Palm Springs International Film Festival 2019 Lineup: 223 Movies From 78 Countries
The Palm Springs International Film Festival has announced its 2019 lineup, and it’s prodigious: 223 films from 78 countries, four of them world premieres. Though well known for celebrating future Oscar nominees (and winners) each year, the festival also boasts a deceptively robust world-cinema slate; among the upcoming offerings are Jia Zhangke’s “Ash Is Purest White,” Sergey Loznitsa’s “Donbass,” Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra’s “Birds of Passage,” and Ryūsuke Hamaguchi’s “Asako I & II,” to name just a few.
A number of post-screening Q&As will also be held, including with “Black Klansman” author Ron Stallworth and “Support the Girls” star Regina Hall, in addition to a new section celebrating the best films to screen at PSIFF throughout its first three decades.
World premieres:
Buck Run (USA), Director Nick Frangione
Carlos Almaraz Playing With Fire (USA), Directors Elsa Flores Almaraz, Richard Montoya (Schlesinger Documentary Competition)
The Last Color (India), Director Vikas Khanna
Walk to Vegas (USA), Director Eric Balfour
North American premieres:
Ayka (Kazakhstan/Russia/Germany/Poland/China), Director Sergey Dvortsevoy
Don’t Shoot (Belgium/The Netherlands), Director Stijn Coninx
Hamid (India), Director Aijaz Khan
His Lost Name (Japan), Director Nanako Hirose
Ladies in Black (Australia), Director Bruce Beresford
Namdev Bhau In Search of Silence (India/Ukraine), Director Dar Gai
The Song of the Tree (Kyrgyzstan/Russia), Director Aibek Daiyrbekov
The Tobacconist (Austria/Germany), Director Nikolaus Leytner
Urgent (Morocco/Switzerland), Director Mohcine Besri
We Are the Heat (Colombia), Director Jorge Navas (CV Cine Competition)
Yuli (Spain/Cuba/UK/Germany), Director Iciar Bollain (CV Cine Competition)
U.S. premieres:
Arctic (USA), Director Joe Penna
Botero (Canada/China/Colombia/France/Italy/Monaco/USA), Director Don Millar (Schlesinger Documentary Competition)
Cities of Last Things (Taiwan/China/USA/France), Director Ho Wi Ding (Ricky Jay Magic of Cinema Competition)
Cold Sweat (Iran), Director Soheil Beiraghi
Donbass (Ukraine/Ukraine/France/Netherlands/Romania), Director Sergey Loznitsa
EXT. Night (Egypt/United Arab Emirates), Director Ahmad Abdalla
The Factory (France/Russia/Armenia), Director Yury Bykov
Giant Little Ones (Canada), Director Keith Behrman
The Grizzlies (Canada), Director Miranda de Pencier
Happy New Year, Colin Burstead. (UK), Director Ben Wheatley
Hidden Man (China), Director Jiang Wen
Jirga (Australia/Afghanistan), Director Benjamin Gilmour
Keep Going (Belgium/France), Director Joachim Lafosse
Kursk (Belgium/Luxembourg), Director Thomas Vinterberg
Legend of the Demon Cat (China/Japan), Director Kaige Chen
The Little Comrade (Estonia), Director Moonika Siimets
Mademoiselle de Joncquières (France), Director Emmanuel Mouret
The Man Who Feels No Pain (India), Director Vasan Bala
Mouthpiece (Canada), Director Patricia Rozema
One Last Deal (Finland), Director Klaus Härö
Orange Days (Iran), Director Arash Lahooti
Papi Chulo (Ireland), Director John Butler
Perfectos Desconocidos (Perfect Strangers) (Mexico), Director Manolo Caro (CV Cine Competition)
The Purity of Vengeance (Denmark/Germany), Director Christoffer Boe
The Quietude (Argentina), Director Pablo Trapero (CV Cine Competition)
The Resistance Banker (Netherlands), Director Joram Lürsen
Saf (Turkey), Director Ali Vatansever (New Voices New Visions Competition)
Sew the Winter to My Skin (South Africa/Germany), Director Jahmil X.T. Qubeka
Shéhérazade (France), Director Jean-Bernard Marlin (New Voices New Visions Competition)
Shut Up and Play the Piano (Germany/France/UK), Director Philipp Jedicke
Vita & Virginia (UK/Ireland), Director Chanya Button
