KCET Desert Cities will launch a series of eight Hollywood, independent, documentary and foreign films on Sept. 24 at the Cinemas Palme d’Or in Palm Desert.

The KCET Desert Cities Cinema series, which is an off-shoot of the parent station’s popular Los Angeles film series, will run through Nov. 12.

The film series will give movie lovers a pre-release look at upcoming films along with a question/answer session hosted by Pete Hammond, long-running host of the Los Angeles film series.

Following an opening reception at 6 p.m., “The Lucky Ones,” starring Tim Robbins, Rachel McAdams and Michael Peña opens the weekly series at 7 p.m. Director Neil Burger (“The Illusionist,” 2006) will be on hand to discuss the film with Hammond after the film.

Other films in the series will include “How To Lose Friends and Alienate People,” with Gillian Anderson, Jeff Bridges and Kirsten Dunst; “Rachel Getting Married,” with Anne Hathaway and directed by Jonathan Demme; and “I’ve Loved You So Long,” from France and starring Kristin Scott Thomas.

Tickets for the eight week series are $75 for current KCET members or $80 for non-members. All proceeds from the film series benefit KCET Desert Cities.

Tickets can be ordered by phone at 327-0918 or online at kcetdesertcities@kcet.org.

Cinemas Palme d’Or is located in the Westfield Palm Desert shopping center at 72840 Highway 111.

source: mydesert.com