She Did It!: 8 RIVETING Films Directed by Women: Desert Hearts

She Did It!: 8 RIVETING Films Directed by Women

The Palm Springs Cultural Center brings you a season of films directed by women. And we think our timing is pretty good, too! Curated by Deserted Films.

It all begins on September 8th, and lasts through Spring of 2025.

It's about women. And it’s about time.

COLLECT THE WHOLE SET!

Oct. 6: Desert Hearts (1985) Donna Deitch

Helen Shaver and Patricia Chabonneau star in this desert-set romance that follows Vivian (Shaver), a professor staying in Reno for a quick divorce. Vivian meets Cay (Chabonneau) whose openness and free spirit captivate her…and the audience. This is a landmark film, in part, because it handles the ensuing relationship with such dexterity. Stellar performances help! It’s also a textbook case of independent fundraising (grants and individual investors with faith in the project backed it). Donna Deitch’s careful, pitch perfect direction is so good it’s deceptive…almost transparent (maybe the result of her years making documentaries). This is a film that, nearly 40 years later, deserves another look. Why settle for watching it at home?! 

“She just reached in and put a string of lights around my heart.”

Host or Publisher Palm Springs Cultural Center