The Mill Valley Film Festival wrapped up here this week and as in years past the films themselves were the focus. Outside of New York, the Bay Area is one of the top markets for independent and foreign films, in part because the populace is diverse and highly educated. The Mill Valley festival draws more
filmmakers and producers than celebrity-struck fans, which is just fine for the people showing the films -- they'd rather see word of mouth race through the industry, so they can get distribution deals, than their picture in the latest issue of People magazine.

"We have 37 films, and 27 of them have never been seen before in this country,'' said Mark Fishkin, the festival's executive director.

MillValleysometimes showcases stars who have not yet made the A-list, but will. Examples include Geoffrey Rush, whose "Shine" played at the festival, and Brenda Blethyn, who later was nominated for an Academy Award for "Secrets and Lies,'' also a festival offering.

"It's not about marketing, it's not about the audience, it's not about the competition -- we have no prize,'' said another of the festival's co-creators, Rita Cahill. "It's about the joy and celebration of film. Filmmakers around the world respect that.''

One of the highlights of this years event was the presentation of Kris Lefcoe’s “Public Domain’. The outspoken director flew in from Toronto and attended her screenings along with cast member Nicole DeBoer and a couple of producers in tow. The film, a wry cultural satire that senior programmer Karen
Davis aptly described as "Queen for a Day done by Michel Foucault," is about a surveillance-based game show that awards cash prizes for the contestant with the most pathetic life.

“When I first thought of the concept for this film, it seemed like science fiction. The idea that television producers would resort to breaking into houses in order to find something “real” to broadcast…well, that moment has arrived. Once the very possibility of this situation exists, reality ceases to. Every moment of our experience in this life is already an exploitable commodity, pre- consumed in the form of entertainment pleasure.”   claimed Kris. The writer director went on to say, ”This is the logical extension of the idea of surveillance as entertainment. I've been fascinated by this
phenomenon for years, and my short films have all been informed by a suspicion of cameras, which, by the way, do steal our souls. Cameras and the media have been treated as a virus in my work, and these days the virus is taking over. “

The groundbreaking  feature recently took top honors at the Beverly Hills Film Festival and debuts in the UK at the Foyle film festival later this year. “Rather than adopt the aesthetic of contemporary American reality programming, Public Domain has a style of its own. I envisioned a game show run by well-intentioned intellectuals that coldly quantifies the lives of its contestants using existential categories. The ironic result is the most exploitative and invasive show ever on TV. And stay tuned, because I'm sure a show just like Public Domain can't be too far off. How "true" or "real" will any of our moments be in the future, once the omnipresence of cameras is assumed?"

The festival's opening-night gala Thursday was sandwiched between the high-profile vice presidential and presidential debates, and came on the heels of this summer's series of political films, including Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11." Politics seems to be on everyone's minds right now, including the
directors of the opening-night movies: Marc Forster of "Finding Neverland'' and David O. Russell of "I?Huckabees." The film festival also features several movies from regions involved in the national political debate, such as Iran and Iraq.

Forster, who also directed "Monster's Ball," departs from heavier themes with "Neverland,'' a story about J.M. Barrie, the Scottish playwright who created Peter Pan (played by Johnny Depp). But Forster said at the reception before the screening that his film is "present for the present moment.'' It has themes that are important for the times we live in, he said, and without them, "life would be hopeless.''

The main theme is the idea of imagination -- "if you believe in something, you can change, we can change,'' he said. "There's so much pain in the world, and if you look around the globe, it's very sad. I hope the film inspires people to believe in themselves and use their imagination to create a different
reality for themselves.''

Forster, who came up from Los Angeles for the festival, will be in and out of the Bay Area in the coming weeks to work at Skywalker Ranch in postproduction on "Stay,'' a film about a psychiatrist who is trying to keep a suicidal patient alive.

Russell, who also came from Los Angeles for the festival, said that part of the reason his film, a comedy with spiritual and political undertones, did well on its opening weekend (it was the highest per-screen average of any film this year) is that it's making people think and pertains to the current
cultural climate.

"I'd like to think that (President George W.) Bush made politics matter again for smart people who didn't think that politics mattered anymore,'' he said. "They didn't know what they had until they lost
it.''

But the political theme won't be denied, and to that end Program Director Zoe Elton cited these films from this year's program: "Zaman, the Man From the Reeds,'' the first movie from Iraq in 15 years; "The Canary," from Iran but set in Palestine; and "Battleground,'' a documentary on Iraq.

"Born Into Brothels," by Zana Briski and co-director and co-writer Ross Kaufman, is about a photographer who went to Calcutta to document the lives of poor women and was drawn to the children of prostitutes instead. She spent several years with them, giving them cameras and teaching them photography for self-expression and empowerment.

Hundreds of festival-goers accepted the inconvenience of having to drive to venues in San Rafael and Corte Madera after the roof of Mill Valley's Sequoia Theater collapsed in August.

After the screenings, guests gathered at the Mill Valley Community Center for a party with buffet and drinks, but sans directors or celebrities.

Dustin Hoffman, who appears in both opening-night films, sent his regrets via a video message.

That didn't bother first-time festival-goers Sandra Kim and Marcelo Canut de Bon of San Francisco. At least, not much.
Dane Alan Smith

"We're here to support the festival,'' said Kim, a marketing specialist. "I'm deeply disappointed,'' said
Canut de Bon. "Where's George Lucas? I was hoping to see him in the bathroom, at least.''