FESTIVAL PROMOTES FILM AS ART.

Byline: Romy Jacobson Daily News Staff Writer

Take a break from big-budget blockbuster flicks this weekend.

The second annual Antelope Valley Film Festival has expanded to two days and will offer a cross-section of critically acclaimed shorts, plus talks by their creators, said festival founder Michael Traina.

``I think it's nice to offer the residents of the Antelope Valley more avant-garde types of films, and to give them a chance to listen to the filmmakers talk about their work,'' says Traina, a filmmaker and communication arts instructor at Antelope Valley College. ``I think the material is more exciting. The filmmakers are much more interested in film as art rather than film as product.''

The festival will start at 7 p.m. today and Saturday at the Movies 1-4, 43821 15th St. W., Lancaster.

Ticket prices are $3.75 for Antelope Valley College faculty and students with identification, and $6 for general admission.

Last year's one-day festival drew more than 400 Antelope Valley sophisticates and college students. Traina hopes this year's two-day event will be a sell-out.

Five films will be featured today.

Directors Brad Carlson and Eddie Schmidt will present ``happenstance'', which played at the 1997 Taos Talking Pictures Film Festival, Boston Film Festival, Lo-con Festival of Shorts and the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival. At Worldfest Houston, it was an award winner for live-action short film.

``Seed,'' directed by Karin Thayer and starring ``Scream'' actress Rose McGowan, received the 1998 KCET ``Fine Cut'' Award, 1996 CINE Golden Eagle Award and the Audience Choice Award at the Palm Springs International Short Film Festival.

`` `MAD' Boy, I'll Blow Your Blues Away, Be Mine,'' directed by Adam Collis, won best short film at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival, best student film (Jury Selection) and best film (Audience Award) at the Aspen Shortfest.

``4 Second Delay'' is directed by Rod Lurie. Lurie has his own show on KABC radio (790) in Los Angeles and was the film critic for Los Angeles Magazine.

``Sitting in Limbo'' is directed by Jordan Susman and stars Adam Wylie, formerly of the CBS series ``Picket Fences.''

The festival will continue Saturday with the work of Tamara Hernandez, including ``The Slap,'' which played at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival and at Cannes, and a premiere screening of ``Men Cry Bullets,'' which won the prize for best narrative feature at the 1998 South by Southwest Film Festival.

``Hernandez has a very avant-garde sensibility that will get noticed,'' says Traina.

The films contain adult situations that might not be suitable for children. All of the filmmakers will be present for discussions following the screenings.

For more information, call Traina at [phone].

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Photo

PHOTO Actors Jonathan Patterson, from left, Adam Wylie and Joshua Patterson appear in ``Sitting in Limbo.''