t seems to be at a point where it needs to be said, so here it is: The Sundance Film Festival is still a showcase for independent films. The world’s top showcase for independent film opens tonight with Stacey Peralta’s “Riding Giants” at the Eccles Theater, and runs through Sunday, Jan. 25, with the usual growing combination of film-lovers, filmmakers, distribution and studio reps and naysayers.

In many ways, Sundance has become the definition of a victim of success. It’s hard to see an underdog in the United States’ biggest film festival, especially when bigwigs, stars and dealmakers are taking ski vacations and talking on hands-free cell phones while standing next to you at the venues.

Since Slamdance started in 1995, many other side festivals (or assemblies, as they must be called due to Park City laws preventing more than one festival occurring at the same time) have started up to showcase films that didn’t make the final programming cut. And Sundance is the man who kept the filmmakers out. These festivals are important to keep Sundance on its toes and afraid to miss the next big thing, but it should also be considered that Sundance makes a solid effort in most of its categories (all but the premieres) to include unestablished filmmakers.

Anyone who’s been to the Cannes Film Festival and seen the lines of uniformed policemen on the giant red carpet know that Sundance is a low-key festival, even if it’s filled with Hollywood types. Part of the reason that so many Sundance films have high-profile stars is that the festival made independent films prestigious projects that actors want to work on because they can have more interesting parts and earn respect.

There are two main reasons for the perception of Sundance as a big-shot elitist festival. One is the flawed and limited programming process that surely leaves some fantastic films out. The other is the annual slate of premiere films. Every regular Sundance attendee has suffered through an irredeemable film wondering how the hell it snuck into competition out of 2,000 submissions. But, and here’s where the claim fails, sometimes these are very small, personal films.

Films like “Killing Time” from 2002 have been cited as examples of the flawed programming system, which gossiping festival-goers often relate to each programmer sticking to getting in one or two films he or she loves rather than working out a fairer system. This charge may be justified and perhaps a programming overhaul is in order, but “Killing Time” is a tiny digital movie with no famous people and no budget. It got in because some of the festival programmers liked it, and while other acclaimed films like “Blue Car” (with bigger actors) were shifted to the American Spectrum category, they still earned a reputation at the festival.

As for the Premiere section, a lot of it is just rubbish. It’s hard talking to anyone about the festival without hearing the question, “How the hell is ‘The Butterfly Effect’ an independent film?” But the section is around for bigger films, and it keeps those films from edging out younger filmmakers in competition. Even a first-time director with connections like Sofia Coppola has been placed in the premieres rather than in competition.

If you go to nothing but premieres, you won’t see that many really interesting films, although there are always some. Many fascinating and daring films like “Northfork” and “Waking Life” have played as premieres, so the category isn’t a complete wash. This year’s festival includes works by Guy Maddin (the strangely intriguing silent-movie-like “The Saddest Music in the World”), Bernardo Bertolucci (“The Dreamers,” which Fox Searchlight is now releasing in its uncut form and with an NC-17 rating, despite previous reports of possible censorship) and Walter Salles (“The Motorcycle Diaries”).

While it might be necessary to watch some dreadful films to find them, nothing beats seeing an amazing work for the first time, like “American Movie,” “Welcome to the Dollhouse,” “All the Real Girls” and whatever we come across this year.

[DAVE: Run as a separate article or with this based on room]
jeremy@red-mag.com