Posted by Larry Gleeson
TALKING PICTURES – Eyes on the Prize:
Foreign Language Oscar Directors in Discussion
Moderated by Scott Feinberg of the Hollywood Reporter.
Seemingly, more and more submissions are competing for the handful of spots in the Academy’s Best Film in a Foreign Language category. This year there were 89, of which 85 were accepted. In December that field was shortlisted to nine, and the final five nominees will be announced January 24th.No audience anywhere will have the chance to see as many of these movies side by side as at PSIFF. Over the past three years PSIFF has been delighted to bring together a panel of international filmmakers whose work is being showcased in this forum, to talk about their art, international exposure, awards, audiences, and whatever else is top of mind at this time.
This year the scheduled guests are –
IT’S ONLY THE END OF THE WORLD, Xavier Dolan
MY LIFE AS A ZUCCHINI, Claude Barras
THE SALESMAN, Asghar Farhadi
THE KING’S CHOICE, Erik Poppe
A MAN CALLED OVE, Hannes Holm
Purchase tickets HERE.
NOCES
Belgium/France/Luxembourg/Pakistan –
2016 – 98 minutes
2016 – 98 minutes
Director: Stephan Streker
WORLD CINEMA NOW
U.S. Premiere
A loving, close-knit Pakistani family living in Belgium is slowly torn apart when 18-year-old daughter Zahira (the mesmerizing Lina El Arabi) resists her parents’ decision to force her into an arranged marriage. Streker has fashioned a terrifically acted tale for our times.
Sun, Jan 8 – 8:00 PM – Palm Canyon
Mon, Jan 9 – 1:30 PM – Regal
Wed, Jan 11 – 10:30 AM – Regal
Director, Stephan Streker is attending on January 8 & 9.
Purchase tickets HERE
KING OF THE BELGIANS
Belgium/Netherlands/Bulgaria – 2016 – 94 minutes
Directors: Peter Brosens, Jessica Woodworth
WORLD CINEMA NOW
North American Premiere
This slyly satiric mockumentary follows the staid King Nicholas III of Belgium and his entourage as they are forced by a political crisis and a freak storm to flee Turkey in disguise and wend their way home through the Balkans.
Mon, Jan 9 – 3:30 PM – Regal
Wed, Jan 11 – 10:00 AM – Mary Pickford
Director, Jessica Woodworth to attend on January 9.
Purchase tickets HERE
ETHEL & ERNEST
UK/Luxembourg – 2016 – 94 minutes
Director: Roger Mainwood
WORLD CINEMA NOW
North American Premiere
An entertaining and heart-warming story about two ordinary people who fall in love in extraordinary times, this poignant animated feature provides a hilarious and touching tribute to author Raymond Briggs’ parents, and illustrates the immense social change that swept over the UK through the 20th century.
Mon, Jan 9 – 5:00 PM – Mary Pickford
Tue, Jan 10 – 12:00 PM – Regal
Director, Roger Mainwood to attend.
Purchase tickets HERE
DREAM VACATION PALM SPRINGS
VACATION PALM SPRINGS “DREAM VACATION” WINNER WILL RECEIVE:
* A Four (4) night stay for up to 4 people in a luxury 3-bedroom Palm Springs vacation rental home during the 2018 Palm Springs International Film Festival. Winner will also receive the following:
* Opening -or- Closing Night Screening and Gala Reception – 4 Tickets
* Festival Screening Passes – 4 non-transferable passes, good for all regular screenings
Enter NOW through January 16, 2017
Must be at least 25 years of age to enter this contest.
No purchase necessary.
One entry per person; employees of PSIFF are not eligible.
A UNITED KINGDOM
UK – 2016 – 111 minutes
Director: Amma Asante
WORLD CINEMA NOW
U.S. Premiere
Belle director Amma Asante returns with another stirring interracial love story, this time based on the 1948 marriage between Prince Seretse of Bechuanaland (now Botswana) and an English clerk. Their union affronts her parents and his, his subjects, her superiors and both governments, and jeopardizes British colonial rule in southern Africa.
Mon, Jan 9 – 7:00 PM – PSHS
Fri, Jan 13 – 4:00 PM – PSHS
Purchase tickets HERE
WÙLU
France/Senegal/Mali – 2016 – 95 minutes
Director: Daouda Coulibaly
WORLD CINEMA NOW
The thrumming mean streets of Mali’s capital, Bamako, are the setting for writer/director Coulibaly’s gritty drama. A palpable urgency accompanies his take on the transformation of a lowly bus driver into a successful drug dealer headed for a fall… “Like a Malian riff on Brian De Palma’s Scarface.” Variety
BONTA Restaurant & Bar
If you’re going to one of the great Festival films at the Mary Pickford (or even if you’re not) 
our friend Chef Hector Salvatierra at Bonta Restaurant & Bar, is offering a special discount to those attending the Palm Springs International Film Festival.
our friend Chef Hector Salvatierra at Bonta Restaurant & Bar, is offering a special discount to those attending the Palm Springs International Film Festival.10% off entire check includes all bar items and dinner menu!
Bonta is located at 68510 E Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 140, Cathedral City, CA 92234 (across the street from the Mary Pickford Theatres in the Desert Cinema building). Telephone: 760-832-6100.
Ticket and Pass holders need to show their pass or ticket they have purchased at any time during the Festival. Tickets will be honored throughout the festival dates, they expire at end of festival.
They will be serving lunch from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm, Happy hour from 2:00 pm until 7:00 pm, dinner from 4:00 pm. Cocktails $4.50, Wine $5.00. Martinis $5.50.
They will also have take-out lunch boxes:
Soup and Salad or soup and Sandwich combos
Our Famous Homemade Chips and Chef Hectors Famous Chili and Split Pea soup
Check out their full menu HERE.
Make sure to stop by and say hello to Chef Hector and enjoy his truly amazing food. Tell him Larry sent you for a special treat!
*SCHEDULE CHANGES
Please note the following schedule changes –
– The screening of UNA on Friday, January 13 at 8:00 pm has been moved
to the Regal Cinemas Palm Springs.
to the Regal Cinemas Palm Springs.
– The screening of THE UNKNOWN GIRL on Saturday, January 14 at 7:00 pm
has been moved to the Camelot Theatres at 8:30 pm.
has been moved to the Camelot Theatres at 8:30 pm.
– The screening of ELLE originally scheduled on Saturday, January 14 at 8:30 pm
has been changed to screen at the Camelot Theatres on Friday, January 13 at 8:00 pm. The film’s star, Isabelle Huppert will be in attendance
for a post-screening Talking Pictures.
has been changed to screen at the Camelot Theatres on Friday, January 13 at 8:00 pm. The film’s star, Isabelle Huppert will be in attendance
for a post-screening Talking Pictures.
All existing tickets will be honored at the new screening times/venues.
(Source:psiff.org)
five nominees will be announced 
its 21st-century triumphs. The entire series will be aired on ABC, a breakthrough for network television.
