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Name Game Cinequest comes loaded with some high-powered behind-the-lens stars BILLY BOB THORNTON, who made an indelible splash with Sling Blade, and has delivered memorable turns in Primary Colors, Pushing Tim and A Simple Plan, will appear Saturday (Feb. 24) at 5pm at the Fairmont Hotel for a Q&A session. Tickets are $20. Spike Lee, a director and cultural agitator who has never lost his ability to lean on viewers' hot spots, will also be in attendance at Cinequest. On March 2 (7pm at the Fairmont Hotel), Lee will participate in a conversation about filmmaking. On March 3, there will be a screening (4pm at the AMC Saratoga) of Lee's 4 Little Girls. Later that day (9:15pm at the AMC Saratoga), Lee's latest, Bamboozled, will be shown. The Black Maverick Filmmaker Showcase (March 4 at 3:30pm at Camera 3 in San Jose) features Lee, civil rights legend Angela Davis and first-time director Doug E. Doug and others in a panel discusion. Ron Shelton, one of the few directors to get sports right on film (Bull Durham, Cobb, Tin Cup) brings his steady co-workers--actress Lolita Davidovich, editor Paul Seydor, composer Alex Wurman and cinematographer Mark Vargo--to Camera 3 (March 4 at 12:30pm) for a discussion about the collaborative process in filmmaking. Alpha and Omega This year's festival begins with the world premiere of Redwood City director Kari Nevil's Your Guardian. The festivities get underway on Feb. 22 at 7pm at Camera 3 and 7:15pm at Camera One, followed by a party at Scott's Seafood. The cost for both is $35. The festival finishes with a Cannes Festival winner, Amores Perros from Mexico. The dual screenings take place March 4 at Camera One at 6pm and Camera 3 at 6:30pm. A party at A.J. Stump's follows; $35 for both. Future Think Possible the most exciting prospect at Cinequest this year is DXD, the Digital by Digital conference devoted to the future of filmmaking techniques and tools. The conference includes a presentation by Richard Leacock (March 2 at 5:15pm at Camera 3), and panels on Millennial Gen Exhibition (March 2 at 2pm at Camera 3), Cutting Edge Developments--Script to Screen (March 3 at 10am at Camera One), The Digital Hierarchy (March 3 at 1:30pm at Camera 3) and Digital Post Production--New Media Demystified (March 4 at 10:30am at Camera 3). Hot Tips From last week's opening coverage of the festival, our critics picked these top bets: Alcatraz Is Not an Island 1/2 (Screens with Popcorn! Feb. 24 at 7:30pm and Feb. 25 at 7pm at Camera 3.) Amargosa (Feb. 24 at 6:15pm and Feb. 25 at 2:30pm at Camera One and March 3 at 4:45pm at AMC Saratoga 14.) Comrades 1/2 (Feb. 25 at 11:30am and Feb. 26 at 7pm at Camera 3.) Down Time (Feb. 28 at 7:45pm at Camera 3.) Hotel Splendide (Feb. 23 at 7:30pm at Camera 3, Feb. 28 at 7pm at the Aquarius in Palo Alto Square and March 3 at 7pm at the AMC Saratoga 14.) Nasty Neighbours (Feb. 23 at 7:45pm and Feb. 24 at 5pm at the AMC Saratoga 14 and Feb. 26 7:30pm at the Aquarius.) See Jane Run (March 2 at 7:15pm, March 3 at 2:15pm and March 4 at 1:45pm at the AMC Saratoga 14.) [ San Jose | Metroactive Central | Archives ]