Slamdance sets 15th lineup

Continuing to try to be even more independent-minded than the concurrent Sundance Film Festival, organizers of the Slamdance Film Festival announced a lineup of low-budget films Monday for Slamdance’s 15th annual gathering.

Sundance, now in its 35th year, has spawned any number of “dance”-suffixed knockoffs, but Slamdance has enjoyed the greatest success of any. The festival launched the acclaimed documentary “Mad Hot Ballroom,” which Paramount Classics acquired, and DreamWorks bought the creepy “Paranormal Activity” after a successful Slamdance screening.

Because Slamdance focuses on movies without distribution from first-time directors budgeted below $1 million, there are few recognizable names among the slate’s cast and filmmaker list. The festival will open Jan. 15 with “I Sell the Dead,” a black comedy/horror film starring Dominic Monaghan from “The Lord of the Rings.”

The festival’s narrative competition films are “The Ante,” “A Quiet Little Marriage,” “City Rats,” “I Sell the Dead,” “Mississippi Damned,” “Only,” “Punching the Clown,” “Son of the Sunshine,” “Spooner” and “You Might as Well Live.”