Hollywood's commercial demise has been so readily forecast of late as to seem entirely natural. Reports of major box-office slumps­­­-this past weekend's $121.2 million take is a reported 10 percent down from last year, for example-are the norm. A wealth of explanations has been forwarded to justify the industry's unhealthy pallor, from the rise of sophisticated home theater systems to computer piracy and bootlegging. It would not be rash, however, to suggest that the box office might suffer simply for want of a more worthy product-that is, better movies. Indeed, with "Chicken Little," "Jarhead" and "Saw II" as the box office's reigning top-three films-all three of which currently suffer approval ratings under 60 percent from film critic barometer rottentomatoes.com­-it's not hard to imagine that moviegoers may have simply become disenchanted with what mainstream film currently has to offer.

For students thus disinterested in would-be blockbusters, the Northampton Independent Film Festival (NIFF) offers a decidedly more organic film experience. Now in its 11th year, the NIFF will begin screenings on Nov. 9 in a number of venues about downtown Northampton. "NIFF is a gathering place for those seeking alternatives to the offerings of major studios," said Festival Director Charlie Burke. "In addition to providing a forum for conversation about films and the issues they raise, the Festival is a platform for discussing the broader nature of independent vision in the media."

The festival's chef d'ouevre is "Bereft," a film by Tim Daly and Clark Mathis described in the NIFF's brochure as "a wonderful entry in the post-'Sweet Hereafter' grief genre." It was filmed in Massachusetts and tells the story of a Vermont widow left to grieve after her husband is killed while jogging. The NIFF's showcase extends far beyond this particular film, though. With nearly 100 different entries ranging from sex-charged dramas to whimsical animation, from full length features to five-minute shorts, the festival's offerings are nothing if not diverse. Featuring such films as Ian Lewis' "Oxford Park," wherein a pair of New York detectives­-one a ventriloquist dummy-attempt to unravel a murder mystery; "Edge of America," by Chris Eyre about a black teacher from Texas who becomes the coach of a Native American girls basketball team; and Mike Blum's "The Zit," a four-minute, Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) short about a young man stricken by a monstrous pimple on the eve of his first school dance, the NIFF boasts a film for every shade of movie lover.

In addition to screening these films, the NIFF offers a chance to meet the actors and filmmakers in person at the opening reception at the Northampton Center for the Arts. Additionally, the festival will feature such seminars as "Entertainment Law," a presentation by lawyer Joel Shames on the legal aspects of the film and entertainment industry and "Sound-More Than Meets the Eye," a panel on the use of sound in film.

With the holiday season fast approaching, moviegoers will undoubtedly have many major studio films to choose from in the coming weeks. Film aficionados looking for a fresher movie-going experience, however, ought to redirect their weekend from the Hampshire Mall to downtown Northampton.

Tickets for general admission, the opening night party and opening night screenings are currently on sale at the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce ($8 general, $7 students and seniors, $10 opening night events) and may also be purchased at the festival's various screening locations. More information may be found at www.niff.org.