‘G’ Whiz

The Santa Clarita International Film Festival promises no sex, no violence and no bad words.

Well, admits festival director Chris Shoemaker, “We have ‘damn’ and ‘hell.’ ”

The 4-year-old festival, which runs through Friday, claims title to being the only “family” film festival in the country. This year’s 44 films, documentaries and animation specials, said Shoemaker, all celebrate positive themes such as families and the human spirit.

Gratuitous sex, violence and profanity are forbidden here.

Indeed, the most serious brush with romance over the weekend may have been a hug between two characters in “The Legend of Cryin’ Ryan,” a film about child abuse.

Violence? The lead character in the animated short “Haywire Heart” was seized by a bird and dragged away. The man got only slightly bent out of shape--being made, after all, from pipe cleaners.

Festival officials say the audience for family films is increasing. After a shaky start in 1994, program director Patte Dee expects as many as 10,000 to attend this year--twice as many as last year.

The number of distributors--those people who buy feature films and market them to studios and other outlets--tripled from five last year to 15, Dee said. Even Aaron Spelling’s “Melrose Place”--a TV address famous for steamy sex--bought an ad in the festival program this year.

The overseas film market is also generating new demand for movies that do not have to be censored for sex or violence.

“We have products that are geared for Saudi Arabia and Indonesia and China,” Dee said. “It’s a real problem in the worldwide market to find product that doesn’t need to be edited.”

There is also a strong domestic market, say festival organizers.

Like many young couples, Sandi and Rob Parris often find themselves watching the latest G-rated movie with their 4-year-old daughter, Amanda. And while those movies may be fine for children, they can be less than thralling for adults.

“ ‘Mouse Hunt’ was a loooong movie to sit through,” said Sandi Parris, 38, rolling her eyes. “We’re happy to see this here.”

The festival is being held at Edwards Cinema’s Theater 10 at the Valencia Town Center mall, which is also showing the mainstream films “Spice World” and “Mouse Hunt.” Festival screening parties are mostly held next door, at the Sisley Italian Kitchen in the mall food court.

Deanna Hanashiro, 42, remembered standing next to a line of people waiting to see “Dante’s Peak” last year when she attended the festival. When the movie sold out, many who couldn’t get in just left. Hanashiro went in and saw “Long Live the Queen,” nominated for a foreign-film Oscar by the Netherlands.

“People could have seen this wonderful film and they didn’t even take the time to read the schedule,” she said.

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Not everybody at the mall Saturday was excited by the film festival.

“Everybody wants to see profanity and violence,” said Chris Bona, a skateboard-toting 16-year-old who was planning to see the R-rated movie “Half Baked,” though not at the festival. The film is about three pot-smokers who sell marijuana to children and others to raise bail money for a friend arrested for killing a police horse.

“They’re looking for stuff with profanity, violence, drugs and sex,” Bona said.

Still, such comments don’t bother Shoemaker. He is convinced that an intelligent movie can entertain adults and children.

The key, festival organizers say, is a strong plot and realistic characters--elements sometimes ignored by Hollywood.

“The tide is turning,” said Josh Seat, director of the festival. “Perhaps America and the world has had enough. Now they want films that are worthwhile.”

The festival has showings today through Thursday. For information, call (805) 259-5494.