Things To Do In Los Angeles: Pioneertown International Film Festival

Friday, June 3, 2022

Pioneertown International Film Festival

By Eric Harris

Pioneertown International Film Festival

Movies, Cowboys, Indians, dust storms, brutal desert heat, horses, more dust, live music, Joshua trees, big rocks, little rocks, celebrities, a handsome hat-wearing goat, filmmakers, pie fights, starry skies… If you’re an Old West Hollywood Cowboy, or just play one on TV, then the Pioneertown International Film Festival is something to keep your eyes on.

On Friday, May 27, the Things to Do in LA team attended the opening day for the inaugural Pioneertown International Film Festival. TTDILA has been following this film festival’s progress for years because the idea for a Pioneertown film festival is one the more interesting concepts we have come across in a long time. The Pioneertown Film Festival combines old and new western cinema, shorts, music, history, fun branding, and the Hollywood Wild West into one three-day event.

TTDILA presents to you the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the event.

Desert Willow Ranch

The Good

An international western-themed film festival set in Pioneertown is such a cool idea. There is so much Hollywood history here and it’s refreshing to see people preserve and promote the Western cinema genre. Pioneertown is a small community and living film set located near Joshua Tree National Park in southeastern California. The location has been featured in hundreds of television shows, movies, music videos, and commercials. It’s an iconic location for a Western-themed film festival. The surrounding hills and deserts provide a spectacular background for pictures and video.

Nearby Joshua Tree National Park

Film programming included a diverse range of Western and Western-inspired films ranging from a 30th anniversary year screening of the animated classic, An American Tail: Fievel Goes West with a Q&A session by director Phil Nibbelink to Western Horror with a screening of From Dusk Till Dawn with original story writer, co producer, and special effects creator Robert Kurtzman. There was even a screening of a Quentin Tartantino-esque Ukrainian Western Ninja hybrid cowboy flick The Inglorious Serfs with a Q&A session by Director Roman Perfilyev.

The rustic Pioneertown Soundstage

The opening night film was the world premiere of The Last Manhunt starring Jason Momoa. (Aquaman on a horse? Not really this author’s thing, but that’s cool.) The closing night film was Alexandre O. Philippe’s Western documentary, The Taking. The festival also featured live music, panels, cinematography masterclasses, and other entertainment.

Fistful of Bourbon Bar

Musical acts included The Dandy Warhols and The Sons of the Pioneers. There was also live music at the rustic open-air bar which helped “cowboy things up” and set the ambiance while also providing much-needed shade and respite from the burning desert sun.

Pioneertown Bank, Barber, Bath House, and Livery

The overall film festival, from what we observed, was well done for a new film festival. There were some minor hiccups, but nothing too objectionable from TTDILA’s perspective. For example, parking was confusing because the desert wind blew down some of the parking signs, and we had issues with scheduling the shuttle service that connected the venues.

Blowing dust

The Bad

There is no way to escape the fact that Pioneertown is a remote, inconvenient location. The festival venues are approximately 130 miles from Los Angeles, 160 miles from San Diego, 210 miles from Las Vegas, and 36 miles from the Palm Springs International Airport. Cellular phone reception in and around Pioneertown and Joshua Tree is limited. There are limited lodging options in the immediate area and only two restaurants—Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace and Red Dog Saloon—are within walking distance of the festival.

Cowboy Red Carpet

The location shouldn’t be an absolute deal killer to hardcore Western fans (you know who you are!). Let’s face it, the location is a major part of the festival’s charm. However, to non-Western enthusiasts, Pioneertown will be a challenge.

General Mercantile Shop

The Ugly

Festival pricing was excessively aggressive. Tickets started at $259 for a three-day festival pass with an additional $59 service fee tacked on. VIP tickets were even more expensive.

Live music

Pioneertown T-Shirts, posters, and bandanas were also “ambitiously” priced. The TTDILA team loved the festival branding. The Pioneertown logo, posters, and everything were well designed. This event was one of the few occasions where TTDILA members wanted to purchase festival swag, however… $39 for a T-shirt? $29 for a bandana? $169 for the limited-edition posters? No, no, and no. This is an absolute shame, because the Pioneertown Film festival branding is so on point with its design.

Line for the world premiere of The Last Manhunt

Conclusion

The Pioneertown International Film Festival has tremendous potential. While the ticket prices are, in our view, excessive, and the Pioneertown location remote and inconvenient, Western and neo-Western cinephiles will welcome this film festival.

Perhaps the biggest limitation of the Pioneertown International Film Festival is the nature of the now somewhat niche Western content. Western cinema has a specific audience. If you enjoy Western cinema enough to commit to three days in the authentic Hollywood Wild West, then you will absolutely adore the Pioneertown International Film Festival.

Saddle up! Tickets for the Memorial Day weekend 2023 Pioneertown International Film Festival go on sale Summer 2022. www.pioneertownfilmfest.com

TTDILA's Jonathan Bilski (left) and Eric Harris (right)

TTDILA Tip

If driving to Pioneertown during daytime, we highly recommend taking a scenic drive through Joshua Tree National Park. Driving though Joshua Tree adds several hours of driving and exploring time each way, but is well worth the drive. Take the South entrance and drive North and West if driving to Pioneertown. Or reverse these directions if driving away from Pioneertown. The cost is $30 for a seven-day private vehicle pass. Joshua Tree National Park is spectacular!