Cinema Diverse has always been a big draw. Between its world premieres, deeply moving dramas, comedies, documentaries, and shorts, the fest—and Greater Palm Springs for that matter—has become a stellar fall destination spot. This year, the film festival opens with the World Premiere of Big Rage, a riveting new action film from the fabulous HERE TV network. Green says the 2024 schedule includes several additional World Premieres, both domestic and foreign, and many films from well-known LGBTQ+ filmmakers. “We are fortunate to have some great ongoing relationships with our filmmakers and distributors,” he adds. “They love our festival, and they love Palm Springs audiences. And besides, if you’re an LGBTQ+ filmmaker, there’s no better place to debut your film than Palm Springs!”

Tickets and passes (All Access and Six-Pack) are currently on sale at CinemaDiverse.org. The entire list of films can be accessed on the Cinema Diverse website, Peruse our film highlights below and refer to the website for a full list of showtimes.

BIG RAGE

OPENING NIGHT: 7 p.m. Thursday, September 19

Set against the backdrop of the Salton Sea’s booming lithium gold rush, two former fighters, each haunted by their troubling pasts, cross paths in a desperate bid to secure the nation's future. Per the film’s official synopsis, “As they navigate the underworld of an ecological disaster zone, they must confront their demons and the corrupt forces that threaten to destroy everything they hold dear.” Take note: The film introduces Fabian Arnold as a latter day Jean-Claude Van Damme. The screenplay comes from Emmy-winning actor/producer David Millbern and Waymon Boone directs. Rating: Intense.

THE BEARDED MERMAID

SCREENING: 7 p.m. Friday, September 20

This World Premiere should entice audiences. The plot tracks drag queens of The Bearded Mermaid cabaret, who put on a riveting show featuring singing, circus, and dancing—something never seen before in the small town of Dieppe in France. Meet Erwan, a local fisherman, who seems enchanted as he steps inside this joyous world. Soon, behind all the costumes, he meets a bevy of characters—some troubled, lonely, and too sensitive but ready do to anything to further their project. Think of it as a portrayal of a small port town inhabited by gloomy everyday lives yet extraordinary fates.

LAVENDER MEN

SCREENING: 11:45 a.m. Saturday, September 21

Was Abraham Lincoln gay or possibly bisexual? These long debated questions come to new light in Lavender Men. While working on a play about Abraham Lincoln, the show's lonely stage manager crafts an elaborate fantasia in their own head about the 16th President's gay love affair with Elmer Ellsworth. However, they quickly learn they can't hide from their present-day struggles in someone else's past.

OSCAR WILDE ABOUT AMERICA

SCREENING: 7 p.m. Saturday, September 21

Filmed in London and multiple locations across the United States, including Palm Springs, the film stars West End star Oscar Conlon-Morrey as Oscar Wilde and features photographer Michael Childers as well as film/tv/stage veterans Rosemary Harris and Kate Burton. The story is a reimagining of Wilde's 1882 American tour but as a present-day roadtrip from New York City to Hollywood. All of it leads Oscar to the queer joy, love, and liberation that eluded him 141 years ago. Expect themes of diversity, identity, and inclusion, and even an original song, "Be Yourself, Everyone Else Is Taken," based on one of Wilde's more popular quotes. 

THE SUMMER WITH CARMEN

SCREENING: 4:40 p.m. Sunday, September 22

There’s something to savor about this unique film, which benefits from its low-budget vibe and sexy overtones. A foreign movie producer mentors a young actor over the course of a long afternoon at a scenic gay nude beach. The result finds our protagonist and his BFF writing a screenplay for their “big cinematic break.” Set against a Mediterranean backdrop, the two souls recall their past frivolous antics.

MARSCAPONE: THE RAINBOW CAKE

SCREENING: 7 p.m. Sunday, September 22

It’s sequel time. Several years ago, Marscapone won audiences over. In this outing, the characters of Antonio and Luca see each other for the first time after their best friend Denis' death. Luca hit rock bottom but met Tancredi, his current boyfriend. Antonio has focused on work and is a well-known chef in a pastry boutique. But there’s still something special between them. The plot thickens.

SHORTS SET: HEALING

SCREENING: 12 p.m. Thursday, September 26

Relish these short wonders. In Amorphous (22 minutes), a queer artist searches for answers when their memories get rewritten visions involving their estranged comatose father. Closure (17 minutes) tracks the story of Matt, who struggles with anxiety after a tumultuous breakup with his ex-boyfriend. Emerald City (22 minutes) finds two young men crossing paths on the backroads of the American Southwest. In The Last Take (15 minutes), a movie star from Hollywood’s Golden Age must reconcile with the only man he ever loved. The Lift (20 minutes) follows a grief-stricken retiree who finds renewed connection with a mysterious young woman attempting to terminate a pregnancy.

STRAIGHT ON TILL MORNING

SCREENING: 7:15 p.m. Friday, September 27

This horror outing introduces us to Dani and Kaitlin, two dreamers falling for each other during a romantic road trip. It’s blissful until they cross paths with a strange family that has something much, much darker in mind. Expect thrills.

MOTHER FATHER SISTER BROTHER FRANK

SCREENING: 7:15 p.m. Saturday, September 28

What a trip in suburbia! The Jennings family’s life is overturned when contentious Uncle Frank crashes their weekly Sunday dinner. Suddenly, murder turns up on the menu. The big question: Can the Jennings' move beyond the secrets and dysfunction to understand that “the family that slays together, stays together?” Look for Mindy Cohn from Facts of Life to make an appearance.

LOVE, VENEZIA

SCREENING: 7 p.m. Sunday, September 28

In this World Premiere film, we track a painful breakup. Here, Michael arrives in Venice, Italy, where the beauty of desire and experiencing love awakens his spirit. The film is touted as a “tender exploration of love, intimacy, and self-discovery, set against the awe-inspiring backdrop of Venice.” The film should resonate with anybody who has ever longed for a deeper connection with others and within themselves.

To start planning your getaway, see more on Greater Palm Springs LGBTQ+ page and discover plenty to enjoy around town, including hotels, events, and bars, and nightlife options.