Film fest facts: Sundance queries answered — sort of

PARK CITY — If you're among the 2 million or so Utahns who did not attend the Sundance Film Festival in 2002, perhaps you have a few questions about the annual celluloid celebration.

For example: Why can't it be held at Jordan Commons or Landing or somewhere else with comfortable seats that recline?

Answer: Because the Super Dell/Dan the Laptop Man commercials played at those theaters would be highly offensive to our guests, and we don't want to scare them away until they've dropped oodles of cash in Park City.

In that spirit, and with the festival only days away (Thursday), we proudly present this independent film Q&A. Consider it a "Sundance for Dummies" — if for no other reason than it was answered by an expert dummy.

Question: What is the Sundance Film Festival?

Answer: According to Park City and Utah, it's a jackpot. The local economic impact for the 2002 festival was nearly $35 million. (No, that wasn't how much it cost one family to stay in a Deer Valley suite.)

According to Parkites and Utahns, it's a once-in-a-non-Olympic-year chance to rub shoulders with celebrities.

According to the Sundance Institute, it's "an exhibition of work that showcases the best of independent cinema." And that no longer means the films are "independent" of any audiences. Some box office biggies have come out of this elite festival, including "The Blair Witch Project" and "Four Weddings and a Funeral."

More than 100 feature-length films and documentaries, as well as 60 shorts, will be shown during the 10-day event, which runs from Thursday through Jan. 26.

Question: Why is it called Sundance?

Answer: Moonwalk wasn't quite as catchy.

Question: How many people attend Sundance?

Answer: A whole lot. Last year, the festival attracted 14,100 out-of-state visitors and 6,335 Utah residents — or approximately the number of people who stood in line for hours outside of the ROOTS store during the Olympics. Most of the 20-some-odd thousand are PR people, media members and sponsors. Others include directors, actors, entourages, wannabes of the aforementioned, star gawkers, vendors and, yes, even a few art lovers who simply appreciate independent moviemaking.

Question: Why is this held (mostly) at Park City?

Answer: Perhaps because all the resort towns in Colorado, British Columbia and Vermont were too busy taking care of skiers and tourists. Having the Sundance Kid live nearby doesn't hurt, either.

Question: What should I wear if I go?