It’s just a coincidence that Andrew Bard’s film production company is called Neo Phoenix – but it’s a fitting one. As is the plot of his new film, “Dystopia,” about a small, ragtag group of idealists attempting to rise up out of the rubble of a destroyed, post-apocalyptic society.

Sure, the world didn’t end with the recent debacle of the defunct Lewiston-Auburn Film Festival (canceled with the arrest of founder Joshua Shea on child pornography charges) – but the hopes and plans of a lot of filmmakers sure did. At least until a small, ragtag band of idealists from Sanford rose up, anyway.

Enter the first Sanford International Film Festival (sanfordfilmfest.com), taking place this Saturday and Sunday. Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of people including Bard and Sanford filmmaker and high school teacher James Harmon, it will provide a home for many of the films orphaned by the abrupt dissolution of LAFF – and, Bard hopes, provide a new Southern Maine filmmaking hub for years to come.

Bard, part of the SIFF executive board and co-head of public relations and marketing, credits Harmon with the seemingly impossible task of putting a film festival together in a mere two months.

“After the debacle of Lewiston/Auburn, that blew up and a lot of people decided to completely pull out,” Bard says. “James Harmon had his film in the festival, came back to Sanford, pitched (SIFF) and got the whole thing kickstarted. James did it and it was fantastic.”

So what have the brave souls behind the festival managed to put together in such a short time? Kind of a lot, really.

Explains Bard, “A good percentage of films are from LAFF. We offered a submission-free guaranteed lineup – it’s sort of justice for people who had films ready and were left out.”

On the inaugural roster are films from France, Chile, England, Australia, Israel, all around America, and an impressive number of films from Maine, including Bard’s aforementioned “Dystopia” (directed by Janet Llavina), which was shot right in Sanford.

“The film scene is big in Maine, but for me personally, Sanford is a great place to bring films,” says Bard. “The city has really opened its doors to us. I just hope SIFF acts as a springboard for Sanford as a filmmaking destination.”

To help that happen, check out the full slate of films at sanfordfilmfest.com, then head down to Sanford on Saturday and Sunday.

“There are films showing all over town – it’s like the movie version of a pub crawl,” Bard says.

Dennis Perkins is a Portland freelance writer.

COMING TO LOCAL SCREENS

SPACE GALLERY

(www.space538.org)

Friday: “Cheap Thrills.” We all love Space for its traditional roster of great artsy films and documentaries, but come on out and support a screening of this acclaimed, twisted horror film about a pair of down-on-their-luck pals roped into an escalating series of gruesome dares from an eccentric millionaire (David Koechner of “Anchorman”). Maybe Space will give us more weirdness!

NICKELODEON CINEMA

(www.patriotcinemas.com)

Friday: “Fed Up.” Everyone talks about the obesity epidemic in America, but who’s making controversial documentaries about it? Well, director Stephanie Soechtig for one, who posits that processed foods packed with added sugar are the real causes of the skyrocketing prevalence of childhood diabetes. Come out and enjoy with some popcorn – hold the butter.