[phileysmiley]

<img src="http://parcom.pronetworks.org/images/1209sun1.JPG" align="right" alt="park city utah"></img><font color="maroon">by Larry Richman </font>
<font color="gray" size="1">December 13, 2008 9:54 PM</font>

Is it worth going to the Sundance Film Festival? The short answer is, "it depends." It depends on what you're looking for. The focus of the festival has changed over the years. What was once the premiere showcase of cutting-edge, independent film has become more of a glitz and glamour Hollywood studio production replete with stars and the paparazzi that inevitably follow them. Although it's "gained luster" for much of the public, it has also lost the edge it was known for, and other festivals now fill that void. However, being smartly aware of how their reputation within the film community has changed, the programmers have tried to shift the focus back to what it was at the outset.

The first time I attended, I waited for the schedule to come out in mid-December before deciding whether or not to go. Then I selected just a few films. I didn't "do the festival," so to speak. But as the year went on I found myself regretting that decision as more and more films began to show up on my radar which had premiered there. I vowed then that I'd do it up the next time around.

Since then I've gone the whole hog, making the travel arrangements long before the lineup is revealed and seeing as many films as I can. On the one hand, part of me wants to wait for the selections to be announced before deciding if it will be worth my while. On the other hand, the experienced festivalgoer in me knows that there will be many gems among the typically unfamiliar names on that list and a little faith is all that's needed.

I've learned that part of the excitement of a festival is picking a film which I might not otherwise have chosen to see, and feeling as if I've discovered something special. Of course, the festival programmers are the ones who really have to do the picking and choosing, and as filmgoers we have to put our trust in them.

So, as I said at the outset, it depends on what you're looking for. If you are the type who wants to know what you're getting into ahead of time, demanding that the two hours spent in the theater (plus up to an hour waiting in line) be worth the time and money, then it might not be for you. But if you are the kind of film fan who has a broad range of tastes and is humble enough to enter a theater with an open mind, it's definitely worth it.

I'll be there.