"It's the little film that could," Sorvino said.

The movie deal was originally pushed in 2005 by then-Lackawanna County Commissioner Robert Cordaro, who called Sorvino a "hometown hero" and said his decision to shoot in the county seat of Scranton would boost the region's attractiveness as a low-cost filmmaking destination.

Cordaro lost reelection in 2007, then was charged with shaking down businesses with county contracts. He was sentenced last month to 11 years in prison for bribery and extortion. Meanwhile, the film got stuck in postproduction, and Cordaro's successor said the cash-strapped county had no business betting money on it. The county asked Sorvino in 2008 for a "full accounting of the use of the moneys we invested."

Sorvino took the suggestion that he had frittered away the public's money as an affront.

"I have very high standards . . .. I would no sooner do a thing like that than jump off a building doused in gasoline," said Sorvino, whose ties to Scranton go back 30 years. He has a home in the Poconos.

The bad publicity, and the economic downturn, made it difficult for the Sorvinos to get the financing they needed to finish the film, and Sorvino wound up spending about $300,000 of his own money on the $1.3 million film. He said it was foolish - directors "should always use other people's money" - but necessary: "I put a lot of my own in it because I wouldn't let it fall apart. It had to be done."

While frustrating, the delay allowed the Sorvino clan time to edit, jettisoning extraneous material and making Cali, in, Michael Sorvino's words a leaner, better movie.

They're hoping to create buzz on the festival circuit, starting in Sedona. A theatrical release is their ultimate goal, though a TV deal would be fine, too, if that's what it takes to make Cali a financial success.

 The Sorvinos hope the county will soon make back its investment, plus a percentage of any profits. They plan to screen the movie in Scranton, which Sorvino calls one of his favorite places.