Family friendly? Despite its reputation for edgy films, Sundance also has inoffensive fare

Over the years, the Sundance Film Festival has been called many things. Family-friendly is not one of them.

The festival has featured the debuts of such decidedly R-rated filmmakers Quentin Tarantino ("Reservoir Dogs" in 1992), Kevin Smith ("Clerks," 1994) and Craig Brewer ("Hustle & Flow," 2005), among others.

And Sundance films haven't always gone over well, especially in conservative Utah County. In 1995 and 2000, films at Orem's SCERA Showhouse — the PG-13 comedy "Miami Rhapsody" and the R-rated Spanish drama "The Butterfly's Tongue," respectively — became controversial choices, and the latter had a few community leaders considering cutting ties with the festival.

But as festival director/programmer Geoffrey Gilmore puts it, Sundance "has a history of showing diverse and groundbreaking films." And sometimes that means there are films that push the envelope, and a few buttons.

"The festival is always programmed according to artistic merits, not according to content," he said. "There are few examples of films that appeal to everyone."

Still, Gilmore and other festival officials are aware that their taste and that of Utahns don't always jibe. So they are trying to be sensitive to those concerns.

Last year Sundance released its first "community guide," in conjunction with members of the Provo-Orem Chamber of Commerce. That guide has returned this year, listing more than 22 films, most of which have been deemed appropriate for all ages, as well as a handful that feature some violent content or language — but nothing R-rated.

"This list is meant to be a simple guide to festival films for an audience that is interested in appropriate content," Gilmore said. "It showcases the diversity of the films and illustrates the range of work that is presented each year at the festival."

All festival categories are included, and there are several international features in the mix. Included are documentaries "Autism Every Day," "For the Bible Tells Me So," "In the Shadow of the Moon" and "Manufactured Landscapes," as well as the dramatic features "Away From Her" and "Grace Is Gone."

Gilmore did caution that most of the films in the festival have not received MPAA ratings yet, and he noted that the programmers "are not involved or educated in the (industry's voluntary film-rating) process."

"The programmers are using their best judgment in recommending these films," he said.