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Palm Springs Film Festival

The first A-list event of the season—the Palm Springs Film Festival opening gala—took place last night, and the celebrities were cadging for Oscars. Whose acceptance speech needs work? The Daily Beast’s Rachel Syme reports.

Published Jan. 7 2009 4:24AM EST

galleries/2009/01/07/palm-springs-film-festival/palm-springs-hathaway_dyqryb — Chris Pizzello/AP

galleries/2009/01/07/palm-springs-film-festival/palm-springs-hathaway_rwrbpp — The Rachel Getting Married star on the red carpet for the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala in Palm Springs, Calif., Tuesday.
Chris Pizzello/AP

galleries/2009/01/07/palm-springs-film-festival/palm-springs-langella_us3oxu — The Frost/Nixon actor and director arrive for the Awards Gala.
Chris Pizzello/AP

galleries/2009/01/07/palm-springs-film-festival/palm-springs-pinto_r0pdap — The breakout star of Slumdog Millionaire attends the Awards Gala.
Chris Pizzello/AP

galleries/2009/01/07/palm-springs-film-festival/palm-springs-eastwood-2_lk1xyw — The Gran Torino actor speaks onstage at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Tuesday.
Michael Buckner/Getty Images

galleries/2009/01/07/palm-springs-film-festival/palm-springs-penn_jo0ctw — Milk's Sean Penn addresses the crowd Tuesday.
Michael Buckner/Getty Images

galleries/2009/01/07/palm-springs-film-festival/palm-springs-hoffman_bh48xj — The actor embraces Ben Stiller onstage Tuesday.
Michael Buckner/Getty Images

galleries/2009/01/07/palm-springs-film-festival/palm-springs-stiller_jsnbqz — The comic does a quick round with Dustin Hoffman onstage Tuesday.
Michael Buckner/Getty Images

galleries/2009/01/07/palm-springs-film-festival/palm-springs-fanning_a0u0rp — The young actress greets fans at the festival on Tuesday.
Alexandra Wyman/WireImage

galleries/2009/01/07/palm-springs-film-festival/palm-springs-brolin_vvpfba — The W. star addressed the audience on Tuesday.
Michael Buckner/Getty Images

galleries/2009/01/07/palm-springs-film-festival/palm-springs-howard_sce1n0 — Howard accepted the Director's Lifetime Achievement Award from the festival on Tuesday.
John Shearer/WireImage

galleries/2009/01/07/palm-springs-film-festival/palm-springs-adams_twey5p — The Doubt star beamed on stage.
Michael Buckner/Getty Images

galleries/2009/01/07/palm-springs-film-festival/palm-springs-eastwood-1_js5ays — The actors posed backstage on Tuesday.
Alexandra Wyman/WireImage