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Slamdance, once the bratty little black sheep of Sundance, is now a mature destination film fest all by its lonesome.

The stats tell the tale: Last year, the 23-year-old Slamdance received more than 6,500 submissions from around the world for only about 100 available program slots, in feature, documentary, shorts, animation, experimental and digital/interactive/gaming categories. Whether that's a testament to the strength of Slamdance's populist "by filmmakers, for filmmakers" ethos or the fact that everybody these days has a video camera in their pocket and thinks they're somehow the next Scorsese is debatable. But the truth is, Slamdance films can be every bit as compelling and worthwhile as the ones spotlighted at that other fest taking over Park City this week.

Here, we highlight three fest films with Utah connections. All Slamdance screenings take place at Park City's Treasure Mountain Inn, 255 Main St., Jan. 20-26. For tickets and a complete schedule, go to http://www.slamdance.com.

A Narrative Film

Utah-based Michael Edwards' animated short is a pretty-to-look-at mosaic of colors and shifting shapes set to an edgy soundtrack. The joke is that there really is no "narrative," despite it being set up in three acts, but if there is, only the filmmaker could possibly know. Produced at the University of Utah, it's really more of an animation student's final project, but if Edwards keeps animating, it'll be interesting to see what he does next. (Screenings precede "You Never Had It: An Evening with Bukowski," Sunday, Jan. 22, 12:15 p.m., Ballroom; and Tuesday, Jan. 24, 5:30 p.m., Gallery.)

Ford Clitaurus

Funny in parts, annoying in others (you'll learn to hate people who say "cheese" at pointed cameras), nonsensical in all the rest, Utah filmmaker M.P. Cunningham shot his short comedy in and around Salt Lake City. The plot? Still trying to figure that out, but Cunningham says it has something to do with the struggles of trying to become an artist, spiked with random outbursts of gunfire and explosions. And how's this for no-budget cinema: The director hired two Latino actors from a group of day laborers in a Home Depot parking lot. (Part of the Narrative Shorts Block 2 screening Jan. 21, 7:15 p.m., Gallery; and Jan. 25, 10:45 a.m., Gallery.)

Cortez

The directorial debut of Utah graduate Cheryl Nichols, who also stars, "Cortez" is a rumination on lost love and abandoned dreams. Loser touring musician Jesse meets up with old flame Anne years after the spark's been extinguished, but through a haze of drunken obnoxiousness and a kid who may or may not be Jesse's, the two think there might still be something there. The story is a bit slow to get going, and it's often hard to empathize with these sad sacks, but the message is fairly universal: You can try to repair a damaged past, but not many are good at it. (Screenings Jan. 20, 12:30 p.m., Ballroom; and Jan. 25, 7:15 p.m., Ballroom.)