Kevin Smith's Sundance screening of his new film Red State had already grabbed attention, thanks to members of the Westboro Baptist Church famous for their 'God Hates Fags' placards) picketing the film for mocking their views.

However, the religious cult's protest outside the𒈔 venue was little more than window-dr🍌essing for the main talking point - Kevin Smith's decision to distribute his own movie.

Red State producer Jonathon Gordon followed Sundance tradition by holding a post-sc🌠reening auction, but the film industry audience was sur꧑prised when Smith bid $20 for his own work and was promptly declared the winner.

He explained the rationale be♐💧hind the unorthodox move in a speech which lasted almost half an hour.

"What we need to prove is that anyone c♋an release a movie," he said.

"Indie film isn't dead, it just grew up. It is 🧔just Indie Film 2.0 now. In Indie Film 2.0, we don't let them sell our movie 🐎- we sell our movie ourselves."

Whilst♕ critical of the studio distribution system and its foc𓆉us on marketing, Smith had nothing but praise for his industry mentor, Harvey Weinstein of Warner Bros.

Weinstein gave Smith his big break 17 years ago when his Miramax studio bought Smith's self-funded slacker comedy Clerks .

Since then it seems that Smith has become disillusi💎oned with losing control over projects once they are passed on to be promot🌃ed and screened.

"True independence isn't making a f🍌ilm then selling it to♑ some jackass. True independence is schlepping that sh*t to the people, and that's what I intend to do."

He pointed out that low budget filmmakers are lucky if they recoup their oജutlay in a studio deal, but have no share in any subsequent profits.

He now plans to rely on word-of-mouth, co-operative relationships with independent theatres and his loyal fanbase to give Red State the showing he feels it deserves.

Given that the writer-dire꧒ctor has 1.2 million followers on Twitter, he looks to be in with a fighting c♌hance of recouping the film's $4 million budget.

Smith stated that he plans to direct only one more film, the hockey-themed Hit Somebody ཧ , before setting up his own indie film distribution company.

Red State is a horror that critiques the hypocri🐈sies of fundamentalist Christianity and takes the Westboro Baptist Church founder, Fred Phelps, as inspiration for the film's cult leader character (Michael Par꧋ks, above).

Smith joined the protest outside the screening, waving a jokey placꦕard readi♒ng 'God Hates Fat.'

It seems natural that a publicist as ta🌊lented as Smith has chosen to skip the studio promotional circus - he's doing a great job all by himself.

Red State is to receive its American release on October 19th, the anniversary of Smith's debut Clerks .