Sundance: Today's the start of reel excitement

"In Bruges" debuts in Park City's Eccles Theatre tonight, and Farrell is among the bigger-name celebrities expected to attend the 10-day, independent-cinema event.

Others stars with tentative RSVPs include Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis, Robert De Niro, Meg Ryan, Michael Keaton and music groups Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and U2.

Hanks produced and co-stars in "The Great Buck Howard," which is the centerpiece Salt Lake City Gala on Friday. He is also expected to introduce the film at the Rose Wagner Center that night.

The Salt Lake City Gala is part of continuing efforts to expand the festival's "local presence," which pleases Redford. ("The festival did start there, after all," he noted.)

He said he's also pleased to see so many first-time filmmakers with works in the festival, as well as the continuing emphases on World Cinema and documentaries. "That's really where the best filmmaking is coming from these days."

Still, there are those stars and the accompanying "stargazers." They're expected at many of the Park City and Salt Lake screenings, as well as the festival parties — both the official and unofficial ones.

Other 2008 festival events include the Music Cafe and an online film festival that features selected shorts from this year and previous years' events.

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If you go ...

What: Sundance Film Festival '08

Where: Various venues (Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden, Sundance resort)

When: Through Jan. 27

How much: $15 ($10 wait-list tickets)

Phone: 435-776-7878

Web: www.sundance.org/festival

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E-mail: jeff@desnews.com