Daily News

To best understand Day 2 of AFI FEST 2003, it's best to start at the end, at the After Party on the 12th Floor of the Roosevelt Hotel, where Ron Mann (click here to see Mann last night), director of GO FURTHER, surveyed the constellation of Los Angeles's glittering lights, including the glow of the ArcLight Hollywood, and said, "Man, this is just like in the movies."

People lounging across a king-sized bed couldn't hear him, nor could the other filmmakers and fest-goers laughing and catching up in what used to be Clark Gable's bedroom. But we're guessing they would have agreed.

Earlier, Mann's film's GO FURTHER, which follows the travels of Woody Harrelson and friends on a hemp-fueled bus, played to a wildly enthusiastic crowd, including the all-organic-eating and -drinking cast, who showed up in force in mesh hats to field questions. Mann, for his part, was sporting an Afro that would have made Einstein and Don King jealous (click to see Ron Mann last night).

At the same time, Jim Sheridan (click here to see Sheridan last night), director of IN AMERICA, arrived exhausted, having barely escaped the kind of traffic on the 405 your mother warned you about. Very quickly, Sheridan had the crowd under his spell with yarns about the film, which included self-effacing anecdotes about working with children, finding the film's title, and Hamlet.

Only a few minutes later, Charlize Theron (click here to see Theron last night) star of AFI FEST's Closing Night Film, MONSTER, was seen in a tan beret and white turtleneck buying a very large popcorn with John C. Reilly. Also spotted on their way in to see Nick Broomfield and Joan Churchill's documentary AILEEN: LIFE AND DEATH OF A SERIAL KILLER, was Jack Black, in his favored fur collared parka, and Mike White of CHUCK AND BUCK. Later, Black posed with his wife Laura Kightlinger in over-the-top make-out scenarios. Too much in a rush to notice them was Vincent Gallo, who was late to see Hugo Rodriguez's NICOTINA, where star Diego Luna and Rodriguez and his producers greeted the audience.

And then the Germans came, with foosball, pork goulash and lentils, for a party to kick off the MADE IN GERMANY series. Soon the Cinema Lounge was a smorgasbord of euro-techno, meat-based soups and powerful beer. Director Roland Emmerich was there, as was Udo Kier (click to see Kier last night), holding court on a red carpet, dressed in a red-crushed velvet sport coat, blending perfectly into the red couches. AFI FEST was tempted to ask about his coat, but instead asked him why he came. "You can see movies here you can't see anywhere else," said Kier.

Well said.