“Forrest Gump”, “Cast Away”, “Back to the Future Trilogy” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?”. Those are just a few of the titles that Academy Award-winning director Robert Zemeckis has helmed in his long career. But his most recent project, “Flight”, has garnered him the Director of the Year Award at the upcoming Palm Springs International Film Festival set to kickoff on January 5 in Palm Springs, California.
“For 35 years, Robert Zemeckis has been creating some of the most iconic and indelible images in cinema, garnering international acclaim as a filmmaker of extraordinary vision,” Harold Matzner, chairman of the film festival, said in a press release. “In his latest work, “Flight”, Zemeckis continues to tell fascinating stories by combining strong characters with groundbreaking visual effects, which includes one of the most memorable plane crashes in cinematic history.”
Past winners of this award include David O. Russell (“The Fighter”), Jason Reitman (“Up In The Air”) and Sean Penn (“Into the Wild”).
With such a heralded director set to receive an award at the festival, as well as its proximity to Los Angeles – the epicenter of the industry – the Palm Springs International Film Festival may need to prepare for a massive influx of show attendees. Furthermore, it’s not unlikely that many other celebrities and film stars will attend the festival to pay tribute to Zemeckis as well as support their colleague’s films, surely drawing in more attendees.
By investing in outdoor movie screens, and taking advantage of the warm California climate, event organizers can make room for more attendees by screening films outside. In doing so, the festival will be able to adhere to a broader audience and create a more unique experience for viewers.