Russ Collins is on an “all Sundance, all the time” schedule.

For Collins, the Michigan Theater’s executive director and CEO, has been running a pre-Sundance conference (called Art House Convergence) Jan. 17-20; then he'll stay on in Park City, Utah to enjoy some Sundance Film Festival screenings, beginning today; and then he returns to Ann Arbor on Jan. 27 for Sundance USA at the Michigan Theater, wherein two selections from this year’s festival (“Win Win” and “Cedar Rapids”) will be screened on consecutive nights.

You read that right. Two selections. Though audiences in nine cities across the country — including Brookline, Brooklyn, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Madison, and Nashville — will get the chance to watch at least one new film from this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Ann Arbor area movie lovers will get two chances to see new work and hear from those involved in making the film. (They’ll also be able to see a program of award-winning shorts from the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, beginning Jan. 23.)

Partly, the Michigan's “bonus movie” status stems from the fact that “Cedar Rapids” — starring Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, and Anne Heche, and directed by Miguel Arteta — was shot in the Ann Arbor area, and because the comedy’s making its debut at Sundance, arrangements were made to give locals a first look at a movie made in their own backyard.

But according to Collins, there’s more to it than that. “We were able to do two films because (Sundance officials) have a lot of confidence in Ann Arbor and the Michigan Theater,” he said. “And we have the technical capabilities to do what they need to be done. Some theaters don’t have high-quality 35 mm systems, or Dolby sound, and that kind of stuff. So it’s because of both the market and the institution itself.”

Last year marked the debut of Sundance USA, which happened in eight cities (Seattle is a new addition). The Michigan Theater had screened the offbeat comedy “Cyrus” and hosted post-screening Q&A with writers/directors Jay and Mark Duplass and star Jonah Hill. The screening sold out the 1,700-seat main auditorium at the Michigan, and Collins called the response to the event “enthusiastic on every level.”

This year, so far, more than 1,000 tickets have been sold for “Win Win,” while “Cedar Rapids” — for which tickets went on sale 2 ½ weeks later — has been approaching the 1,000 tickets-sold mark.

Writer/director Tom McCarthy and star Paul Giamatti are slated to appear following “Win Win”’s screening on Jan. 27; and Arteta and at least one cast member are expected to speak after “Cedar Rapids”’ screening on Jan. 28.

“I hope people are as excited about this second year as they were the first,” said Collins. “These two films are very exciting. Tom McCarthy … directed one of my favorite movies of recent years, ‘The Station Agent,’ so I’m really looking forward to ‘Win Win.’ And judging by the preview for ‘Cedar Rapids,’ it looks like a winning comedy, and it’s always cool to see your hometown on the big screen.”

According to Collins, figuring out which films will be sent where for Sundance USA is a difficult process that involves a number of factors, including logistical concerns. (“Cedar Rapids,” for instance, will be screened in Seattle on Jan. 27, and then Ann Arbor on Jan. 28.)

“In the case of the Michigan Theater, we’re the smallest market, but the biggest theater,” said Collins. “Most of the other Sundance USA theaters have 300 seats, or 350 seats. Something like that. We have 1,700, and so they take into account the size of the venue, what the expectations are, and so on. Last year, we sold far more tickets than any other place in the country. We’re bigger than the largest venue in Park City, so the biggest crowd to see a Sundance film is actually in Ann Arbor.”

Jenn McKee is the entertainment digital journalist for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.