Shoot Santa Fe wants to make a splash at Sundance.

That is, city and county political leaders from Northern New Mexico, joined by local independent filmmakers and other film-related personalities, are heading to the 34th annual Sundance Film Festival this weekend to spread the word that Santa Fe is a great place to make movies.

The group, calling itself Shoot Santa Fe, is headquartering at The Lounge on Main Street in Park City, Utah, where the venerable festival is held. Shoot Santa Fe plans a Monday afternoon party to attract moviegoers up thataway.

"The idea is we [Santa Fe] are here, we are open for business, we remain one of most enticing film production sites in the country, we have one of the largest crews, and we have one of the largest, greenest movie studios around," said Luca Ceccarelli, a local producer who is part of Shoot Santa Fe.

He acknowledged that the turndown in film business over the past year played a role in this junket: "It seems we need to get out there and let people know about us."

Among those planning to make the trip: Mayor David Coss, City Councilor Rebecca Wurzburger, Mark Walter of Santa Fe Studios, and Native filmmaker Chris Eyre, who was just appointed as chairman of the film department at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design.

Last autumn, the city of Santa Fe and Santa Fe County both passed resolutions supporting film and media projects as a way to spur economic development.

According to the city of Santa Fe's economic development office, this Sundance trip will cost about $8,000, with the city and county each putting up $2,500. Rio Arriba County, Los Alamos County and the city of Española — which are also taking part in the Shoot Santa Fe move — are each contributing $1,000.

Ceccarelli said that, to the best of his knowledge, the individual film artists, including himself, are footing their own bills.

Last year was a slow year for filmmaking in New Mexico, with only one major production — The Avengers — shooting here. Insiders generally agree that the slump came on the heels of Gov. Susana Martinez's revamped film-incentive program, which placed a $50 million cap on what the state will pay out in one year to qualifying productions.

Coincidentally, two longtime television series anchored in Albuquerque — Breaking Bad and In Plain Sight — are slated to stop shooting this spring after completing their final seasons.

But the state's film business may get a boost from the recent news that producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Walt Disney Studios and film star Johnny Depp will start filming the long-announced production of The Lone Ranger in the state come February.

Still, that production will probably utilize Albuquerque Studios, and not the new Santa Fe Studios, according to the New Mexico Film Office.

Asked Thursday whether Santa Fe Studios — about half of which was financed by public money — has any upcoming productions slated for its new facilities, studio president Jason Hool said via email, "We have no comment about upcoming productions at this time."

At least two made-in-New Mexico films — Christopher Neil's independent comedy Goats (starring David Duchovny of X-Files fame) and Paolo Sorrentino's This Must Be the Place (starring Sean Penn) — are screening at Sundance, giving the Shoot Santa Fe ensemble additional impetus to attend.

Ceccarelli said that if this effort goes over well, the group will plan similar junkets to other film festivals, including South by Southwest in Austin and the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado. Shoot Santa Fe plans both a Facebook and Twitter page, he said, and anyone seeking information may email info@shootsantafe.com.

Sundance, which began Thursday, runs through Jan. 29. The Shoot Santa Fe contingent plans to stay through Monday.

Contact Robert Nott at 986-3021 or rnott@sfnewmexican.com