As long as the weather continues to suggest that it's winter, why not try out one of the things that defines winter in Park City to the rest of the world: a film festival. ---

This one isn't associated with Robert Redford or the Sundance Institute, though. The Park City Film Music Festival, in its eighth year, is a 10-day event of independent features, documentaries and short films in familiar Sundance venues like the Prospector Square Lodge, Egyptian Theatre and Park City Library.

So what distinguishes it from its more celebrated January cousin? It's all about focus, and the focus is film music. In the films themselves, the awards are presented to composers -- evaluating the impact of the score on the film -- as well as to films on a music theme. Seminars and master classes throughout the week bring in professional composers to provide guidance to would-be film and television music composers.

Some of the films include music as a primary focus, including director/songwriter Dean Grakal's autobiographical tale Me, Miami & Nancy with a cast featuring Robert Downey, Jr., Malcolm McDowell and Gary Oldman. Others, like director Greg Berg's documentary tribute to his WWII-veteran father, Tin Can Sailors Will Not Be Forgotten, are simply examples of expert use of music. Check out the full festival schedule; individual screening tickets are $10 ($5 for Summit County residents), $30 for a full-day pass.