From one Sundance to the next, Seattle filmmaker Lynn Shelton's life has changed dramatically

PARK CITY, UTAH — A year ago, Lynn Shelton was excited — but more than a little nervous. Getting a movie into Sundance Film Festival is a big deal, but no filmmaker can be sure what it will mean.

It certainly means more exposure, a bigger audience, and an exhilarating 10 festival days. For a lucky few, Sundance leads to a distribution deal — audiences beyond the festival will see their work, their financial outlays will be repaid, and it'll be easier to get work in the future.

Nobody dares to dream of making it big the way Shelton did.

Her movie, "Humpday" — a "bromantic comedy" about two heterosexual men who, on a dare, decide to make a pornographic film starring themselves — was an audience and critical favorite at Sundance. Magnolia Pictures paid Shelton a reported six figures for the national distribution rights after besting five other suitors in a classic film-festival bidding war.

When it was released in theaters last summer, "Humpday" was almost universally praised (as was the performance of local actor Alycia Delmore, who played the wife of one of the men). Time magazine wrote, "Humpday makes you squirm and think, in the best possible way." Roger Ebert called it "funny, yes, but also observant and thought-provoking."

Now Shelton has returned to Sundance with her MTV project featuring area bands, "$5 Cover: Seattle."

Looking back on the past year, Shelton says, some moments have been surreal. Getting a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival. Opening the Sunday New York Times and finding a prominent profile of herself. "It's just been a total life-changer of a year."

She says she feels blessed and lucky that "at a time when some people are not doing so well, in the world and in the country, it's been the best year of my life, and my career especially."

She's flown through a whirlwind of publicity tours, opening nights and job offers.

Producers sent piles of scripts for her consideration, and she's looking at them, though she emphasizes she has no plans to change the small-scale, independent way she works.

"I had to read a lot of scripts and go through a lot of pitches before I found some that resonated with me," Shelton said.

Now, she's working on several projects that are in the early stages, developing scripts. "It's all just pure potential right now."

Shelton, who made her three previous features and numerous shorts with mostly local film crews, is especially happy about the idea that her success means she can give more work to others in the Seattle film community.

The movie's success also hasn't hurt its stars, Sundance regulars Mark Duplass and Joshua Leonard.

Duplass is back at Sundance with "Cyrus," which he wrote and directed with his brother Jay. Leonard has a handful of films in the works and plays a small role in "The Freebie" at Sundance this year; the movie was directed by Duplass' wife, Katie Aselton.

Christy Karras: christykarras@gmail.com