Using Face Flags

I feel kinda stupid, but I can’t seem to figure out how to use the NMFace.flag variable.
After I create a plane from a test python script, when I go into face select mode the face(the only one that exists) is selected. Unfortunatly, it seems the NMFace object doesn’t have a sel switch like the NMVert does, but instead uses a flag variable. What I’d like to know is how to create this plane in a way that the face isn’t selected.
It seems that when I print the flag of an unselected face, I get a 0. So I tried to set face.flag = 0, but it doesn’t work.
If anyone could help, that would be… well… helpful, and great.
Thanks in advance.