We have attended the Palm Springs International Shortfest through the years, and it is one of the best short film festivals in the world.   Award winners receiving a first place prize in four categories are automatically eligible to submit their films to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Academy Award® consideration. Over the past 14 years, the Festival has presented 64 films that have gone on to receive Academy Award nominations.The  Palm Springs International ShortFest &a...

FIPRESCI Prize: PRIVATE (Saverio Costanzo, Italy, 2004)Jury Statement – Marcelo Janot, Henry Sheehan and Zlatko Vidackovic We found that PRIVATE combined creative ingenuity and passion in ways that would be unusual for a seasoned director, never mind for someone making a debut feature. Saverio Costanzo has created a dramatic situation that could easily have lent itself to sloganeering: A self-confident and educated Palestinian family suddenly finds its house occupied by an Israeli army platoon...

Although it does not have an official Competition or Jury as do fellow festivals in Venice, Cannes, Berlin or Sundance, winners at the Toronto International Film Festival are bellwethers of some of the important films that will come to cinemas and to other film events around the world.After presenting nearly 350 films from sixty countries over the past ten days, the 29th edition of the Festival wrapped yesterday with its annual Awards Brunch, held at the swanky Four Seasons Hotel. Wi...