Parker Posey returns to the Sundance Film Festival with a lot on her plate, which is fine by her.

"I kinda grew up here," Posey says of the fest. "Every time I come back I get reinvigorated and inspired all over again."

The 43 year-old actress, who was once deemed "Queen of the Indies" when she broke onto the scene in the 90s with independent films like "Party Girl," "Clockwatchers," and "The House of Yes," is back in Park City with the new supermarket drama "Price Check" and will also serve as host the Sundance Awards on Saturday.

"It's a real opportunity to get back to my roots," Posey says about pulling double-duty.

"Price Check," written and directed by Michael Walker, tells the story of an assertive businesswoman (Posey) who tries to turn around a struggling supermarket chain.  

Eric Mabius co-stars in the film.

"She cares a great deal about a job that most people would think is really mundane and boring," Posey says of her character. "And Mike (Walker) is just so smart."

Despite her glowing praise of the film though, Posey is admittedly exasperated by the state of the film world.

"Years ago we would've had a lot more money to make this movie," the actress says with a look of despair. "Now you have studios going 'We don't make dramas anymore.' They make broad comedies and the movies that can be turned into videogames."

Still, Posey compares the current indie market to a sleeping giant.

"I think we're at the beginning of the power of independent cinema," she says. "Movies can start to grow and get an audience on Demand on Netflix, it'll be cool again. It'll stop being such a commodity."

Follow Stuart Oldham on Twitter

Disabled sex drama "The Surrogate" brought the Eccles Theater to its feet Monday afternoon at the Sundance Film Festival.

Starring John Hawkes, Helen Hunt and William H. Macy, director Ben Lewin's drama centers on a 38 year-old man determined to lose his virginity, despite the fact that he's confined to an iron long. 

"Only one audience has seen the film so it's kinda early for me to be too overly excited," Hawkes said of the pic's early praise.

But as soon as Fox Searchlight acquired the drama late Monday, "The Surrogate" was no longer an independent feature but a Sundance success story.

"Today was fun," Oscar-winner Helen Hunt said at the Variety Studio afterward.

Hunt, who bares all in the 'sex-positive' film, said her character's full frontal nudity was "just part of the creative process."

"It was a beautiful story with beautiful actors and a great part, let the naked take care of itself," the actress said.

Based on the autobiographical memoir by journalist and poet Mark O'Brien, "The Surrogate" was directed by sixty-five year-old helmer Ben Lewin, who also struggled with Polio as a child.

"How lovely it is that we're all human," actor William H. Macy said, afterward, saying that the film's standing ovation "was really for Ben (Lewin)."

Meanwhile, Hawkes, who returns to Sundance after last year's breakout hit "Martha Marcy May Marlene," has become somewhat of a staple in Park City.

"It's a great, great festival," he said. "The studios don't seem to make midbudget movies for adults anymore so the independent arenas, like this, have to pick up the slack."

Hunt, who has kept a low-profile since 2000's "What Women Want," summed it up best:

"You die for good writing and if you get paid, even better."

Follow Stuart Oldham on Twitter 

Kirsten Dunst and Lizzy Caplan stopped by the Variety Studio on Monday to discuss "The Bachelorette" hours before the pic's Sundance premiere.

"For a first time director, she had such confidence," Dunst said of writer-director Leslye Headland.

"The Bachelorette" centers on a group of friends celebrating the engagement of a bride-to-be (Rebel Wilson). Isla Fisher and James Marsden also star.

"It's about girlfriends coming together," Dunst said.

"Strange because women aren't funny, naturally," Caplan deadpanned.

Caplan, who has another wedding-themed movie at Sundance ("Save the Date"), said low-budget productions like "The Bachelorette" bring out the best in the cast/crew.

"Everybody really needs to want to be there, ya know?"

Dunst agreed. "When you have a small budget to work with, you only get like two takes, three takes at the most, so we would move through things," the actress said. "And I think really helps keep energy and performance levels on a better kind of scale."

"Don't lie to him! It was a non-stop party!" Caplan laughs.

"The Bachelorette," produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, premieres tonight at the Eccles theater.

Follow Stuart Oldham on Twitter 

Nick Offerman (a.k.a. Ron Swanson from "Parks and Recreation") weirds out the cast from "Smashed" in this hilarious image, taken at the WireImage Portrait Studio on Monday.

Offerman, who told me on Sunday that his favorite place in the world was his "wife's vagina," is hands down one of my favorite things about this year's festival.

Watch our "Smashed" interview.

"We just doubled the black population in Utah!"

Spike Lee was in a festive mood Sunday night at the Sundance premiere of his new film, "Red Hook Summer."

Decked out in a New York Giants jacket, the veteran director was introduced to the Eccles theater stage for a post-screening Q&A by fest director John Cooper but as soon as Lee walked to the podium, someone from the audience shouted "The Giants won! The Giants won!" referring to the football squad's OT victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

"We're going to the mutha fuckin' Super Bowl!!" the director beamed.

After a bout of laughter from the audience, Lee was so excited, he looked like he nearly forgot why he was on stage.

"OK, OK," he collected himself. "Lets get started."

The director's latest film, "Red Hook Summer," tells the story of a 13 year-old boy named Flick who spends the summer in Brooklyn with his grandfather, who is also the local preacher.

"Consider this another installment in another one of my chronicles of Brooklyn," the helmer said.

The subject matter of "Red Hook Summer" is very religious, featuring a passionate performance from actor Clarke Peters ("The Wire"), despite an intense and controversial revelation halfway through the film.

"All the church stuff comes from Mr. James McBride," Lee said, referring to his co-writer on the film.

Peters stars as overly zealous preacher Father Enoch in "Red Hook," trying to teach his grandson the ways of God in the impoverished Brooklyn neighborhood. Halfway through the movie, the preacher is involved in a shocking encounter, which noticeably tensed up the Eccles audience Sunday.

Lee called the dramatic twist "hard as a motherfucker" to incorporate into the pic's message but managed to pull it off, judging from the audience's applause afterward.

The entire cast of "Red Hook" later joined Lee onstage, as did venerable musician Bruce Hornsby, the pic's composer, but as the questions opened up to the audience, Lee fielded an inquiry from a very well known audience member: Chris Rock.

"What would you have done with studio money?" the comedian cheekily asked.

After a chuckle, proceeded by a small diatribe against Hollywood, Lee said, "The studios know nothing about black people."

Sundance programming director John Cooper looked slightly uncomfortable throughout most of the Q&A, gently tapping the podium with an uneasy grin, but in the end, it was just Spike being Spike.

The 54 year-old director wrapped up the discussion by sincerely thanking the Eccles audience for being the first people to see his film.

"Do me a favor, please tell them this is NOT a motherfucking sequel to 'Do the Right Thing'!"

Follow Stuart Oldham on Twitter