Previous award winners "The Shape of Water," and "The Green Book," went on to win the Academy Award. "The Fablemans" with Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Gabriel LaBelle and Judd Hirsch is a worthy selection as it exemplifies the underlying them of this year's festival  celebrating the Magic of Cinema.

That’s what movies do, elevate our perceptions, thrill our senses, perhaps revealing incites we might not see on the evening news.

Who doesn’t remember with awe and wonder watching "ET" ride across the sky and into our hearts.  We were transformed.

Steven Spielberg as President of the Academy of Motion Pictures made it clear he felt movies should be shown in theaters on a big screen, and that should be considered for Academy Awards. How thin is the line today between a film streaming on a tv or shown in theatres?  

Ironically with theaters, both mainstream and art houses closing, and the loyal audiences who weekly attended vanishing a film festival is a place to come together and celebrate. The  opportunity to see film on a big screen with and audience of friends and  strangers, where you can  laugh or cry together. 

Films about film help to celebrate the craft, the passion, the creativity, the bonding in a time where many have felt inundated with bad news, and extended stays at home. There is still a life to be found in the theatre. Worlds to be discovered. 

The opening night film of the first Palm Springs Film Festival was “Cinemas Paradiso”, another ode to the love of cinema.  Now some 30 years later, there is still the excitement of an opening night.  What gem will we discover. What will we learn.  This is an opportunity to travel around the world and experience different cultures, ideas, civilizations, and possibilities.