La Jolla is hardly the center of the cinematic world, yet for the next few weeks it will masquerade as a global focal point when UCSD hosts the 18th annual San Diego International Film Festival. The organizers of this year’s film festival are intent on creating an event that goes beyond mainstream cinema fare. This means affordable admission, plenty of entertainment and an abundance of obscure yet innovative films from international talent.

“”I feel very strongly about showing pop entertainment films from foreign countries,”” said Beth Accomando, a member of the festival’s organizing committee who also writes film reviews for KPBS. “”Why should Hollywood have the corner on pop entertainment?””.

In addition, the film festival brings unknown cinema to many UCSD students. “”[The festival] provides audiences with a chance to see a diverse array of films from around the world, some of which will never play again in San Diego,”” Accomando said.

The film festival is a humble venue for the talented international film community to share its creativity. Originally, the film festival took place in the La Jolla Modern Art Museum as the brainchild of creator Duncan Shepard, a UCSD alumni. Today the festival is run by a small group of individuals led by Ruth Baily of the University Events Office. The festival works from a budget of $20,000 to create a rewarding experience for audiences. The funds, put together from the entry fees of each participating filmmaker, contribute to the awards of the festival, which include Best Film, Best Short and an Audience Choice Award.

This year’s film festival began on Monday with the feisty premier of “”The Cat’s Meow,”” a film which revolves around the little-known yet intriguing murder mystery that took place aboard media mogul William Randal Hearst’s yacht in the 1920s. The star-studded cast, which includes Kirsten Dunst (“”Crazy/Beautiful””) and Jeniffer Tilly (“”Bride of Chucky””), sets a flashy tone for the upcoming screenings, relying on artistic quality more than star power.

The two-week festival features movies from all over the world. Films from as far as Tibet and as close as Granada Hills will have an opportunity to grace the silver screen in coming nights. True to the style of the festival, the feature films are eclectic. This means that even fans of “”American Pie”” could find something to their liking. This year’s collection of films will allow audience members to travel through the mind of a Dutch mental patient, enjoy the thrill of Thailand’s pounding drums, and watch an Inuit run naked through the snow (on different nights, of course).

Not all films shown at the festival will be of feature length. April 6 has been set aside as “”a short night,”” which will spotlight a multitude of movies that are 30 minutes or less in length. Among the films screened will be “”Speechless,”” which Danica McKellar wrote, starred in, produced and directed. While many will remember McKellar as Winnie on the popular ’80s television show “”The Wonder Years,”” she is now a fledgling moviemaker in her own right.

“”Talk about a labor of love,”” said McKellar about her extensive contributions to “”Speechless,”” her first foray into filmmaking. Regardless of her status as a beginner, McKellar is no stranger to the intricacies of show business. As a result, she will be giving a seminar in the Price Center Theater prior to the April 6 show.

“”I want to encourage filmmakers to not get caught up in the idea of breaking into the business. It’s about creating your own business, it’s about watching films and learning what makes films good,”” said McKellar regarding what topics she plans to cover in her seminar.

McKellar also has a small role in another short film, “”Reality School,”” also showing on April 6. In light of the wave of reality television shows that are commandeering television stations, “”Reality School”” is a mocu-mentary about a school where students are trained in the art of behaving like “”real people”” according to reality show stereotypes. The film echoes the festival’s intent to put a new spin on traditional entertainment.

“”Speechless”” will not be the only film by a novice that will have a spot in the short night. The short “”That’s That”” directed by 17-year-old Aaron Sharp will also be shown. While “”That’s That”” is noteworthy for being the only black-and-white entry in the festival, its style also deserves mention. In the tradition of old silent movies, “”That’s That”” has no dialogue but instead relies on the actions of its characters and the tempo of the soundtrack to communicate with the audience. Sharp will be attending the festival on April 6 along with the film’s producers and its star, Spencer Sharp.

In addition to the shorts, the film festival has also attracted some noteworthy feature-length films. Among these is “”Design,”” an independent film that also recently appeared at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival and will premiere at the festival. Critically acclaimed for its innovative editing techniques, “”Design”” is a dark look into the lives of its three main characters: men suffering from life’s circumstances.

The naked Inuit will be featured in the Canadian movie “”Atanarjuat (Fast Runner).”” Not only do the festival’s participating filmmakers aim to expose their culture but also the natural beauty of their homelands. “”Atanarjuat”” captures the stark contrast between the confinement of igloos and the vast, desolate ice caps of the Arctic. The natural beauty of the film, combined with the emotional torment of its characters, makes “”Atanarjuat”” representative of the creative talent that this year’s festival aims to promote.

As an added bonus, the organizers have created a midnight feature for April 5. The film is a popular Japanese movie, “”Gamera 3;”” a mythical fight between humans and monsters that closely parallels the natural disasters that Japan frequently experiences. The organizers hope to attract on-campus residents with the midnight show.

“”It’s a blast and it goes way beyond men in funny rubber suits,”” said Accomando about “”Gamera 3.””

Accomando promises the festival will bring “”something fresh, something that you may not be able to predict, something that will just make you look up in awe at the screen.””

During its two-week run, the San Diego International Film Festival will bring to the screen 18 feature-length films and over 20 shorts. Admission for students is set at $5 a film with discounts for double and triple features. A $40 festival pass is also available for the more avid movie watchers. Yet, not everyone has to be a movie buff to appreciate the next two weeks of films.