Press Release December 1st, 2023

BSFF Announces Line-up of Films and Panels

BSFF, January 11 – 15, 2024

 For Immediate Release

The Borrego Springs Film Institute is proud to present the Eleventh Annual Borrego Springs Film Festival which will take place on January 11 – 15, 2024.  The five-day festival presents selected feature films, shorts, documentaries, animated shorts, and international films, which are shown in Blocks at the Borrego Springs Performing Arts Center (BSPAC).  Festival passes and tickets for individual screening Blocks will go on sale, beginning December 15, 2023, at borregospringsfilmfestival.org, and a complete schedule of the Screening Blocks can be found there, along with film descriptions and trailers.

The “unofficial theme” of this year’s BSFF is Music!  Several films selected for this year’s festival either prominently feature music in their storylines or are documentaries specifically about music and musicians.  So, if you enjoy music in movies as much as we do, keep an ear out for these films: 

“Shaakuntalam” – a feature-length musical epic from India, based on Telagu history and mythology.  This film spectacle was so impressive to BSFI committee members, that a special free community screening is planned for the day before the festival begins, Wednesday, January 10 at 1pm, at the Borrego Springs Library.

“The House Band” – a feature-length documentary about a group of unhoused musicians in Los Angeles who perform at a hip eatery on Venice Beach – will have a free community screening at 1pm on Thursday, January 11, at BSPAC.

“Hung Up On A Dream” – a feature length documentary about the iconic British Invasion band, The Zombies, which chronicles their 60-plus-years path from teenage friends to legends in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – will screen in Block C at 12:30pm on Friday, January 12.

“The Orchestra Chuck Built” – a documentary about The Inner-City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (ICYOLA), the largest majority Black orchestra in the United States, and its conductor Chuck Dickerson.  It’s a lovely portrait of a tireless mentor and the transformative power of music.  This will screen in Block I at 10am on Sunday, January 14.

“Itzia, Tango y Cacao” – a beautiful feature film from Columbia, about a deaf woman who hears mysterious music and decides to follow the melodies she hears to a place she had long forgotten – will screen in Block L at 10am on Monday, January 15.  Note:  All film screenings on Monday the 15th – Free to the public.

This year’s BSFF also features Community Panels at the Borrego Springs Library, all of which are free and open to the public.  Continuing the music theme, “The Italian Giant” is a panel presented by music historian Chris Burns that focuses on the great film composer, Ennio Morricone, best known for his outstanding scores to the spaghetti westerns of Sergio Leone.  This panel will begin at 11:30am on Friday, January 12.

Later that day, bestselling novelist Don Winslow will discuss the adaptation process from page to screen, and his own experiences having his books made into movies, such as “Savages” directed by Oliver Stone, and the upcoming “City On Fire.”  This Community Panel will begin at 2:30pm on Friday, January 12.

On Saturday, January 13, beginning at 11am at the Borrego Springs Library, a Filmmaker Panel will be presented by AVID executive Sarah Priestnall, on the topic of Artificial Intelligence and how it affects media post-production.

That will be followed at 2pm by a Filmmaker Panel presented by our own Fred Jee, discussing films that have been shot in the Anza Borrego desert and the realities of planning and filming in such a remote rural environment.  Finally, a special screening of panelists films, made here in town, will be presented.

In addition to great films and panels, this year’s BSFF also features an expanded list of Awards to be presented to the films our judges have chosen as the best in their categories.  The awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, January 14 at 5pm at BSPAC.

One of those is the “Callo Award,” sponsored by The Laureen and Joyce Callo Foundation, a $1000 cash prize for the Best Female Director of a narrative film (feature or short).

Another is the “Laara Award,” honoring the memory of BSFI committee member Laara K. Maxwell and sponsored by her family, a $1000 cash prize will be awarded to the most uplifting film of the festival (all categories eligible).

Founded in 2013, the Borrego Springs Film Festival has been at the forefront of showcasing exceptional independent films, documentaries, animation, and shorts, playing an important role in cultivating artistic talent, creating a vibrant film community, and drawing cinephiles from around the world to picturesque Borrego Springs, California.

This year the BSFF became the Borrego Springs Film Institute, a 501c(3) public non-profit organization. This landmark decision marks a significant milestone in the festival's history, solidifying its commitment to fostering the growth and appreciation of the arts, culture, and education within the community and beyond.

All of us at the BSFI are really looking forward to a terrific Film Festival this January, and we encourage everyone to buy their festival passes or screening block tickets, converse with attending filmmakers at the screenings, and see some of the very best independent cinema being made today.  Come join us at the movies! 

Tickets go on sale December 15, 2023, at borregospringsfilmfestival.org