Welcome to the Yucca Valley Film Festival, the official festival of the Town of Yucca Valley since 2019, the gateway to the Joshua Tree National Park.
The Yucca Valley Film Festival has been recognized as CULTURAL CONTRIBUTOR in 2023 by:
- the US CONGRESS
- the US SENATE
- the COUNTY of San Bernardino
- and the Basin Wide Foundation
We also placed in the top 3 of Best Annual Event in the Morongo Basin, voted by over 50K+ residents.
Previous events' pictures can be found here:
www.facebook.com/Yuccavalleyfilmfestival/photos_albums
INTRODUCTION
Yucca Valley is the economic hub for the Morongo Basin is the natural gateway to Joshua Tree National Park (2.8M visitors in 2022).
The Town already lives to the rhythm of artists and creative minds, coming to Yucca Valley in search of the perfect spot to create and find a receptive audience.
The festival started in 2019, generating a buzz with local audiences (3 packed screening nights with red carpet), attracting attendance by international talented filmmakers, and benefiting from a large press coverage.
The Film Festival was listed as the main cultural event for the Town in the Hi-Desert Star, and got covered by NBC, Z 107.7, Spot on California, Desert Road Trippin', Greater Palm Springs... (See PRESS albums on Facebook and Festhome).
The Yucca Valley Film Festival became a recurring, family friendly annual rendez-vous for all the Hi-Desert Community, film lovers and art lovers. 2020 was a digital edition reaching more than 30,000 viewers and interactions through screenings, QnAs, roundtables, a Masterclass with William BALDWIN...
2021 will once again be a celebration of movies and visual arts in the heart of the Mojave Desert, wether in person or hybrid.
Yucca Valley also carries a vast movie heritage in itself, and also with the historic movie sets of Pioneertown. In 2016, TIM BURTON shot scenes of “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” on Old Woman Springs Road.
More than 50 titles are listed on Imdb with scenes shot here.
Masterclass 2024 with Shane Stanley
Masterclass 2023 with Rosanna Arquette
Masterclass 2022 with Brent Huff, Mina Sundwall
Masterclass 2021 with Michael Dante
Masterclass 2020 with William Baldwin
Masterclass 2019 with John Stanier
EVENT PROGRAM
Our typical program includes:
FRIDAY
Kick off event - Yucca room
- Event presentation
- Red Carpet
- Mayor’s opening speech
- Opening short film(s)
- Feature film Yucca Valley premiere
SATURDAY
Screenings & talks
- documentaries in competition
- followed by talk with artists and audience
- Audience vote
- Script roundtable with script writers talking about their work
Screening & talk
- Animated films in competition
Screening & talk
- Student films in competition
- followed by talk with artists and audience
- Audience vote
Screening & talk
- Short films in competition
- followed by talk with artists and audience
- Audience vote
SUNDAY
Morning: Mixer & Industry talk, reserved to filmmakers with a badge
Screening & talk
- Visual Arts in films (experimental and visually creative audiovisual work)
- Music Videos
- followed by talk with artists and audience
- Audience vote
Closing event with
- Red Carpet
- Result of the week-end drawing lots
- Result all official winners (every category)
- Result of the audience votes (every category)
- Screening of the winning movies with artists’ introduction & followed by talk with filmmakers
- Closing speech by the Mayor
Program is subject to change, check our website for final and updated program at all times.
