The 36th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) has announced three juried award winners in the categories: Desert Views, Young Cineastes and Bridging the Boards, presented by Cinema Without Borders.
The festival will end on January 13, which has screened 165 films from 71 countries, including 68 premieres. The lineup includes 35 of the International Feature Film Oscar® submissions along with Talking Pictures, New Voices New Visions, Modern Masters, Queer Cinema, True Stories, World Cinema Now and more.
Desert Views Award
Desert Views Jury is made of locals that evaluate a movie that fosters understanding and acceptance among people in a spirit of neighborliness.
The films in competition were:
- Checkpoint Zoo (United States/Ukraine), Directed by Joshua Zeman
- Desert Angel (United States), Directed by Vincent DeLuca
- Every Little Thing (Australia), Directed by Sally Aitken
- TINĀ (MOTHER) (New Zealand), Directed by Miki Magasiva
Winner: Checkpoint Zoo (United States/Ukraine), Directed by Joshua Zeman
Special Mention: Desert Angel (United States), Directed by Vincent DeLuca
Judges: Jose Macias (Desert Hot Springs), Margaret Quirante (Morongo Valley), Matt Ramirez (Cathedral City), Tanisha L. Alston (Palm Desert), and Sohelia Crane (Palm Desert).
Young Cineastes Award
The Young Cineastes jury is composed of local high school students that have a passion for films. The films in competition were:
- Superboys of Malegaon (India/United States), Directed by Reema Kagt
- Tatami (Georgia/Israel/Iran), Directors Zar Amir Ebrahimi and Guy Nattiv
- Trifole (Italy/South Africa/United States), Directed by Gabriele Fabbro
- Unstoppable (United States), Directed by William Goldenberg
Winner: Tatami (Georgia/Israel/Iran), by Directors Zar Amir Ebrahimi and Guy Nattiv
Special Mention: Superboys of Malegaon (India/United States), Directed by Reema Kagti
Judges: Joseph Manjarrez (Palm Springs High School), Lyla Valentine (Palm Desert High School), and Stephanie Lopez (Palm Springs High School).
Bridging the Boards Award
At a time when physical, religious, racial, cultural, and economic borders divide the population of our planet, efforts to bring those borders to be appreciated. In that spirit, Cinema Without Borders presents the Bridging the Borders Award sponsored by 360 MEDIA to a film that is most successful in bridging and connecting the people of our world closer together. The winner of the 2025 Bridging the Borders Award presented Cinema Without Borders and sponsored by 360 MEDIA will receive a cash award of $2000.
The films in competition were:
- Dahomey (Senegal), Directed by Math Diop
- Ghost Trail (France/Germany/Belguim), Directed by Jonathan Millet
- Happy Holidays (Palestine/Germany/France/Italy/Qatar), Directed by Scandar Copti
- Odd Fish (Iceland/Finland/Czech Republic), Directed by Snævar Sölvason
- Reading Lolita in Tehran (Italy/Israel), Directed by Eran Riklis
- Souleymane’s Story (France), Directed by Boris Lojkine
- Tatami (Georgia/Israel/Iran), Directed by Zar Amir Ebrahimi and Guy Nattiv
- TINĀ (MOTHER) (New Zealand), Directed by Miki Magasiva
- To a Land Unknown (United Kingdom/Palestine/France/Greece/Netherlands/Germany/Qatar/Saudi Arabia), Directed by Mahdi Fleifel
- Touch (Iceland), Directed by Baltasar Kormákur
Winner: Souleymane’s Story (France), Directed by Boris Lojkine
Special Mention: Happy Holidays (Palestine/Germany/France/Italy/Qatar), Directed by Scandar Copti
Judges: Abbas Yari, Ali Murat Erkorkmaz, Bijan Tehrani, Granaz Moussavi, Keely Badger, Marcy Garriott, Michael Franck, Matt Ferro, Susan Morgan Cooper, and Vladek Juszkiewicz
More jury award winners will be announced on Sunday, January 12th. This announcement will include winners from categories of Best Documentary Award, New Voices New Visions Award, Ibero-American Award, Local Jury Award, Audience Awards for Best Narrative Feature, and Best Documentary Feature.
