The 23rd Annual Nevada City Film Festival kicks off today and continues through Sunday. And the participation level is as high as ever. 535 films and scripts from 36 countries were submitted. 70 have been selected for screening, with around 50 directors on hand. Festival Executive Director Jesse Locks says this year’s centerpiece feature is actually a rock music documentary called “Louder Than You Think”. It focuses on the early years of a seminal indie band called Pavement and their colorful and enigmatic drummer…

click to listen to Jesse Locks

In addition to participating in Q and A’s following programs, Locks says some filmmakers will also lead a handful of free workshops. Topics include the ethics of documentaries, episodic filmmaking, and “scream making”, a reference to the growing interest in writing screenplays for horror movies…

click to listen to Jesse Locks

Also, demystifying the Screen Actors Guild, which include discussion of the writers’ strike. The films are shown at the Onyx and Nevada Theatres. There’s also a special family-friendly Movies Under the Pines outdoor screening of “The Iron Giant” animated feature at Pioneer Park tonight.