The other only-in-Vegas characters who turn up in writer-director Hue Rhodes' quirky take on "Dante's Inferno" range from naked militants to a demonic junkyard owner to a character known as Smitty the Flaming Torch. Sarah Silverman, Peter Dinklage, Tim Blake Nelson, John Cho and Emmanuelle Chriqui co-star in the movie, which filmed here in August 2008.

During the shoot, Rhodes said he hoped to show Las Vegas in a different light, depicting it as "cold and industrial -- far from the warmth of the Strip."

CineVegas artistic director Trevor Groth described the movie as a fantastic comedy with a phenomenal cast, noting that "it was made by a forward-thinking company, IndieVest, whose revolutionary approach to film financing and distribution just might be laying the groundwork for future generations."

That's because "the independent film industry is going through a transitional period right now as innovative filmmakers must find new ways to get movies made and seen," Groth says, "which is why CineVegas is thrilled to open our 2009 festival with 'Saint John of Las Vegas.' "

The festival's 2009 lineup also features eight "Jackpot Premieres," world premieres competing for the festival's $10,000 feature film Grand Jury Award, ranging from "The Asylum Seekers" (in which six people try to escape modern life) to "Daylight," about a pregnant woman caught in a life-or-death situation.

Other CineVegas world premieres: "Easier With Practice," inspired by a writer's comedic long-distance relationship with a mystery woman; "Etienne!," the tale of a beloved dwarf hamster and his devoted owner; "Godspeed," an Alaska-set thriller; "Mercy," a contemporary romance written by and starring previous CineVegas award-winner Scott Caan; "Patriotville," a modern tale of greed, lies and romance; and "Redland," about a family's struggle to survive the Great Depression.

"Our narrative competition this year represents the kind of aesthetic and thematic diversity that is alive and well in the American independent arena," Groth notes. "Ranging from an exquisitely rendered period piece to a subversive political satire to love stories between a man and a woman as well as a boy and his hamster, they represent the kind of uninhibited and adventurous filmmaking that CineVegas has long championed."

In addition to world and U.S. premieres of features and documentaries, CineVegas also will feature advance screenings of high-profile films, new independent features and shorts and features from Nevada filmmakers. Additional festival information is available at (888) 883-4278 or online at www.cinevegas.com.

Contact movie critic Carol Cling at ccling@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0272.