Big names in Sundance films

If Robert Redford wasn't a big enough name to pique your interest in the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, there are always these as well: Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell, Robert De Niro, Meg Ryan, Bruce Willis, Michael Keaton and music groups Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and U2.

All of them are featured in, or were involved in the production of, movies that will be featured in the 2008 event. So, most if not all of them are expected to attend the premier showcase for independent film, which runs Jan. 17-27 in a variety of Park City and Salt Lake City locations.

Sundance announced its premieres and non-competition features, which include the Spectrum, Frontier and Park City at Midnight categories, on Thursday. Among the highlights:

• Farrell and Ralph Fiennes star in the comic thriller "In Bruges," which will open the festival Jan. 18, in Park City's Eccles Center.

• Hanks produced and is rumored to have a supporting role in "The Great Buck Howard," a comic starring his son, Colin, and John Malkovich. That film will be featured in the Salt Lake City Gala at the Rose Wagner Center Jan. 18.

• "CSNY Deja Vu," a documentary feature about the group's "Freedom of Speech Tour," will close the festival. (The exact time and location of that event has not been determined.)

"U2 3D" is a concert film shot during the "Vertigo" tour, using multiple 3-D cameras to enhance the experience.

• Willis co-stars in the "Assassination of a High School President." Ryan is featured in "The Deal," which was co-written by William H. Macy, and Keaton directed the thriller "The Merry Gentleman."

• Redford has more than his usual reasons to be at Sundance. His daughter Amy directed the premiere film "The Guitar." (She also co-stars in "Sunshine Cleaning," one of the festival's competition selections.)

• Veteran directors Barry Levinson and George Romero also have new films debuting at the festival. Levinson's Hollywood satire "What Just Happened?" features De Niro, Willis and Sean Penn.

And Romero's "Diary of the Dead" will be featured in the festival's popular midnight movies series.

Festival Director Geoff Gilmore insisted that Sundance "is still about films, not stars.

"It's just the nature of the beast," Gilmore said. "Independent film has become more and more acceptable, which explains why you have these people involved in movies that aren't Hollywood blockbusters."

Also, he said the 120-plus features were chosen "based on their quality, not just because of recognizable faces and names. These are very strong films."

Earlier this week the festival announced the 64 films that are scheduled to play in its dramatic, documentary and World Cinema competition categories.

As always, the festival will also feature panel discussions, a music cafe, parties (both official and unofficial) and much more during its 10-day run.

For a full list of films scheduled to play during the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and ticket information, go to www.sundance.org/festival.

---

E-mail: jeff@desnews.com