Palm Springs International Film Festival 2027: A Guest's Guide

The 2027 Palm Springs International Film Festival runs January 7 to 18, 2027. It opens with the Film Awards on January 7, screenings start January 8, closing night is January 17, and the last day is Best of the Fest. Tickets are sold to the public by screening, so you don't need a badge to go. Build the films into a Palm Springs weekend getaway, then check our Palm Springs events by season if you want to stack a second trip on top.

What is the Palm Springs International Film Festival?

It's the big winter film event in the desert, now in its 38th year. The festival shows international features, documentaries and awards-season titles in theaters around Palm Springs and the wider Coachella Valley, and it brings actors and filmmakers to town for talks after the screenings.

The Film Awards night has a reputation for honoring films and performances that go on to Oscar nominations. That's the glamorous part. The rest of the festival is regular people in theater seats, seeing films months before they reach a screen near home.

When is the film festival in 2027?

• January 7: The Film Awards open the festival.

• January 8: The main festival starts.

• January 17: Closing night.

• January 18: Best of the Fest, a final day of audience favorites.

The festival also runs talks with filmmakers and actors, film-inspired dinners and panels on the year's international feature contenders. The full schedule and venue list come out closer to January, so watch the official festival site before you lock flights.

How do tickets and passes work?

You can buy a ticket for a single screening or a pass that covers more. A few rules worth knowing before you go:

• Lines usually form 30 to 45 minutes before showtime.

• Seats aren't guaranteed if you're not in yours 15 minutes before the film starts.

• If you step out mid-film, you need a re-admit slip to get back in.

• Passes are for the holder only, and you wear them the whole time.

• Film Society members get discounted ticket pricing.

Our advice: pick two or three films a day, not five. Talks after screenings run long, and the gap between theaters disappears fast when you're also trying to eat lunch.

What's the weather like during festival week?

January is one of the most comfortable months in the desert. Afternoons are usually mild and sunny, and evenings get cold once the sun drops behind the mountains, so bring a real jacket for night screenings. Rain is rare. Our Palm Springs weather guide has the month-by-month numbers.

Mild doesn't mean pool weather for everyone. The hot tub, on the other hand, is excellent in January.

Where should you stay for the Palm Springs film festival?

Close enough to get to a screening on time, far enough to sleep. The Muse is an adults-only boutique hotel with nine suites around a courtyard pool, minutes from downtown Palm Springs by car. Parking, Wi-Fi and grab-and-go breakfast from Aspen Mills are included, which matters when the first film is in the morning and nobody is sitting down for breakfast.

• Couples: Brigitte, Audrey, Marilyn and Taylor are king suites with a full kitchen and a private fenced yard. Coffee outside, then the first film.

• Friends sharing: The Duo Suite is Edie and Bowie booked together, two bedrooms, up to 5 guests with an optional rollaway.

• A whole crew of film people: a full hotel buyout gives you all nine suites and nine bathrooms for up to 22 overnight guests. The lobby's big table makes a very good post-screening debate room.

CHECK YOUR DATES

How to plan a film festival weekend

• Book the room first. January is high season in Palm Springs, and festival weekends fill early.

• Pick your films when the schedule drops. Popular titles go first, and talks with the cast go faster.

• Leave one afternoon open. A pool nap between screenings is not a waste of a pass.

• Eat early or book ahead. Downtown gets busy around showtimes. Our where to dine guide has the list.

• Stay into February if you can. Modernism Week follows a few weeks later.

Film festival FAQ

When is the Palm Springs International Film Festival 2027?

January 7 to 18, 2027. The Film Awards open the festival on January 7, screenings start January 8, and the final day is Best of the Fest.

Is the Palm Springs film festival open to the public?

Yes. Tickets are sold by screening to anyone, and passes are available if you plan to see a lot of films.

How early should I get to a screening?

Lines usually form 30 to 45 minutes before showtime, and seats aren't guaranteed if you're not seated 15 minutes before the start.

How far is The Muse from downtown Palm Springs?

Minutes by car. Parking is included, so you can drive in for screenings and come back for the hot tub.

Easy to get to. Hard to leave. Send us your festival dates and we'll save you a suite.