• Mechanical Eye Microcinema presents a screening of Monté Patterson’s films at Grail Moviehouse on Thursday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. Titled Masks and Metamorphosis, the program of experimental narrative shorts examines transformations from one plane of being to another based on the lives humans live. Selections include Caught, Ghost Town: A City Transformed and Watermelon. Suggested donation is $5. Patterson will also give an artist talk on Friday, Nov. 18, at Firestorm Cafe & Books from 6-7 p.m., focusing on social media and the ways in which a film’s final image encapsulates and punctuates stories. $5-10 sliding scale includes beverage/snack. mechanicaleyecinema.org
• Grail Moviehouse is home to the Asheville premiere of Little Sister on Thursday, Nov. 17, at 7:15 p.m. Shot and set in Asheville, Zach Clark’s comedy follows a young nun — formerly a high school goth — as she returns home to visit her estranged family in the days before the 2008 election. The film stars Addison Timlin (That Awkward Moment), Ally Sheedy (The Breakfast Club), Peter Hedges (writer/director of Dan in Real Life), Keith Poulson (Listen Up Philip), Alex Karpovsky (“Girls”) and Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator), as well as several Asheville-area actors, including Emily Shaules and Krista Tortora.
Asheville native Melodie Sisk is one of the film’s producers and shares a story credit with Clark. A Skype Q&A with Clark will follow the film. Tickets are $10 and available online and at the Grail box office. avl.mx/35c
• The Fine Arts Theatre hosts a screening of Last Men Standing to benefit the Western North Carolina AIDS Project on Thursday, Nov. 17, at 7:30 p.m. Directed by former Asheville Citizen-Times photographer Erin Brethauer and her former San Francisco Chronicle colleague Tim Hussin, the documentary centers on long-term AIDS survivors in the Bay Area.
The feature is the first full-length film produced by the Chronicle and has screened at film festivals across the U.S. as well as the 21st International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa. Brethauer will be in attendance and participate in a post-screening Q&A. Tickets are $10 and available online and at the Fine Arts box office. avl.mx/35d
• West Asheville Public Library’s Pixar film series continues Friday, Nov. 18, at 4:30 p.m. with A Bug’s Life. The feature will be preceded by the Pixar short film Geri’s Game. Free and open to the public. avl.mx/1z5
• The Center for Cultural Preservation celebrates the PBS premiere of Call of the Ancient Mariner, David Weintraub’s award-winning documentary about sea turtles and human culture, with a viewing party and forum on Monday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Fellowship of Hendersonville. The evening begins with a reception with music by folksinger Tom Fisch, locally baked goods and hard cider from Bold Rock Cidery.
After the screening, a forum will be held on nature, spirituality and turtles featuring Weintraub and such local spiritual leaders as the Rev. Jim McKinley of the Unitarian Fellowship of Hendersonville, the Rev. Scott Hardin-Nieri of Creation Care Alliance and Bhikkhu Pannadipa, co-abbot of Embracing Simplicity Hermitage. Admission is a donation of $10 or more in support of the Center for Cultural Preservation. Register in advance online or call the center at 692-8062. saveculture.org
I didn’t realise Little Sister was directed by Zach Clark the director of White Reindeer, a really good dark comedy from a couple of years ago.
Has the Carolina moved away from showing the art and indie movies they used to always have on a couple of screens?
Just temporarily. They’re down to 7 screens while they renovate the theater one half at a time. Once they’re back to full capacity in a few months, the art titles will return.
Thanks for this info! That is a relief!
We are losing Rosebud video soon and I’m not sure I could take losing another outlet for these kinds of movies as well.
There’s always the Grail and Fine Arts Theaters
Agreed, although I have always found the downstairs theater at the Fine Arts uncomfortable due to its lack of leg room. Parking is also an issue at both FA and Grail.