JOSHUA TREE
INTERNATIONAL FILM FEST
HIGH DESERT FILM FESTIVAL AND EXPERIENCE
JOSHUA TREE
PIONEERTOWN
29 PALMS
MAY
2028
FESTIVAL INFO
ABOUT JTIFF
Before screening rooms, opening credits, and applause, there was the desert. The High Desert has always understood something filmmakers spend entire careers chasing: atmosphere is not decoration — it has a story to tell.
For decades, storytellers of all kinds - filmmakers, musicians, artists, architects, and dreamers - have made their way here to remember what creativity feels like without boundaries. The landscape shape shifts and stirs the soul with stories born of land, light, and possibility. Nightfall arrives like a slow dissolve, so stunning it is humbling, and uplifting.
This modern wild west brings the spirit of the maverick and the outcast - those who have the courage to live on the edge and make art.
From the mythological, cinematic history of Pioneertown to the spiritual vortex that is Joshua Tree, and the rugged splendor of 29 Palms, the increasingly rare properties of time, space, perspective, and the permission to think differently will draw audiences and filmmakers to convene with an inspired authenticity.
THIS IS THE JOSHUA TREE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
LINE UP
(Main Stage)
DROUBLE
(Main Stage)
PHOENIX VALE
(Side Stage)
JØRGEN DOT
(Side Stage)
HOT SAUCE ENSEMBLE
(Side Stage)
THE BLACK BEES
DAY ONE
DAY TWO
(Main Stage)
JOZEL AND BELL
(Main Stage)
CRED.IT
(Main Stage)
WINDY BOIZ
(Side Stage)
VELVET ROSE
WHAT TO EXPECT
Great films, great food, great memories
Originally built as a waypost for movie stars of old Westerns, Pioneertown Motel has stood since 1946 as a place for wearied travelers and sun-drunk revelers to seek solace and inspiration.
Set on 180 acres of open high desert at the edge of Joshua Tree National Park, RESET puts its 65 rooms in sleek, container-style cabins facing the mountains.
A Collection of Design-Centric Accommodations In The High Desert with a focus on world-class style, service and amenities.
One mile from Joshua Tree National Park, Sacred Sands offers boutique rooms with private soaking tubs and open-air showers, while sister property Lobo Luna is a secluded full-home retreat for up to four.
Tucked among native desert flora, each one-of-a-kind Hotel Wren room is designed to cultivate harmony of space and self. Spacious and breezy, the rooms pair hand-selected vintage furniture and art with custom millwork by Manola Studio.
AutoCamp Joshua Tree is a luxury glamping resort located 10 minutes from Joshua Tree National Park. The property features a heated pool, a stylish clubhouse with dining, and custom 31-foot Airstreams or modern cabins equipped with private fire pits.
The Mojave Sands Motel is a walled desert retreat centered on a koi reflecting pond and lush landscaping. Its five boutique rooms each have a private patio, walk-in tile shower, live-edge walnut bed, and a record player with vinyl, and two suites add kitchenettes.
Rimrock Ranch is a 36-acre retreat in Pioneertown, originally built as a weekend getaway for western stars like Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. Guests can stay in rustic cabins, vintage Airstreams, or the architecturally celebrated Hatch House, just minutes from live music at Pappy and Harriet's.
Less than a half a mile from the northern entrance to Joshua Tree National Park, Ramsey 29 is a place to hang your hat, make new friends, count the stars, and ease into the quiet pace of desert life.
WHERE TO STAY
A Mane Street saloon that was originally built in 1946 and now serves Tex-Mex favorites like wagyu beef tacos, queso, tortas, and weekend breakfast burritos, alongside cocktails made with fresh, organic ingredients.
The high desert's legendary honky-tonk. It is a restaurant, saloon, and music venue that was originally built as a movie set, known for mesquite-grilled BBQ and big-name live shows.
A historic restaurant at the Yucca Valley Airport, around since the 1950s, when regulars included Frank Sinatra and Gene Autry. It has been restored as a retro supper club with martinis, live music, and runway-and-mountain views.
A bar and restaurant with a vintage desert aesthetic: a rustic retro-style diner, a front patio, and a bar with a '70s western/biker vibe. It serves comfort food like burgers and tacos with handcrafted cocktails.
A casual, artsy pizza joint on Old Woman Springs Road with creative pies, craft drinks, and frequent live music. It's a locals' favorite and an easy stop on the way to or from the real Giant Rock.
This grew out of a Joshua Tree Farmers Market booth offering hyper-seasonal, produce-driven ice creams and sorbets. It now also serves specialty coffee, matcha, pastries, and seafood-driven lunch and dinner menus with Japanese aesthetics and Californian sensibilities, plus a cocktail bar.
A roadside bakery with a giant Joshua Tree out front. It specializes in hand-kneaded, small-batch sourdough, plus cardamom buns, croissants, and savory danishes. Go early, since the breads sell out fast, and grab sandwiches for a post-hike lunch.
An art-filled bar that serves scratch-made bar food late into the night. Standouts include smash burgers and its famous Pickletini, and there's billiards too.
A Joshua Tree institution known for egg dishes, griddle items, and hearty Mexican breakfasts like huevos rancheros, plus burgers and tacos. The quirky décor includes taxidermy and beer-can lights.
The Big Dez is the larger sister spot to the original Dez, with a broader menu, plenty of seating, and beer and wine. The original tiny café is just half a block away and remains the go-to for a quick latte and breakfast panini to go.
Owners Nikki Hill and Claire Wadsworth run this daytime café, which grew out of their catering business and food truck. Their seasonal, ingredient-driven "high desert" menu makes it one of the most acclaimed meals in the region and well worth the drive up Old Woman Springs Road.
A sourdough pizza shop right outside the National Park's West Entrance with inventive pizzas and good vegan and gluten-free options. It's an easy stop after a day in the park.
A casual restaurant and bar with a heavy Old West aesthetic serving burgers and pub fare from lunch until late, often with live music or karaoke.
A small, family-run breakfast and lunch spot on the highway in town. It's known for classic American diner plates alongside Cambodian specialties.
The restaurant at the historic inn beside the Oasis of Mara. It's an upscale yet unfussy eatery serving farm to table with produce from its own garden.
A gastropub with inventive comfort food, cold beer after a big hike, house burgers, and live music.
It serves New American and Caribbean cuisine on an expansive patio decorated with vintage mining equipment and murals located minutes from the National Park's North Entrance.
A brewpub and coffee shop from the GRND SQRL team. It brews beer on-site and serves smashburgers and loaded hot dogs, with a spacious back patio. It's located right next to the Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center in 29 Palms.
WHERE
TO EAT
MEET OUR PARTNERS
STAY TUNED
JOSHUA TREE
INT'L FILM FESTIVAL
MAY 2028