The Wedding Guest (UK), Director Michael Winterbottom (Ricky Jay Magic of Cinema Competition)
Talking Pictures & Book to Screen
BlacKkKlansman (USA) with Author Ron Stallworth (Book to Screen)
Bohemian Rhapsody (USA) with Actor Rami Malek
Border (Sweden/Denmark) with Director Ali Abbasi
Can You Ever Forgive Me? (USA) with Actor Richard E. Grant
The Public (USA) with Writer/Director/Actor Emilio Estevez (in Partnership with Palm Springs Speaks: A Speaker Series)
Roma (Mexico/USA) with Director Alfonso Cuarón (CV Cine Competition)
Shoplifters (Japan) with Director Hirokazu Koreeda
Support The Girls (USA) with Actress Regina Hall
The Wife (USA) with Actress Glenn Close
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (USA) with Director Morgan Neville
Foreign-Language Oscar Submissions
The Angel (Argentina), Director Luis Ortega (CV Cine Competition)
Ayka (Kazakhstan), Director Sergey Dvortsevoy
Birds of Passage (Colombia), Directors Cristina Gallego, Ciro Guerra (CV Cine, Ricky Jay Magic of Cinema Competition)
Border (Sweden) with Director Ali Abbasi
Buffalo Boys (Singapore), Director Mike Wiluan
Burning (South Korea), Director Lee Chang-Dong (Ricky Jay Magic of Cinema Competition)
Cake (Pakistan), Director Asim Abbasi
Capernaum (Lebanon), Director Nadine Labaki
Champions (Spain), Director Javier Fesser (CV Cine Competition)
Cold War (Poland), Director Pawel Pawlikowski (Ricky Jay Magic of Cinema Competition)
Dogman (Italy), Director Matteo Garrone (Ricky Jay Magic of Cinema Competition)
Donbass (Ukraine), Director Sergey Loznitsa
Eldorado (Switzerland), Director Markus Imhoof
Euthanizer (Finland), Director Teemu Nikki
Family First (Canada), Director Sophie Dupuis
Girl (Belgium), Director Lukas Dhont
The Guilty (Denmark), Director Gustav Möller
The Heiresses (Paraguay), Director Marcelo Martinessi (CV Cine Competition)
Hidden Man (China), Director Jiang Wen
I Do Not Care if We Go Down in History as Barbarians (Romania), Director Radu Jude
The Interpreter (Slovak Republic), Director Martin Šulík
Jirga (Australia), Director Benjamin Gilmour
Memoir of War (France), Director Emmanuel Finkiel
Namme (Georgia), Director Zaza Khalvashi
Never Look Away (Germany), Director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
The Resistance Banker (Netherlands), Director Joram Lursen
Roma (Mexico) with Director Alfonso Cuarón (CV Cine Competition)
Ruben Blades Is Not My Name (Panama), Director Abner Benaim (CV Cine Competition)
Secret Ingredient (Macedonia), Director Gjorce Stavreski
Sew the Winter to My Skin (South Africa), Director Jahmil X.T. Qubeka
Shoplifters (Japan) with Director Hirokazu Koreeda
Sunset (Hungary), Director László Nemes
Supa Modo (Kenya), Director Likarion Wainaina
Take It Or Leave It (Estonia), Director Liina Triškina-Vanhatalo
A Twelve-Year-Night (Uruguay), Director Alvaro Brechner (CV Cine Competition)
Village Rockstars (India), Director Rima Das
The Waldheim Waltz (Austria), Director Ruth Beckermann
The Wedding Ring (Nigeria), Director Rahmatou Keïta
What Will People Say (Norway), Director Iram Haq
Winter Flies (Czech Republic), Director Olmo Omerzu
Woman at War (Iceland), Director Benedikt Erlingsson
Yellow Is Forbidden (New Zealand), Director Pietra Brettkelly
Yomeddine (Egypt), Director A.B. Shawky
Focus on France
Knife+Heart (France/Mexico/Switzerland), Director Yann Gonzalez
Mademoiselle de Joncquières (France), Director Emmanuel Mouret
Shéhérazade (France), Director Jean-Bernard Marlin (New Voices New Visions Competition)
Sofia (France/Qatar), Director Meryem Benm’Barek (New Voices New Visions Competition)
Treat Me Like Fire (France), Director Marie Monge
The Trouble With You (France), Director Pierre Salvadori
Wild (France), Director Camille Vidal-Naquet
Focus on India
