The Important Cinema Club #454 - The Hottest Movies Of The Awards Season! (aka. Our Palm Springs Adventure)
Jan 20, 2026
They recap serving as jurors at a film festival and roaming Palm Springs' streets, hikes, and parties. They chat about standout screenings from awards-season contenders and a moving microbudget film called Burt. They hunt rare movie books, attend classic film presentations, and swap lively audience encounters and festival distribution tales.
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Transcript
Episode notes
Jurors On A Festival Work Vacation
- Justin and Will were invited as jurors to the Palm Springs International Film Festival and played proud "kingmaker" roles for different juries.
- They used the festival pass to watch many awards-season films and attend parties where their juror status surprised people.
Choose Festivals For Unique Live Experiences
- Pick festival screenings that promise unique in-person experiences, like director Q&As and special guests.
- Pay attention to programming that brings filmmakers and cult figures for live encounters you can't replicate online.
Meeting Carol Connors In Rocky Regalia
- They attended Elvis, Rocky and Me, a Carol Connors documentary, and met Connors in-character wearing a Rocky robe and boxing gloves at the Q&A.
- Connors performed a song and charmed the audience, making the screening a highlight for both hosts.
