To quote the shared line of dialogue: "That's never happened before."

Each team competing in the 48 Hour Film Project in Pittsburgh had to work that sentiment into their film, along with some sort of present as a prop and a character named Alan or Alana Beaumont, described simply as a phony.

More than 400 people on 27 teams participated with two dozen finishing on time earlier this month and the three late-comers eligible for audience awards.

Honors will be given out today when the "Best of the Pittsburgh 48HFP" is celebrated at 7 p.m. at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, 5941 Penn Ave., East Liberty.

Tickets, $8 (cash only), will be available at the door. Ticket stubs will grant free entry to a wrap party at the Shadow Lounge with food from The Quiet Storm coffeehouse and restaurant.

"The filmmakers worked very hard and produced films that are of amazing quality for a normal time period, so for them to have been done in 48 hours makes them incredible works," Nina Gibbs, co-producer of the project, said this week.

More than 600 people attended two days of premiere screenings at the Kelly-Strayhorn last week. Finalists whose works are being shown tonight will walk away with awards of some sort.

"I'm just very excited at the amount of involvement on all fronts from filmmakers, sponsors and viewers," Gibbs said. "The Pittsburgh community has really rallied around us and helped us make the project grow, especially ArtDimensions Pittsburgh," one of more than a dozen sponsors.

This was the first year for Gibbs and Kahmeela Adams, producer of the project, and the two were pleased to bring the screenings to the Kelly-Strayhorn from the suburbs.

Being screened tonight: "The Counselors," Team Awesome; "Love at First Plight," Rising Phoenix Productions; "Spotless: A Clean Break," Todd Vilsack; "A Christmas Miracle," Wrecking Crew Media; "May I Help You?" Team 47; "Deadline," Corkwood; and "Shadows of the Shield," Hustlebot.

Also, "Space Kisser" by Galaxy454; "Co Workers," DSP Films; "Justifiable," Zeno Films; "Loomis," DuBois Business College; "House Rules," Lot25; and "The Day the Earth Stood Chill," Orchard Place Productions.

Judges are: Max Walters, an instructor at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh; Susan Wagner, painter-sculptor; Dan Parme, writer; Julie Mink, producer; and Chris Ivey, filmmaker.

Winners will be listed tomorrow on www.48hourfilm.com/pittsburgh/, where you can find more details about the competition, prizes and other cities.

In related news, Ivey's documentary, "East of Liberty," will be screened for free tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at Larimer Community Garden (bring a lawn chair) at Larimer Avenue and Mayflower Street.

Larimer Green Team is sponsoring the event and will have representatives there as well as Ivey for discussion before and after. "East of Liberty" addresses issues of race, class and gentrification as the neighborhood enjoys development and growing pains.