March 19 Daily Briefing: Film fest preview, cannabis conversation, and more

Welcome to Wednesday, everyone! While nighttime work has resumed on the SR111 Roadway Project and is expected on Vista Chino and North Palm Canyon Drive in both directions through the end of the month, you’ll want to note that some daytime work is coming in April. That’s when crews will be working on cross-gutter improvements and bus pad installations along the project’s entire route. Make sure to stay up to date with the very latest by going here. 

🎶 Setting the mood: “Cinema” by Harry Styles

LEADING OFF

70mm Film Festival brings cinema classics to the biggest screen in Palm Springs

This weekend, Palm Springs film enthusiasts won’t need to make the usual hours-long drive to Los Angeles to experience cinema in its most spectacular form. The Palm Springs Cultural Center’s historic Camelot Theater is hosting a special 70mm film festival featuring some acclaimed movies on its 70-foot screen.

Driving the news: Four classic films will be projected in their original 70mm format, including “2001: A Space Odyssey,” “Vertigo,” “Lawrence of Arabia,” and “Interstellar.”

Why it matters: Three of these films are regularly ranked among the greatest movies ever made, and seeing them in their original 70mm format offers a viewing experience that simply cannot be replicated at home.

• The festival represents a rare opportunity to view these classics as their directors intended, with superior image quality, brightness, and sharpness.

Zoom in: The 70mm format requires special equipment and trained projectionists to prevent damage to the physical film.

• For “Lawrence of Arabia” alone, “hundreds of pounds of film” must be handled with extreme care by projectionists specially trained for the event.

What to watch for: Film critics and directors consider viewing “Lawrence of Arabia” in 70mm an essential experience for cinephiles. Roger Ebert wrote that some of its most famous scenes just don’t work if you’re watching the film at home. 

• “In a movie theater, looking at the stark clarity of a 70mm print, we lean forward and strain to bring a detail out of the waves of heat, and for a moment, we experience some of the actual vastness of the desert, and its unforgiving harshness,” Ebert wrote.

What they’re saying: Event producer Lauren Wolfer calls “2001” and “Lawrence” the “cornerstones of the festival” and hopes the screenings will help viewers “understand why it’s so important to see these movies in theaters.”

• “It’s inspiring that next generation of filmmakers to continue that conversation,” Wolfer said.

Details: The film fest will be held on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend, with showings at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $20. Turn here for more information.

Dive deeper with our complete story here.

BRIEFLY

🌿 City, club hosting town hall on cannabis issues

The Boys &  Girls Club of Palm Springs, in collaboration with the city, will host a town hall on March 26 to address cannabis-related issues impacting the community. The event will take place at the Boys & Girls Club at 450 South Sunrise Way from 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m.

• Featured speakers include representatives from Desert Regional Medical Center, 420 Bank, the Palm Springs Police Department, and city officials who will share insights and answer questions about cannabis use and its community impact.
  
• The event aims to facilitate dialogue about cannabis issues in Palm Springs, particularly its effects on youth, with participants having the opportunity to engage with experts on these complex matters.
  
• Details: Attendance is restricted to adults 18 and older, with RSVPs requested by March 24 to Monique Valenciano at (760) 327-7544 or mvalenciano@bgcps.org.

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Desert X
The fifth edition of Desert X, the recurring site-specific, international art exhibition is open now through May 11. Find the map of installations on the Desert X website.

Sunshine Sisters Breakfast
8 a.m. | Rick’s Restaurant
Start the day with other Palm Springs Sunshine Sisters with breakfast and conversation.

Morning Coffee Book Club
10:30 a.m. | Welwood Murray Memorial Library
Members will discuss “Erasure” by Percival Everett, next month they’re reading “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter” by Erika L. Sánchez. Join the book club by signing up here.

“Jesus Christ Superstar”
2 p.m. | CV Repertory
A rock phenomenon that has dazzled audiences for decades, “Jesus Christ Superstar” tells the story entirely through songs of the struggles between Jesus, Judas, Mary Magdalene, his disciples, his followers, and the Roman Empire. CVRep will present a new staging of the iconic 1970s rock musical. ($90)

Tenant Rights Workshop
5 p.m. | Palm Springs Public Library
Presented by Riverside Legal Aid, join the workshop to learn more about eviction defense and how to address substandard housing conditions. 

The Mod Squad Variety Show
5 p.m. | Palm Springs Cultural Center
Enjoy an evening of musical hijinks and hilarity with award-winning hosts. Tickle your musical senses with their fun and unique arrangements of Mid-Century Pop Music, Yacht Rock, Rat Pack, classic oldies & a whole lot more. ($20)

Palm Springs Airport Commission
5:30 p.m. | Palm Springs Airport Conference Room
At this meeting, commissioners will hear updates on recent city council actions related to the airport and the airline activity report for the fiscal year.

See all events

SAVE THE DATE

• CVAG Transportation Public Meeting online on Thursday.
  
• Palm Springs Drone Fest at Palm Springs High School starting Friday. ($25)
  
• ONE-PS Picnic and Community Expo on Saturday.
  
• Palm Springs 70mm Film Fest at the Cultural Center starting Saturday. ($18)
  
• Rescheduled: AbbaFab Rock the Park Concert at the Downtown Park on March 26.
  
• Palm Springs Woman’s Club Annual Scholarship Event Dinner at Palm Springs Surf Club on March 26. ($125)
  
• Palm Springs Speaks Presents Mary Louise Kelly on April 3 at the Cultural Center. ($50-$70)
  
• Free Shredding Event at the Palm Springs Convention Center on April 5.
  
• Opera in the Park at Sunrise Park on April 6.
  
• World Art Day at Downtown Park on April 12.
  
• PS Gay Men’s Chorus “Disney Pride In Concert“ starting April 24. ($35)

Submit your event

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AND FINALLY …

🐾 Each week, The Post partners with a local animal shelter to feature one or more of the many animal companions ready for a new home in our community. 

Today, we invite you to meet the beautiful female two-year-old dog, Jessie. Staff at the shelter say she’s a vibrant young dog ready for her chance to live life to the fullest.

• She takes a minute to warm up to people, but once she does her affectionate side comes out. She works well with other dogs and is good on leash, but she does need some manners and would benefit from obedience training. 

If you’re interested: You can visit the shelter at 4575 E. Mesquite Ave. Hours are 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. on all days except for Mondays (open for intake only) and Thursdays (1 p.m. until 7 p.m.). You can always call the shelter at (760) 416-5718.

• Make sure to check out all the other pets at the shelter here. And get a jump start on adoption by completing the form here.