While the goal of most film festivals is to draw filmmakers in from the outside, as Sundance has done so successfully in Park City, the Get Reel in Moab Film Festival is working to nurture and display homegrown talent, with films by Moabites or about the area. Now in its second year, and under its second name, this weekend’s festival will feature a nationally-recognized film as well as a world premiere.

Moab residents Michael Chandler and Sheila Canavan have already received awards and accolades for their film “Knee Deep,” including the prestigious Maysles Brothers Award at the Denver Film Festival. The Maysles brothers produced documentaries including “Gimme Shelter” and “Grey Gardens,” and while “Knee Deep” earned honors at other festivals, including the grand jury prize for Best Documentary at the Florida Film Festival, writer/director Chandler seems most honored to be recognized in the context of the Maysles prize.

The film is set in rural Maine, and it focues on farmer Josh Osborne and his plan to keep the family farm. The farm had been in the Osborne family for more than two generations, and Josh’s father had apparently intended for Josh to inherit the dairy facility. After his father died, Josh’s mother decided to sell the farm to developers.

So Josh Osborne decided that his mother had to die.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about “Knee Deep” is that none of this is a surprise or a twist. The film’s introduction informs viewers that it’s about attempted matricide. Even the principal characters are up front about that.

The shock of that revelation sets the tone for the entire film, and is only compounded by the matter-of-fact discussions of Josh Osborne’s scheme, which he shared with plenty of others. The absurdity of the whole situation almost masks the tragedy, but Chandler still manages to present some sympathetic characters, much to the discomfort of viewers.

In the end “Knee Deep” presents some surprisingly universal themes in a hyperbolic context. It explores issues of family and community, of the loss of rural identity, all displayed with stark absurdity.

In discussions following festival screenings, Chandler said, people often stand up to share stories of family farms that were sold off amid family animosity. Given the Moab Valley’s rapid makeover from agricultural land to residential development, the themes of “Knee Deep” should hit close to home.

That’s exactly what Chandler hopes to do with his work, and that’s why he’s included the film under the Moenkopi Group, a non-profit film production company, he said. While the film is mainly produced by Chandler and Canavan, it is also the first film produced under Moenkopi’s credit.

“We do films that engage with social issues, and we feel it is important that we have a home,” Chandler said of Moenkopi. He is a board member of the group. “Eventually, when we have a stable of films, people can go to one place to learn about the films, and, if they want, to make donations to support that sort of filmmaking.”

Part of the impetus for Moenkopi comes from a lack of other resources. “Documentaries have really taken a hit since 9/11, because the foundation funding has dried up. People don’t want to take risks,” Chandler said. “You only have to look at Sundance. I would say 60 to 70 percent of their offerings are with filmmakers who’ve been there before, because that’s just a process whereby they can say they can’t go wrong. It’s much more difficult to break through.”

So Chandler is enthusiastic about the Get Reel in Moab festival, enough so to bring his work to the table. He pointed to other places like Vail and Durango that host smaller festivals than Sundance, but with success. “There are smaller places that have vibrant festivals. Once you establish yourself – it will probably take you 10 years – they become the centers around which you can build your own local community.”

With their focus on local filmmakers, the organizers of Get Reel in Moab are already working on building that community. Organizer Laurie Collins is enthusiastic about the progress they’ve made since last year’s festival, the We’re Not Ready for Sundance Film Festival.

“We thought if we want to build local film-making, this is one way to do it,” Collins said. “To get people excited about how this works, and working together and seeing what we’re all doing. That was really the intention of the film festival last year. It’s exciting to look at the films that are part of the festival this year and see that the quality’s improved, and see that the same people are now working with new people. There’s just an enthusiasm building, and people are learning things.”

In addition to the local screening, which will be at 8 p.m., Oct. 11, “Knee Deep” will also be showing on PBS on Nov. 6 as part of the Independent Lens series.

“We’re really happy it’s on Independent Lens, because they’ve got a lot of independent docs, cutting edge stuff you don’t normally see,” Chandler said.

The festival will also feature a world-premiere outdoor action film, featuring local climber Dean Potter. The filmmakers are from Boulder, Colo., but Potter is a local climbing legend, so “The Aerialist” fits neatly into the festival’s theme. The film will anchor the Friday night lineup, Oct. 10, at 8 p.m.

Other festival presentations begin at 5 p.m. Friday, and at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Friday’s program includes films in the “Reel Art” and “Reel Adventure” categories, and Saturday’s films feature “Reel Community Events,” “Reel Short,” and “Reel Documentary.”

Tickets are $3 per category, including the evening features, or $5 per day. For more information, contact Tara at the Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission, 259-4341.