Skip to content
Harold Matzner
  • Home
  • Film Festival
  • Palm Springs
  • Press

2019 palm springs international film festival

Olivia Colman to Receive Desert Palm Achievement Award Actress at 30th Annual PSIFF

January 17, 2019 by Harold Matzner

Olivia Colman will be presented the Desert Palm Achievement Award for her role in The Favourite at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Gala, by co-star Emma …

Read more

Categories Press Tags 2019 palm springs international film festival, Desert Palm Achievement Award, emma stone, olivia colman, the favourite

Palm Springs film festival on pace to set attendance record heading into final weekend

January 17, 2019 by Harold Matzner

With stars like Bradley Cooper, Rami Malek, Melissa McCarthy, and Spike Lee among the recipients, this year’s International Palm Springs Film Festival has been setting attendance …

Read more

Categories Press Tags 2019 palm springs international film festival, bradley cooper, harold matzner, melissa mccarthy, rami malek

The Palm Springs film festival is positioned to survive. L.A.’s didn’t. Here’s why

January 17, 2019 by Harold Matzner

Unlike other film festivals (like the LA Film Fest), the Palm Springs Film Festival has been able to withstand the test of time. With a …

Read more

Categories Press Tags 2019 palm springs international film festival, golden globes, harold matzner, oscar, palm springs

‘Roma’ director Alfonso Cuarón appears on Palm Springs film fest red carpet

January 17, 2019January 17, 2019 by Harold Matzner

Roma director Alfonso Cuaron showed up to the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala ‘s red carpet around 6, seen giving an autograph to a fan. …

Read more

Categories Press Tags 2019 palm springs international film festival, Alfonso Cuarón, harold matzner, Palm Springs International Film Fest Awards Gala, roma

Queen biopic star Rami Malek appears on red carpet at Palm Springs film fest

January 7, 2019 by Harold Matzner

Previously known for his starring role in the Mr. Robot TV series, Malek received a warm welcome at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Film …

Read more

Categories Press Tags 2019 palm springs international film festival, bohemian rhapsody, freddy mercury, harold matzner, mr robot, queen, rami malek

Bradley Cooper arrives to ‘Happy Birthday’ on red carpet at Palm Springs film fest

January 7, 2019 by Harold Matzner

Recipient of the Palm Springs International Film Festival’s Director of the Year Award, Bradley Cooper showed up to the red carpet with the onlooking crowd …

Read more

Categories Press Tags 2019 palm springs international film festival, a star is born, bradley cooper, harold matzner, lady gaga, Palm Springs International Film Fest Awards

Regina King To Be Honored With Chairman’s Award At Palm Springs International Film Festival

December 17, 2018December 11, 2018 by Harold Matzner
Photo Cred: Diana Ragland

For her performance as Sharon Rivers in If Beale Street Could Talk, Regina King will be honored with the Chairman’s Award at the Palm Springs International Film …

Read more

Categories Press Tags 2019 palm springs international film festival, chairmans award, if beale street could talk, regina king

Spike Lee to Receive Palm Springs Festival Career Achievement Award

December 11, 2018 by Harold Matzner

“Spike Lee has been an outstanding warrior for equal rights while creating an iconic body of film and television work over his 30-year career,” says Palm …

Read more

Categories Press Tags 2019 palm springs international film festival, BlacKkKlansman, harold matzner, lifetime achievement award, spike lee

Film News Roundup: Palm Springs Film Festival Honors ‘Green Book’ With Vanguard Award

December 11, 2018November 27, 2018 by Harold Matzner

“Green Book,” starring Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali, will be awarded with the Vanguard Award at the Palm Springs Film Festival. The group honor goes to …

Read more

Categories Press Tags 2019 palm springs international film festival, green book, harold matzner, Mahershala Ali, Viggo Mortensen

Melissa McCarthy To Receive Award At Palm Springs Film Festival

December 11, 2018November 27, 2018 by Harold Matzner

Melissa McCarthy will be presented with the Spotlight Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival by her Can You Ever Forgive Me? co-star, Richard E. Grant. …

