Crowds formed a long line from the entrance of the Annenberg Theater all the way around the building, extending even to the sidewalk of the street, before the theater opened for the screening of Chinese director Feng Xiaogang's film Back to 1942.

Such a sight is not unique at the 25th Palm Springs International Film Festival. A day earlier, when Indian film Lakshmi was shown, a similar long line wound up the street.

More than 15 films from Asia were featured at the festival, and several Asian filmmakers have traveled to attend the festival with their films and conduct a Q&A with the audience after each screening.