Hollywood 'circus' settles in for Sundance Film Festival

PARK CITY — Lex Luthor is in town but don't worry, if he tries anything, the new Mr. Spock and Obi Wan Kenobi are here, too.

So is the Elven princess Arwen — oh and Spider-Man for good measure.

All of those actors — Kevin Spacey, Zachary Quinto, Ewan McGregor, Liv Tyler and Tobey Maguire — have or are expected to arrive as part of one of the world's most important and respected film festivals. Yes, Utah, the Sundance Film Festival has returned, brought to you, as always, by that lovable rogue, the Sundance Kid (also known as Robert Redford).

It started in 1978 as a way to showcase American films made outside of the Hollywood machine and to boost potential for filmmaking in Utah. In 1981, it moved from Salt Lake City to Park City. This year's event runs through Jan. 30 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and at select screenings in nine cities around the country.

Once upon a time, organizers pitched films to the public as it walked past the single official theater (the Egyptian in Park City). Now it must filter through 10,000 film submissions, deal with worldwide media requests (Lois Lane/Kate Bosworth is in a Sundance film and in Utah) and handle gobs of A-list talent and the entourage that comes with any film — even small ones.

And yes, part of that media circus comes because the beautiful and talented of Hollywood participate with low-budget filmmakers in the name of art and then hang out along the Wasatch Front to promote the final result. It also attracts what festival director John Cooper called "the riff-raff" in the festival's opening day press conference. Not even the Sundance Kid and Elf Legolas (Orlando Bloom, also expected) can keep the festival safe from autograph seekers, opportunistic marketers, celebrity obsession and Paris Hilton.

Among the four films that opened the festival Thursday night was "The Guard," which stars Don Cheadle as an FBI agent chasing an international drug smuggling ring.

He said that premiering the film at Sundance "is just a testament to what we were able to pull off and we're just very proud."

For a first-time director/screenwriter, this creates opportunities.

Brendan Gleeson, of "Harry Potter" fame, plays the title character, and he, too, says having the film debut here is big.

"Oh, it's extraordinary to be here, it really is, it's such an important festival for everybody," he said. "Gives independent film a real platform to a real audience, an interested audience, so it's wonderful."