Read more

Categories Press Tags 2019 palm springs international film festival, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, harold matzner, melissa mccarthy, spotlight award
Harold Matzner
Entrepreneur, humanitarian, and philanthropist, Harold Matzner, has made his home in the desert for more than 30 years. The owner of Palm Spring’s popular Spencer’s Restaurant and CEO of a NY/NJ based branding, advertising and marketing company, Harold is credited with revitalizing the Palm Springs International Film Festival and founding the successful business concept of targeted “shared mail”.
In 2017, the year of his 80th birthday, Harold was one of the eleven men and women selected nationally by the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans as a member and inducted by Judge Clarence Thomas in the courtroom of the United States Supreme Court. Harold was also honored with a special 24-standard page birthday section in the The Desert Sun and a two-part front page story in Palm Springs Life in the November and December editions. He was honored in November 2017 by the General Patton Memorial Museum with the dedication of the Matzner Tank Pavilion and three World War II operating tanks, and in the same month was honored by the McCallum Theatre for 10 years of service as Chairman and for being the first person to give the Theatre $5 million or more.
He also rescued and revived the world famous Palm Springs Tennis Club and turned its lunchroom into Spencer’s, one of the City’s hottest see-and-be-seen restaurants. Spencer’s is named after his beloved 110-pound Siberian husky. Mr. Matzner is in his 11th year as the Chairman of the Board of the McCallum Theatre, his 14th year as Chairman of the Palm Springs International Film Festival, and is the long-time Executive Vice Chairman of the Palm Springs Art Museum. He serves on the Board of Trustees of the Eisenhower Medical Center and Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center. He also chairs several charity fundraising events each year.
He has received many awards from the charities that he supports. He has been honored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals as the “Philanthropist of the Year”, and for the past six years he has served as Honorary Chair of the local National Philanthropy Day event. He has also been recognized by Gilda’s Club as the “Man of the Year”, by the McCallum Muses as “Man of the Year”, the City of Palm Springs with the “Richard M. Milanovich Community Service Award”, as “Angel of the Year” by Angel View Children’s Foundation, as “Businessperson of the Year” by the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce, the Virginia Waring “Lifetime Achievement Award”, “Richard M. Milanovich Humanitarian Award” by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, and by Desert Samaritan’s as “Samaritan of the Year”, and will be honored in May by the Coachella Valley Symphony, to name a few. Mr. Matzner has been a benefactor to many other non-profits, both here and on the East coast.
Mr. Matzner is one of the Palm Springs valley’s largest donors to philanthropy and has contributed more than $70 million to area non-profits since 2000. Among the many local charities benefiting from his philanthropic efforts are the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center, AIDS Assistance Program, Desert Symphony, American Cancer Society, The Living Desert, Cabot’s Pueblo Museum, Coachella Valley Symphony, General Patton Memorial Museum, ACT for MS, College of the Desert, Eisenhower Medical Center, Desert AIDS Project, Desert Cancer Foundation, Palm Springs Animal Shelter, Jewish Family Services of the Desert, American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), StandWithUs, Neuro Vitality Center, Coachella Valley Repertory Theatre, Temple Isaiah, Bighorn BAM (Behind a Miracle), Tools for Tomorrow, Palm Springs Air Museum, Mizell Senior Center, Well in the Desert, FIND Food Bank, Pegasus Riding Academy, LGBTQ The Center, Equality California, and the Human Rights Campaign.
He is credited with the key leadership role in creating Palm Springs’ Measure J (a 1% sales tax increase that has helped to fund a $200 million downtown revitalization program, while providing an additional surplus of $12 million per year to rebuild the city’s infrastructure). He is a community activist. He earns no money from any of his activities in Palm Springs, including his restaurant, Spencer’s.
Mr. Matzner’s star is located at the foot of his friend Sonny Bono’s statue in the heart of Palm Springs.

Categories

  • Film Festival
  • Press
  • Palm Springs
  • Spencer’s
  • McCallum

Archived Posts

Harold Matzner

In 2017, the year of his 80th birthday, Harold was one of the eleven men and women selected nationally by the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans as a member and inducted by Judge Clarence Thomas.

Follow Us:

Categories

  • Film Festival
  • Press
  • McCallum
  • Palm Springs
  • Spencer’s

Recent Posts

  • Date Change: 2026 Palm Springs International Film Awards Moved To January 3 April 30, 2025
  • Save the Date: The 2026 Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala will be Friday, January 2nd, 2026 April 3, 2025
  • The Palm Springs International ShortFest Returns June 24-30 March 27, 2025
© 2025 Harold Matzner All rights reserved.