Husband Material (India), Director Anurag Kashyap
The Imposter Prince (India), Director Srijit Mukherji
The Last Color (India), Director Vikas Khanna
The Man Who Feels No Pain (India), Director Vasan Bala
Namdev Bhau In Search of Silence (India/Ukraine), Director Dar Gai
Focus on Mexico
Buy Me A Gun (Mexico), Director Julio Hernández Cordón (CV Cine Competition)
The Chambermaid (Mexico/USA), Director Lila Avilés (New Voices New Visions, CV Cine Competition)
The Good Girls (Mexico), Director Alejandra Márquez Abella (CV Cine, Ricky Jay Magic of Cinema Competition)
Museo (Mexico), Director Alonso Ruizpalacios (CV Cine Competition)
Perfectos Desconocidos (Perfect Strangers) (Mexico), Director Manolo Caro (CV Cine Competition)
Modern Masters
Ash Is Purest White (China/France), Director Jia Zhangke (Ricky Jay Magic of Cinema Competition)
Destroyer (USA), Director Karyn Kusama
Everybody Knows (France/Spain/Italy), Director Asghar Farhadi
Happy New Year, Colin Burstead (UK), Director Ben Wheatley
Keep Going (Belgium/France), Director Joachim Lafosse
Kursk (Belgium/Luxembourg), Director Thomas Vinterberg
Legend of the Demon Cat (China/Japan), Director Kaige Chen
Mouthpiece (Canada), Director Patricia Rozema
Non-Fiction (France), Director Olivier Assayas
Shadow (China), Director Zhang Yimou
Transit (Germany/France), Director Christian Petzold (Ricky Jay Magic of Cinema Competition)
The Wedding Guest (UK), Director Michael Winterbottom (Ricky Jay Magic of Cinema Competition)
The Palm Springs Canon
Amélie (France/Germany), Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet
The Band’s Visit (Israel), Director Eran Kolirin
The Boys of St. Vincent (Canada), Director John N. Smith
Caché (Austria), Director Michael Haneke
Character (Netherlands/Belgium), Director Mike van Diem
Chocolat (UK/USA), Director Lasse Hallström
Cinema Paradiso (Italy/France), Director Giuseppe Tornatore
City of God (Brazil/France), Director Fernando Meirelles
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Taiwan/Hong Kong/USA/China), Director Ang Lee
Day Night Day Night (USA), Director Julia Loktev
The Double Life of Veronique (France/Poland/Norway), Director Krzysztof Kieslowski
For All Mankind (USA), Director Al Reinert
Golden Door (Italy/France/Argentina), Director Emanuele Crialese
Goodbye Solo (USA), Director Ramin Bahrani
Head-On (Germany/Turkey), Director Fatih Akin
The Holy Girl (Argentina/Italy/Netherlands/Spain), Director Lucrecia Martel
Hunger (Ireland/UK), Director Steve McQueen
Ida (Poland/Denmark/France/UK), Director Pawel Pawlikowski
Memento (USA), Director Christopher Nolan
Monsoon Wedding (India), Director Mira Nair
Nobody Knows (Japan), Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
The Orphanage (Spain), Director J.A. Bayona
Raise the Red Lantern (China/Hong Kong, Taiwan), Director Zhang Yimou
A Separation (Iran), Director Asghar Farhadi
Shaolin Soccer (Hong Kong/China), Director Stephen Chow
Sound of Noise (Sweden/France), Directors Ola Simonsson, Johannes Stjarne Nilsson
Strictly Ballroom (Australia), Director Baz Luhrmann
Tears of the Black Tiger (Thailand), Director Wisit Sasanatieng
The Triplets of Belleville (Belgium/Canada), Director Sylvain Chomet
Wild Tales (Argentina/Spain), Director Damián Szifron
True Stories
306 Hollywood (USA/Hungary), Directors Elan Bogarín, Jonathan Bogarín
Amazing Grace (USA), Director Sydney Pollack
Bathtubs Over Broadway (USA), Director Dava Whisenant (Schlesinger Documentary Competition)
Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable (USA/Indonesia/Fiji/Costa Rica/El Salvador/Tahiti), Director Aaron Lieber
The Biggest Little Farm (USA), Director John Chester (Schlesinger Documentary Competition)
Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes (Switzerland/USA), Director Sophie Huber (Schlesinger Documentary Competition)
Botero (Canada/China/Colombia/France/Italy/Monaco/USA), Director Don Millar (Schlesinger Documentary Competition)
Carlos Almaraz Playing With Fire (USA), Directors Elsa Flores Almaraz, Richard Montoya (Schlesinger Documentary Competition)
The Devil We Know (USA), Director Stephanie Soechtig
Don’t Be Nice (USA), Director Max Powers (Schlesinger Documentary Competition)
Garry Winogrand: All Things Are Photographable (USA), Director Sasha Waters Freyer
General Magic (UK/USA), Directors Sarah Kerruish, Matt Maude (Schlesinger Documentary Competition)
Ghost Fleet (USA), Directors Shannon Service, Jeffrey Waldron (Schlesinger Documentary Competition)
Home + Away (USA), Director Matt Ogens
Inventing Tomorrow (USA), Director Laura Nix
Kaye Ballard – the Show Goes On! (USA), Director Dan Wingate
The Land of High Mountains (USA/Haiti), Director Will Agee
The Proposal (USA), Director Jill Magid
Screwball (USA), Director Billy Corben
Sharkwater Extinction (Canada/Bahamas, Colombia, Costa Rica, USA), Director Rob Stewart
Shirkers (USA), Director Sandi Tan (Schlesinger Documentary Competition)
Shut Up and Play the Piano (Germany/France/UK), Director Philipp Jedicke
What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael (USA), Director Rob Garver
New Jewish Stories
The Accountant of Auschwitz (Canada), Director Matthew Shoychet (Schlesinger Documentary Competition)
City of Joel (USA), Director Jesse Sweet (Schlesinger Documentary Competition)
The Other Story (Israel), Director Avi Nesher
Redemption (Israel), Directors Boaz Yehonatan Yacov, Joseph Madmony
Stockholm (Israel), Director Daniel Syrkin
The Tobacconist (Austria/Germany), Director Nikolaus Leytner
To Dust (USA), Director Shawn Snyder
Toman (Czech Republic/Slovakia), Director Ondrej Trojan
Who Will Write Our History (USA/Poland), Director Roberta Grossman
Working Woman (Israel), Director Michal Aviad
Queer Cinema Today & the Gay!LA
Anchor and Hope (Spain), Director Carlos Marques-Marcet (CV Cine Competition)
Carmen & Lola (Spain), Director Arantxa Echevarria (CV Cine Competition)
Diamantino (Portugal/France/Brazil), Directors Gabriel Abrantes, Daniel Schmidt (New Voices New Visions, CV Cine Competition)
Eva + Candela (Colombia), Director Ruth Caudeli (CV Cine Competition)
Giant Little Ones (Canada), Director Keith Behrman
Hard Paint (Brazil), Directors Filipe Matzembacher, Marcio Reolon (CV Cine Competition)
The Ice King (UK), Director James Erskine
L’Animale (Austria), Director Katharina Mueckstein (New Voices New Visions Competition)
Light in the Water (USA), Director Lis Bartlett
Making Montgomery Clift (USA), Directors Robert A. Clift, Hillary Demmon (Gay!La Spotlight Presentation)
Papi Chulo (Ireland), Director John Butler
Rafiki (Kenya/South Africa/Germany/Netherlands/France/Norway/Lebanon), Director Wanuri Kahiu (Gay!La Spotlight Presentation)
Riot (Australia), Director Jeffrey Walker
Socrates (Brazil), Director Alex Moratto (CV Cine Competition)
Vita & Virginia (UK/Ireland), Director Chanya Button
World Cinema Now
Arctic (USA), Director Joe Penna, starring Mads Mikkelsen
Asako I & II (Japan), Director Ryūsuke Hamaguchi
Becoming Astrid (Sweden/Denmark), Director Pernille Fischer Christensen
Bel Canto (USA), Director Paul Weitz, starring Julianne Moore, Ken Watanabe
Buck Run (USA), Director Nick Frangione
Butterflies (Turkey), Director Tolga Karaçelik (New Voices New Visions Competition)
Cities of Last Things (Taiwan/China/USA/France), Director Ho Wi Ding (Ricky Jay Magic of Cinema Competition)
Cold Sweat (Iran), Director Soheil Beiraghi
Core of the World (Russia), Director Natalia Meschaninova
Daughter of Mine (Italy/Germany/Switzerland), Director Laura Bispuri
