Ambitious film events have been launched in the past in an attempt to bring the city of Los Angeles together, with varying degrees of sincerity and success. The process is often complicated by the enormity of Los Angeles, a community without a common thread to bind its disparate elements. That's probably one of the reasons why the new Los Angeles Independent Film Festival is so intriguing. It reduces the incomprehensible scale of physical and cultural distance using the appeal of film.

Big-name locals Olmos, Stoltz, and Whitaker add clout to inaugural celebration of Los Angeles' cinematic diversity

The festival is described as a "showcase of cultural diversity", and Robert Faust, its 28-year-old founder, has set his sights on bringing together a kaleidoscope of people to celebrate the diversity of American independent film. Making the showcase possible are a group of founding sponsors, which include the Independent Film Channel, the Director's Guild of America and the Eastman Kodak Corporation. Organizations such as the Black Filmmakers Foundation, The National Latino Communication Center and Women in Film will showcase the range of Angelenos involved in independent cinema.

"The collective goal of these groups, and of the festival in general, is to appreciate a film not because it's a good Latino or Black film, but because it's just a -good film, period," says Faust. Curators from each group will be responsible for outreach and marketing within their communities and for providing a general call for submissions.

Despite Hollywood's status as ground zero in the film world, it's still difficult to find good independent films. Frustration with the overwhelming size of huge festival programs is a growing trend (Seattle's Rainy States Film Festival offers an alternative to the Seattle International Film Festival; Slamdance is the new spur under the saddle of Sundance) and contributed to Faust's desire for a low-key, Los Angeles-based festival.

Manageability was a key goal. Faust designed a small program, shown exclusively and without competing time slots, to eliminate screening conflicts. An evening and weekend screening schedule will only add to the festival's accessibility. In general, the festival celebrates a return to uncomplicated moviegoing, reducing the whole affair to a human scale.

Echoing the quality-versus-quantity flavor of the festival is an equally impressive roster of quality-minded industry professionals who serve on the advisory board. Names such as Allison Anders, Edward James Olmos, Eric Stoltz, Forest Whitaker and Diane Ladd can only add to the integrity and success of the inaugural festival. All of this big-name talent and activity has created a considerable stir in the Hollywood community, according to Faust. As a result o£ the overwhelming interest in the festival, Faust promises that a motherlode of great films will be screened. In addition to the various screenings, the festival will be sponsoring two seminars near and dear to the independent moviemaker's heart. The first will be "Legal Aspects of Low Budget Financing," followed by "Navigating and Negotiating the Distribution Agreement."

The Los Angeles Independent Film Festival appears to be one of those rare events that has genuine aspirations to exhibit local independent talent as well as bring the community together. By showcasing quality works that fell through the cracks on their way to Sundance, and because of the festival's proximity to the Hollywood beast, opportunities for distribution deals will be created for films that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. If Robert Faust has his way, the Los Angeles International Film Festival will be a yearly ritual. The festival takes place April sixth through the tenth at the Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. For further information call 213-960-9460.