Palm Springs International ShortFest Sets 2025 Lineup

The Palm Springs International ShortFest has announced its programmed lineup. Sponsored by the City of Palm Springs, this 31st edition is set to welcome audiences at the Festival Theaters from June 24-30, 2025. In all, the festival will screen 51 curated programs showcasing 311 films from 64 countries and territories, including 45 World Premieres, 10 International Premieres, 36 North American Premieres, 19 U.S. Premieres, and 94 California Premieres. More than 6,200 short films from 141 countries and territories were submitted. Tickets will be available on Thursday, June 5 at psfilmfest.org. 

Short films featuring celebrated film and television actors include Aria starring Pauline Chalamet; BDAY Private Dick starring John C. Reilly and Nick Thune; Blood Boys starring Booboo Stewart; Cattywampus starring Hamish Linklater and John Carroll Lynch; Dragfox starring Ian McKellen and Divina De Campo; Dust to Dust starring Tess Goldwyn; Fireline starring Bobby Soto and Fabian Alomar; Good Boy Banjo starring Albert Birney and Shirley Chen; Hatchlings starring Demi Singelton; Heaven is Nobody’s starring Roger Guenveur Smith; How Was Your Weekend? starring James Morosini and Rachael Harris; I Want To Feel Fun starring Esther Povitsky and Simon Rex; Interloper starring Chloe East and Ryan Simpkins; Little One starring Lucy Walters; Learning How to Drive with Alicia Silverstone; Main Man starring Haley Joel Osment, Finn Wittrock, and Jenny Yang; Matilda and THE BRAVE Escape starring Bella Ramsey; Max Distance starring John Daly; Melody of Love starring Jane Levy and John Reynolds; Moon Lake directed by Jeannie Sui Wonders and starring Chase Sui Wonders; No Experience Necessary starring Michael Graceffa; Petra and the Sun starring Fernando Solís Lara; Retirement Plan starring Domhnall Gleeson; Rhoda starring Emma D’Arcy; She Raised Me starring Rosie O’Donnell; Sleazy Tiger starring Alan Cumming; Tape Worm starring CJ Beckford and Antonia Campbell-Hughes; Tanning Zone directed by Chloe East; Thanks for Having Me starring Caleb Hearon, Johnny Berchtold and Ryan Simpkins; The Errand directed by Hayley Marie Norman and starring Vanessa Chester; The Last Cinnamon Roll starring Reggie Watts; The Yellow starring Haley Joel Osmont and Marin Hinkle; Three Keenings starring Seamus O'Hara; What Freedom starring Ashley Park; What’s the Deal with Birds? starring Chris Pine and Kimia Behpoornia; Where We Came From starring Archie Panjabi; and You Know You Wanna Stay starring Elsie Fisher.

Additionally, Ellen Greene's new short film, Beatrix Is Invisible, will also make its world premiere at the festival. The film, written and directed by Alex Farias, features Greene as the title character, and also stars Rhys Mitchell, Taylor Shurte, Haiden Pino, Justin Livingston, Melina Paez, and L'metrius Long. Learn more here.

In addition to short films, ShortFest will be spotlighting the Hulu drama Paradise, created by Dan Fogelman and starring Sterling K. Brown. Award-winning writer, director, and ShortFest alum Hanelle M. Culpepper will attend the screening of episode "You Asked for Miracles," which she directed. Culpepper attended ShortFest in 2003 with her shorts A Single Rose and Six and the City. Her diverse work as a director in television includes the pilot for Star Trek: Picard as well as episodes of Star Wars: The Acolyte, Westworld, True Story, The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray, Anansi Boys, Kung Fu and more.

A proven launchpad for awards contention, ShortFest has seen over 100 of its past-presented films going on to receive Academy Award® nominations. Juried award winners will be announced on Sunday, June 29, from the official selection, which includes five Academy Award-qualifying awards and cash prizes totaling $30,000. The Best of the Fest shorts will be screened on the final day, Monday, June 30.

In addition to 158 U.S. shorts, ShortFest 2025 reflects the global pulse of filmmaking, highlighting international works from France (32), the United Kingdom (22), Canada (22), Spain (8), Brazil (7), Germany (7) Belgium (5), China (5), India (5), Ireland (6), Mexico (5), Portugal (5), Sweden (5), Switzerland (5), The Netherlands (5), Australia (4), Croatia (4), Estonia (3), Finland (3), Iran (3), Italy (3), Norway (3), Poland (3), Slovenia (3), Taiwan (3), Turkey (3), and Ukraine (3) alongside films from Argentina, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mauritius, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Palestine, Philippines, Qatar, Reunion, Rwanda, Scotland, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Tunisia, Uruguary, Vietnam, and beyond. As a barometer of filmmaking writ large, 134 of the 311 films (43%) are directed by women, as reported by the filmmakers. Take a look at the full lineup here.