CineVegas begins tonight

Friday, June 11, 2004 | 9:46 a.m.

The CineVegas Film Festival has arrived.

In its sixth year, the nine-day festival, which kicks off tonight at Brenden Theatres Las Vegas 14, features nearly 70 shorts, documentaries and feature films.

The festival kicks off at 7:30 with "D.E.B.S.," a film about a teen crime-fighting force.

For ticket information, go to: www.cinevegas.com or call 992-7979.

Some event highlights include:

Jack Nicholson will receive the Marquee Award for his lifetime's contribution to film.

Sean Penn, his wife, Robin Wright Penn, and Holly Hunter will receive the inaugural Half-Life Award for their contributions to their profession at a young age.

Dean Stockwell will receive the inaugural Changed My Life Award for his work in the 1948 film "The Boy With Green Hair." The award represents the ability of a film to resonate beyond the theater.

David Lynch, Bruce Conner, Julian Schnabel will receive the CineVegas Vanguard Director Award for their achievements in film.

"We still want the heart and soul of the festival to be new films from young and emerging U.S. filmmakers," Trevor Groth, director of programming for CineVegas, said. "But by doing the tributes, we want to generate exposure and interest in the festival itself. And by doing so, people will come and discover these brand-new terrific films."

Among the film highlights, Groth recommends:

"A League of Ordinary Gentlemen," "Mitchellville," "Until the Night," "Malachance," "Luck," "Riding Giants," "Napoleon Dynamite" and "DIG!"