most of the foreign Oscar nominees are given their due. Other Palm Springs Film Festival events include the award ceremonies, or galas. At these events, you are all but guaranteed to see famous actors and directors. The Black Tie Awards Gala is the main gala affair, and as you might expect, tickets aren't cheap if you want to enjoy it. The various ticket packages include cocktails and dinner, as well as special pass options that can allow holders to meet industry stars.

If you can't make it to the main Palm Springs Film Festival, you might try to get tickets or passes for ShortFest. This smaller sister festival highlights short films and the short film market and is held in June. As is true of the main Palm Springs Film Festival events, the ShortFest events include galas and awards ceremonies. Patrons will also have the chance to attend panel discussions, not to mention shoot a scene at the free Kodak Stop By. Space is limited if you want to enjoy the Kodak film shooting events, so signing up as soon as possible is recommended.

Palm Springs Map

The Palm Springs area isn't only known for its excellent film festivals, but has some other world-class festivals worth centering a vacation around. Nearby Indio hosts the Coachella Music Festival in April, and this three-day affair features some of the most renowned musicians in the music business. The arts are certainly alive and well in the Southern California desert.

Whether you are in town for the Palm Springs International Film Festival, one of the other fun area festivals, or just to enjoy the regional attractions in general, there are plenty of good hotels to choose from. The Palm Springs hotels include some of the most upscale hotels in the country, and if you prefer saving on rates, there are some good cheap hotels to choose from. Stylish hotels such as the Ace Hotel tend to fill up especially fast when arts festivals are going on. Casino resorts like the Morongo are also worth a look. They offer good rooms at a good price, not to mention exciting gaming possibilities and other entertainment options.