iW NEWS | Palm Springs Shortfest Announces LIneup

The 2008 Palm Springs International ShortFest has announced its programming of 317 films, selected from a record of more than 2,700 worldwide entries. The festival will showcase 53 World Premieres, 47 North American Premieres and 24 U.S. Premieres. "This year's ShortFest line-up reflects a return to more personal themes in the world of short film storytelling, and a move away from the 'big issue' themes of recent years, like the Iraq War, immigration and 9/11," said Festival Director Darryl Macdonald in a statement. "That and the increasingly sophisticated use of technical innovations in the short filmmaking process are the two big stories that emerge from the short film world this year." The selected short films are organized into 51 themed programs covering a variety of genres and themes. Check out the festival's website for a full list of the films. The festival is held from August 21-27, 2008 at the Camelot Theatres in Palm Springs, CA. [Peter Knegt]