"We're nothing like the Sundance Festival," admits Joanne Talesfore, a CineCats member. "It's more of a community showcase of some of the town's most talented individuals. It's an opportunity for the town to celebrate and appreciate contemporary cinema."

According to Mike Pierce, one of the members who will be judging the pieces, 40 samples were submitted this year, which is significantly higher than last year's turnout. Out of 28 that were considered, only 14 made it to the big screen at the Los Gatos Cinema.

Each piece is judged on its own merits, based on several criteria including content, story line, cinematography and editing. Based on the variety of samples he saw the first year—from something as simple yet moving as a 35-second piece of a goose flying in slow motion to a love scene taken at an all-night diner and a documentary about the Afro-Brazilian culture—Pierce says he has high expectations for this year's pieces.

"These films were very well crafted," says Pierce, a professional cameraman for 34 years. "The cream always seems to rise, in terms of the level of quality in these films."

However, Talesfore says she's not surprised to see such talent, given the direction of media literacy among youths these days.

The Los Gatos Film Festival takes place on March 25 at the Los Gatos Cinema, 41 N. Santa Cruz Ave. Doors open at 3 p.m. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.