Palms Springs Film Fest to Feature 3 World Premieres

The second annual Palm Springs Film Festival, opening Jan. 8, will be highlighted by the showing of seven films that are the official entries of their countries for best foreign-language film in the upcoming Academy Awards competition.

The five-day festival will present more than 70 features, including three world premieres and 43 U.S. premieres.

The seven foreign-language film entries are: Carlos Saura’s “Ay, Carmela!” (Spain), Marta Meszaros’ “Diary for My Father and Mother” (Hungary), Rudolf van den Berg’s “Evenings” (The Netherlands), Zhang Yimou’s “Ju Dou” (China), Gianni Amelio’s “Open Doors” (Italy), Robert Dornhelm’s “Requiem for Dominic” (Austria) and Pavel Lounguine’s “Taxi Blues” (Soviet Union).

The world premieres are “Blue Desert,” a thriller directed by Bradley Battersby and starring Courtney Cox; “Blood and Concrete,” a crime drama directed by Jeff Reiner and starring Billy Zane, and Carl Copaert’s darkly humorous suspense drama “Delusion” with Jim Metzler, Jennifer Rubin and Jerry Orbach.

North American premieres include: Charles McDougall’s “Arrivederci Millwall” (U.K.), Peter Patzak’s “Death of a Schoolboy” (Austria), Yves Robert’s “La Gloire de mon Pere” (France), Jiri Weiss’ “Martha and Me” (Germany/France); Michael Lehmann’s “Meet the Applegates” (U.S.), with Stockard Channing, and Matti Ijas’ “Rapsy and Dolly.”

Also on the schedule: a black-tie gala in tribute to American musicals produced by Allan Carr and honoring Ruby Keeler and Cyd Charisse; a special 30th-anniversary screening of “West Side Story”; student film presentations and seminars. Information: (800) 366-FILM.