The 14th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival, which runs from Jan 9-20 2003, kicks off on Dec 19 with a pre-release special screening of Chicago.

The Broadway adaptation is expected to be one of Miramax's jewels in the crown during the awards season and stars Rene Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah and John C Reilly. It is released in the US on Dec 27. In keeping with the theme, the picture's noted costume designer Colleen Atwood will receive the Jean Luis Award for Achievement in Costume Design from director Rob Marshall and screenwriter Bill Condon.

The full schedule for the festival will be announced before the screening by incoming executive director Mitch Levine and director of programming Jennifer Stark.