Palm Springs, October 2, 2024- Michael Schlesinger’s new comedy feature Rock & Doris (try to) Write a Movie starring Marilu Henner (Taxi) Joe Regalbuto (Murphy Brown), Jim Beaver, (Supernatural, The Boys), and Barry Pearl (Grease) will have its world premiere on the closing weekend of the Palm Springs International Comedy Festival. The film will premiere at 5:30 pm on October 5th at the Mary Pickford Theatre (36850 Pickfair Street Cathedral City, CA 92234).
In the film, Rock Randall and his writing partner Doris Adams are desperate to break away from the drab routine of writing television sitcoms in order to focus on creating a feature film script. Freeman, their TV producer, bets them they can’t come up with a good screenplay in a single night while stashed in an out-of-the-way rural house. Rock and Doris take the bet and hole up in the house, but before they can get started creating, the place is invaded by a wild variety of strange characters, all of whom seem involved in thievery, chicanery, and murder. Before Rock and Doris can write their movie, they have to solve the mystery of the house they’re writing it in.
Schlesinger will be joined by Henner and Regalbuto at the event and for a post-screening Q&A.
The weekend will feature screenings of comedy movies and short films, web series, TV pilots, music videos and sketch shows, held at the Mary Pickford Theatre.
Additional highlights on Saturday, October 5th include:
1 PM – Villains Inc. by Jeremy Warner. After the death of their villainous boss, low-level hench people Beatrix, Cain, and Harold are left destitute living in an abandoned grocery store. Not content with the situation they find themselves in, Beatrix is determined for them to strike out on their own and take over the world by any means necessary. The film stars Colin Mochrie and Jeff Davis of Whose Line Is It Anyway? Q&A to follow.
3:30 PM – Too Soon: Comedy After 9/11 by Julie Seabaugh, L.A. Times comedy journalist. Lewis Black, David Cross, Ahmed Ahmed, Cedric the Entertainer, Janeane Garofalo, Gilbert Gottfried, Darrell Hammond, Chris Kattan, Nathan Lane, Marc Maron. Tragedy + Time + Comedy + Healing = Healing. From the immediate after-math of 9/11 to today’s stand-up comedians, talk show hosts, sketch performers, television animators, and entertainers have used often-controversial jokes to unite and heal in the face of tragedy. Q&A to follow.
8 PM – The day will culminate with a screening of Ahmed Ahmed’s documentary Just Like Us, followed by a Q&A with the comedian. Through the art of stand-up comedy in four countries in the Middle East, the documentary uproots the widely held misconception that Arabs have no sense of humor. A hilarious tour from Dubai to Beirut, Riyadh to New York. Whitney Cummings, Tommy Davidson, Sebastian Maniscalco, Tom Papa and more.
Sunday, October 6th
4 PM – Ahmed Ahmed Comedy Special Premiere ‘It Only Takes One of Us.’ Award-winning filmmaker, stand-up comedian and actor, (Sullivan & Son, Iron Man, You Don’t Mess with the Zohan) brings his latest comedy special to the PSICF.
On the opening weekend of the festival, founder Paul Cruz presented a special Hall of Fame Award to Ahmed Ahmed at the PSICF Comedy Awards, a true surprise for the comedian.
5:30 PM – The festival will culminate with the live comedy showcase Ahmed Ahmed & Friends. The Egyptian American comedian will be joined by four of his comedy friends for a laugh out loud live show.
The perfect way to close the festival!
The Palm Springs International Comedy Festival (PSICF) is a premier annual event celebrating the art of comedy in all its forms. Featuring a diverse array of performances, films, stand-up, sketch comedy, and improv, PSICF attracts top-tier comedic talent and filmmakers from around the globe. This year’s films include Brandon Tamburri’s Plan B, starring John Heder, Jamie Lee, Shannon Elizabeth, and Tom Berenger; Caden Douglas’ Mother Father Sister Brother Frank with Mindy Cohn and Enrico Colantoni; Jeremy Warner’s Villains Inc. starring Colin Mochrie and Jeff Davis of Whose Line Is It Anyway?; Michael Schlesinger’s Rock & Doris (Try to) Write A Movie with Marilu Henner (Man On The Moon, Taxi) and actor/director Joe Regalbuto (Murphy Brown, Veronica’s Closet); and pilots starring cast members from The Daily Show, Orange Is The New Black, RuPaul’s Drag Race, NYPD Blue, and more! The festival is committed to nurturing new talent while honoring comedy legends, making it a significant influencer in the comedy world.
The Palm Springs International Comedy Festival Tickets, Sat, Oct 5, 2024 at 12:00 PM | Eventbrite
