Palm Springs International Film Festival to Include Canadian Cinema Focus

Next month's Palm Springs International Film Festival will include a new focus on Canadian cinema, festival organizers said Thursday.

Twelve films have been chosen for the program, which includes an opening weekend reception and "Canadian Film Day" highlighting filmmakers from Canada.

The films are "The Auction," "Empire of Dirt," "Enemy," "Gabrielle," "Gerontophilia," "The Grand Seduction," "The Manor," "Patch Town," "Sarah Prefers to Run," "Siddharth," "Stay" and "Vic + Flo Saw a Bear."

"We've selected Canadian films for a special focus at this year's festival for many reasons, not the least of which is the wealth of talent emerging from its relatively small, indigenous film industry, and the depth and richness of story and character portrayal its films exemplify," festival Director Darryl Macdonald said.

"Whether it's established auteurs like Denis Cote, Denis Villenueve and Atom Egoyan, gifted actor/directors like Don McKellar and Sarah Polley or newly emerging talents like Chloe Robichaud, Craig Goodwill and Sebastien Pilote, Canadian creative ingenuity is on abundant display in its films," Macdonald said.

Additionally, festival organizers announced 45 films picked to compete for the International Federation of Film Critics' award in the festival's Awards Buzz section and 10 films in the festival's Modern Masters showcase.

Awards Buzz is for films considered the strongest entries in the Academy Awards race, and international film critics review the films to give awards.

Modern Masters features films from international directors who "set the standards for contemporary cinema," according to festival organizers. All the films are listed on the festival's website.

For more info on the 25th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival, which runs from Jan. 3-14, call (760) 322-2930 or visit www.psfilmfest.org.

Reported by City News Service