The 31st Annual Palm Springs International ShortFest, from June 24-29, 2025, has once again left a blazing imprint on this festival goer with a myriad of indelible short films and filmmakers. The stakes are high for the 311 films, with over thirty thousand dollars in prizes and five films winning awards that qualify them for the Academy Awards.
The five major winners are: Retirement Plan for the Best of the Festival – an animated film by John Kelly and co-writer Tara Lawall, about a man who dreams about the beauty he will find in retirement, Budō for Best Animated Short by Amanda Aagard and Alexander Toma, about a widow in Tokyo who has a cat follow her home and makes itself at home, Shanti Rides Shotgun for Best Documentary Short by Charles Frank, about NYC”s most iconic driving instructor, Susana for Best Live-Action Over 15 Minutes by Amandine Thomas and Gerardo Coello Escalante, about a middle-aged American tourist who find a group of young tourists and jumps at a chance for adventure, and Medusa for Best Live-Action Under 15 Minutes, by Sarah Meyohas and co-writer Courtney Podraza, a romance between a young woman and older man that has a possibly sinister turn.
I love how the festival groups films into fun blocks, such as “Thrills and Chills” for horror, “Like & Subscribe” for social media-based movies, and “Late Night” for films outside of the norm. The night screenings are always packed and full of excited, Comic-Con-like energy. It’s also a great respite from the scorching heat, still in the 80s and 90s at night.
In Forevergreen, a young bear cub forms a heartwarming bond with a fatherly tree, blending humor and emotion in this animated short.
“The 31st Annual Palm Springs International ShortFest… has once again left a blazing imprint on this festival goer…”
The audience awards were: Wednesdays with Gramps (USA), directed by Chris Copeland and Justin Copeland, about a teenage boy who finds in has more in common with his Gramps than he thought, for Best Animated Short, The Devil Is Busy (USA), Directed by Geeta Gandbhir and Christalyn Hampton, about the director of operations and security of an abortion clinic in Atlanta, for Best Documentary Short, Beatrix Is Invisible (USA), directed by Alex Farias, about a woman feeling down who reaches out to the world around her for meaning, for Best Live-Action Short, and Dandelion (USA), Directed by Fiona Obertinca, about a mysterious social worker in the 1970’s who has to find a new home for a rebellious teen before the break of dawn, for Best Student Short.
Some of my personal favorites were: Time Crisis, a documentary by Brooke Palmieri and Zac Weathers about a skilled video game player who just wants to make friends, Crazy for You, a Spanish film by Greta Díaz Moreau about the powerful first feelings of love set around bull-fighting, Forevergreen, an animated short by Nathan Engelhardt and Jeremy Spears, about a young bear cub who gets taken in by a fatherly tree, Whitch, a horror-comedy by Hoku Uchiyama, about a fake wiccan meeting a real witch in an intense way, and How Was Your Weekend?, an office-place satire by Cam Banfield.
There are so many extremely talented filmmakers on the rise at Palm Springs Shortfest, it’s a must-see festival for any cinephile like me. This festival just ended, but I already cannot wait to be there again next year!
Find out more and attend ShortFest next year along with me at psfilmfest.org
