The Palm Springs International Film Festival will host Variety's 2026 10 Directors to Watch brunch on Sunday, Jan. 4, spotlighting emerging filmmakers during the festival.

Among the 2026 honorees are American and international filmmakers, including two directors with films submitted for the Oscar international‑feature category — "My Father’s Shadow" and "Happy Birthday" — several indie features making 2026 festival premieres, and three notable Cannes debuts, including actor Kristen Stewart’s first directorial feature, "The Chronology of Water."

“Discovery is such an important part of what we do at film festivals, and partnering with Variety on 10 Directors to Watch is an especially exciting part of PSIFF. It’s always a thrill to encounter the filmmakers that make the list, which has an i

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