[1] As usual, throughout late 2023, several special awards were announced, which were presented at the Opening Gala on January 4, 2023, at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

Martin Scorsese's western drama Killers of the Flower Moon received the Vanguard Award.

[2] The Desert Palm Achievement for Best Actor and Best Actress went to Cillian Murphy and Emma Stone for their performances in Oppenheimer and Poor Things, respectively.

British actress Carey Mulligan won the International Star Award for Maestro.

The Spotlight Award went to Colman Domingo for Rustin and Danielle Brooks for The Color Purple.