Palm Springs International ShortFest Sets 2026 Lineup with Titles Featuring Alan Cumming, Richard Kind, & More
Tickets will be available on June 4, 2026.
The 2026 Palm Springs International ShortFest has unveiled its programmed lineup, with talent including Tony-winner Alan Cumming, Richard Kind, Sarah Steele, Patton Oswalt, and more. Tickets will be available on June 4, 2026 here.
Sponsored by the City of Palm Springs, the 32nd edition will take place at the Festival Theaters from June 23-29, 2026. In all, the festival will screen 50 curated programs showcasing 329 films from 71 countries and territories, including 52 World Premieres, 21 International Premieres, 40 North American Premieres, 30 U.S. Premieres, and 79 California Premieres. More than 7,000 short films from 145 countries and territories were submitted.
Short films featuring celebrated film and television actors include ...oh starring Jamie Linn Watson; Best Friends with the Devil starring Ellyn Jameson; Chinaman starring Orion Lee; Chop Cheese directed by Sophia Meloni and starring Christopher Meloni and Michael Gandolfini; Crisis Actor starring Sarah Steele; Deuce Purgatory starring Demi Adejuyigbe; DISC starring Jim Cummings and Victoria Ratermanis; The End is at Hand starring Efren Ramirez and Richard Kind; Fennel starring Keith William Richards; First the Blush, Then the Habit written, directed, and starring Mariam Al Ferjani; Following starring Melissa Joan Hart; General Admission starring Nina Dobrev, Cedric Yarbrough, and Adam Shapiro; Going Home starring Patton Oswalt and written, co-directed by Alyssa Limperis; He's Out There co-directed by Sam Davis; Homebodies starring Andre Hyland, Sam Richardson, and Martha Kelly; How's Archie? starring Grace Glowicki; I'm Gonna Kill You written and directed by Andrew Chappelle; Jane starring Cara Buono; Kiloran Bay starring Alan Cumming; Le Tour de Canada narrated by Matthew Rankin; Mr Adidos starring Nash Edgerton; Noumena starring Lily McInerny and written and directed by Niall Cunningham; PANGEA written, directed, and starring Mimi Davila; Pencils Down directed by Karen Maine; Scissors starring Ethan Embry and Jenna Kanell; Single People at the End of the World starring Michael Parr; Stairs starring Betsey Brown and Will Duncan; Stay for the Q&A starring Jim Cummings and Justin Simien; Sylvia written and directed by Jessie Barr and starring Jena Malone; The Barbershop directed by Diêm Camille; The Last Song starring Angela Molina; Them That's Not starring Angel Theory and Biko Eisen-Martin; Visitors starring Sarah Yarkin; WHALE 52 – Suite for Man, Boy, and Whale featuring the voice of Bruce Vilanch; Why I Am an Anarchist starring Matilda Lawler and Izaac Wang.
This year, ShortFest continues its aim to nurture the next generation of filmmakers through two key initiatives. With the Curator Fellowship, young adults (18-25) in the Coachella Valley have been given a hands-on immersion in the art of film curation, working directly alongside the ShortFest programming team to create the locally driven “Valley Visions” program, which will play on Tuesday, June 23 at 2pm.
Additionally, ShortFest’s Filmmaker Bootcamp returns on Thursday, June 25, to bring the short form and festival experience into the lives of local students, giving high schools across the Coachella Valley direct access to the world of filmmaking and the industry professionals behind it.
With more than 100 alumni films earning Academy Award nominations, ShortFest has long established itself as a path for awards recognition of short film. This year's official selection carries on that tradition, with juried winners to be revealed on Sunday, June 28. They will be drawn from five Oscar-qualifying award categories and accompanied by cash prizes totaling $30,000. The Best of the Fest program, bringing together the top award-winning shorts, will close out the festival on Monday, June 29.
Taking place June 26–28, 2026, the ShortFest Forum returns to the Hilton Palm Springs with a program designed to spark conversation, pairing working filmmakers with industry veterans across panels, roundtables, and hands-on sessions that go beyond the screen. Full Forum programming and the 2026 ShortFest Jury will be announced Tuesday, June 9. Take a look at the full ShortFest lineup here.
Photo Credit: Bruce Glikas
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