You may not have heard of a single film in this fest, but for its directors that's a prime selling point. Dances With Films, an indie fest founded last year by Leslee Scallon and Michael Trent to showcase completely "undiscovered" films with unknown directors, actors and producers, hopes to dance with more visibility this year.

The fest films will screen July 23-July 29 at the Laemmle Monica in Santa Monica. Boasting that one-third of its 1998 feature selections found U.S. distribution, fest officials said this year's event includes 12 features in competition, 16 shorts and five features shown out of competition. The films were selected from more than 600 submissions.

Among the features unspooling this year are: "Captive Audience," directed by Mike Gloscia and Kurt St. Thomas; "China Basin," helmed by Norman Gerard; "Extraordinary Visitor," John W. Dovle; "The Height of the Sky," Lyn Clinton; and "The Innocents," Katherine Gnffin.