Film festival brings lesser-known flicks to the masses

Kimberley McGee

Wednesday, June 2, 1999 | 10:20 a.m.

It's been less than a year but the annual Las Vegas International Film Festival has prepared another feast of 40 films that have may have otherwise slipped by local cinema connoisseurs.

"These are films that you normally don't get to see," Diane Phillips, the festival's executive director, says. "It's a celebration of film."

The festival, now in its second year, runs Thursday through June 11 at the Century Orleans 12 theaters, featuring films ranging from the sexually explicit "Sex: The Annabel Chong Story" to the more mainstream "Theory of Flight."

Phillips decided to open the festival with the world premiere of "The Hiding Place," a drama about Alzheimer's disease, starring Oscar winner Kim Hunter ("A Streetcar Named Desire") at 7 p.m. Thursday. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Alzheimer's research.

"We try to make a lot of our films, certainly (on) opening night, a charity event," Phillips says. "With this movie, the content is excellent. It's a world premiere but, especially, it gives us a chance to give back to a worthwhile charity."

At 1:30 p.m. Friday, Hunter will introduce the restored director's cut of Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire" -- she played Stella Kowalski opposite Marlon Brando -- which includes the overtly sexual scenes removed from the original film in 1951.

"There is someone coming out for every film," Phillips says.

Among the notables: Actor/director Morgan Freeman and cast members will answer questions about "Desert Blue," filmed in Goldfield, 175 miles north of Las Vegas, and actress Angie Dickinson will discuss Brian De Palma's original cut of "Dressed to Kill."

"This is what a film festival is all about," Phillips says. "Seeing the films, expanding (viewers') horizons, but also seeing the (people involved with the film) there and remembering the film and hearing the ins and outs of it and (being) able to ask questions."

The festival also offers industry advice with eight seminars and workshops for acting and screenwriting, as well as selling film scripts, ideas and even themselves to Hollywood.

Although the festival drew 300 film entrees -- double that of last year -- Phillips limited the number of pictures screened and extended the festival's length so that viewers have more opportunities to catch the films.

"Last year, because of the limited amount of days, we couldn't show the movies twice," Phillips says, adding that it's important for everyone to get a chance to see the films, as it may be their only chance to view them locally.

"(A) festival means to me that everybody should not only learn, but have a good time," she says.

Expect the festival to return annually in its current large-scale form every June, and in smaller form for "celebrations" to be held throughout the year, including one planned for October.