Dead Pigs (China), Director Cathy Yan (Ricky Jay Magic of Cinema Competition)
Diane (USA), Director Kent Jones
Don’t Shoot (Belgium/Netherlands), Director Stijn Coninx
Dragged Across Concrete (USA), Director S. Craig Zahler, starring Mel Gibson, Vince Vaughn
Dukla 61, (Czech Republic) Director David Ondricek
El Chicano (USA), Director Ben Hernandez Bray, starring Raul Castillo, George Lopez, Aimee Garcia
The Etruscan Smile (Switzerland/USA/UK), Directors Mihal Brezis, Oded Binnun, starring Brian Cox, Thora Birch, Rosanna Arquette, JJ Field
EXT. Night (Egypt/United Arab Emirates), Director Ahmad Abdalla
The Extraordinary Journey of Celeste García (Cuba/Germany), Director Arturo Infante (CV Cine Competition)
The Factory (France/Russia/Armenia), Director Yury Bykov
Fast Color (USA), Director Julia Hart, starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Lorraine Toussaint (New Voices New Visions Competition)
Fig Tree (Israel/Ethiopia), Director Aäläm-Wärqe Davidian
The Fireflies Are Gone (Canada), Director Sébastien Pilote
The Grizzlies (Canada), Director Miranda de Pencier
Hamid (India), Director Aijaz Khan
His Lost Name (Japan), Director Nanako Hirose
Hotel Mumbai (Australia), Director Anthony Maras, starring Armie Hammer, Dev Patel, Jason Isaacs
Leto (Russia/France), Director Kirill Serebrennikov
The Little Comrade (Estonia), Director Moonika Siimets
Long Day’s Journey Into Night (China/France), Director Bi Gan (Ricky Jay Magic of Cinema Competition)
Look at Me (Tunisia/France/Qatar), Director Nejib Belkadhi
Miriam Lies (Dominican Republic/Spain), Directors Natalia Cabral, Oriol Estrada (CV Cine Competition)
Mothers’ Instinct (Belgium), Director Olivier Masset-Depasse
One Last Deal (Finland), Director Klaus Härö
Orange Days (Iran), Director Arash Lahooti
Our Struggles (Belgium/France), Director Guillaume Senez
The Parting Glass (USA), Director Stephen Moyer, starring Anna Paquin, Denis O’Hare, Melissa Leo, Cynthia Nixon, Ed Asner, Rhys Ifans
Prospect (USA), Directors Chris Caldwell, Zeek Earl, starring Sophie Thatcher, Pedro Pascal, Jay Duplass (New Voices New Visions Competition)
The Purity of Vengeance (Denmark/Germany), Director Christoffer Boe
The Quake, (Norway) Director John Andreas Anderson
The Quietude (Argentina), Director Pablo Trapero, starring Edgar Ramirez (CV Cine Competition)
Ray & Liz (UK), Director Richard Billingham (New Voices New Visions)
The Realm (Spain/France), Director Rodrigo Sorogoyen (CV Cine Competition)
Ruben Brandt, Collector (Hungary), Director Milorad Krstic
Saf (Turkey), Director Ali Vatansever (New Voices New Visions Competition)
Sibel (Turkey/France/Germany/Luxembourg), Directors Çagla Zencirci, Guillaume Giovanetti
Simple Wedding (USA), Director Sara Zandieh
Smuggling Hendrix (Cyprus/Germany/Greece), Director Marios Piperides
The Song of the Tree (Kyrgyzstan/Russia), Director Aibek Daiyrbekov
Stan & Ollie (UK), Director Jon S. Baird, starring Steve Coogan, John C. Reilly
The Standoff at Sparrow Creek (USA), Director Henry Dunham, starring James Badge Dale (Ricky Jay Magic of Cinema Competition)
Styx (Germany/Austria), Director Wolfgang Fischer (New Voices New Visions Competition)
There Is No Place Like Home (Italy), Director Gabriele Muccino
The Third Wife (Vietnam), Director Ash Mayfair (New Voices New Visions Competition)
The Upside (USA), Director Neil Burger, starring Bryan Cranston, Kevin Hart, Nicole Kidman, Julianna Margulies
Urgent (Morocco/Switzerland), Director Mohcine Besri
We Are the Heat (Colombia), Director Jorge Navas (CV Cine Competition)
Yuli (Spain/Cuba/UK/Germany), Director Iciar Bollain (CV Cine Competition)
Next year’s festival, the 30th, takes place from January 3–14. Kenneth Branagh’s “All Is True” will open PSIFF, with Bruce Beresford’s “Ladies in Black” closing it.
