Palm Springs International Film Festival Opens Tonight

The West Coast premieres of Denys Arcand’s “Jesus of Montreal,” Patrice Laconte’s “Monsieur Hire,” and Giuseppe Tornatore’s “Cinema Paradiso,” three of the hits of last year’s Cannes Film Festival, highlight the schedule of the inaugural Palm Springs International Film Festival, which begins tonight.

Altogether, 46 films will be screened during the five-day event that Mayor Sonny Bono promised local merchants last spring would grow to rival the Cannes Film Festival, with film competition, markets and star tributes.

The mayor’s first event is a modest beginning, with no world premieres, no film market and few stars scheduled to attend. But the event does boast a wide range of international pictures, including the opening night feature, “Cinema Paradiso,” an Italian film about a young boy’s fascination with movies shown in a village theater.

“Cinema Paradiso” screens at 7 tonight at the Plaza Theater in Palm Springs. The Plaza is one of eight Palm Springs theaters turned over for festival programs.

Among the other films scheduled are: “The Killer” (from Hong Kong), a gangster drama by John Wood; Percy Adlon’s “Rosalie Goes Shopping” (West Germany), which is set in the rural American South; Coline Serrau’s “Romuald et Juliette” (France); and David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks” (United States)

Several American comedy classics are being shown in separate tributes to Bob Hope, Kirk Douglas, Frank Capra and James Stewart, though none of the honorees were planning to attend, according to a festival spokesman.

In addition to screenings, the American Film Institute is hosting a series of seminars on acting, directing and cinematography. Information: (800) 366-FILM.