FRIDAY, OCT. 5 

Impeachment Banner Fridays at 6:45 to 8 a.m. on the Berkeley Pedestrian bridge between Seabreeze Market and the Berkeley Aquatic Park, ongoing on Fridays until impeachment is realized. www. Impeachbush-cheney.com 

City Commons Club Noon Luncheon with Celeste MacLeod on “Immigration in Australia, Past and Present” Luncheon at 11:45 a.m. for $14.50, speech at 12:30 p.m., at the Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant St. 526-2925.  

Birding with the Golden Gate Audubon Society at Jewel Lake in Tilden Regional Park Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the parking lot at north end of Central Park Dr. for a mile-long stroll through this lush riparian area. 848-9156. philajane6@yahoo.com 

“Grace Paley: 1922-2007, A Celebration” at 7 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 2345 Channing Way. Donations requested. 

“Confronting Empire” with Congresswomn Cynthia McKinney at 6 p.m. at Berkeley Fellowhip of Unitarian Universalists, 1924 Cedar St. Suggested donation $10-$30. 

“Ghosts of Abu Ghraib” A documentary by Rory Kennedy at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph the Worker Church, 1640 Addison St. For mature audiences only. Presented by the Bay Area Religious Campaign Against Torture and the Fr. Bill O’Donnell Social Justice Committee. 499-0537. 

“The Thursday Club” A documentary about the Oakland police in the 1960s, followed by discussion with the filmmaker, George Csicsery, at 8 p.m. at the Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak Sts. 238-2022. www.museumca.org 

“The Future of Food” A documentary on unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods at 7 p.m. at Center for UrbanPEACE, 2584 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Q and A follows. Free. 866-732-2320. 

3rd Annual Berkeley Juggling & Unicycling Festival Fri. from 5 to 7 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at King Middle School, 1781 Rose Ave. For details see www.berkeleyjuggling.org/festival 

“Catching the Wave: Connecting East Asia Through Soft Power” Conference on ways in which culture, product branding, export projection of national cultures, athletic events, and global NGOs serve to create a more unified (or divided) Asia. Fri. and Sat. in the Toll Room, Alumni House, UC Campus. For details see http://ieas.berkeley.edu/events/2007.10.05.html 

Berkeley Women in Black weekly vigil from noon to 1 p.m. at Bancroft and Telegraph. Our focus is human rights in Palestine. 548-6310. 

Circle Dancing, simple folk dancing with instruction at 7:30 p.m. at Finnish Brotherhood Hall, 1970 Chestnut St at University. Donation of $5 requested. 528-4253. www.circledancing.com 

SATURDAY, OCT. 6 

Berkeley Indigenous Peoples’ Day Powwow and Indian Market, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Grand Entry at noon, at Civic Center Park, on MLK Way between Center St. and Allston Way. 595-5520. 

Berkeley Historical Society Tour of the Maybeck Estates in Kensington from 10 a.m. to noon. Cost is $8-$10. To register and for meeting place call 848-0181. 

Walking Tour of Old Oakland “New Era/New Politics” highlights African-American leaders who have made their mark on Oakland. Meet at 10 a.m. at the African American Museum and Library at 659 14th St. 238-3234.  

Mini-Farmers in Tilden A farm exploration program, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. for ages 4-6 years, accompanied by an adult. We will explore the Little Farm, care for animals, do crafts and farm chores. Wear boots and dress to get dirty! Fee is $6-$8. Registration required. 1-888-EBPARKS 

Swim a Mile for Women with Cancer Fundraiser for the Women’s Cancer Resource Center Sat. and Sun. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Mills College Pool, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland. For information call 601-4040, ext. 180. wcrc.org 

Political Affairs Readers Group meets to discuss “High-Tech Capitalism and the Class Struggle” by John Bachtell at 10 a.m. at the Niebyl-Proctor Marxist Library for Social research, 6501 Telegraph Ave. Sponsored by the CPUSA. 595-7417. 

Annual Bonsai Show and Sale Sat. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sun. from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Lakeside Garden Center, 666 Bellevue, Oakland near Fairyland. lsolivenster@gmail.com 

Stagebridge Theatre Company’s Open House from 3 to 5 p.m. at Arts First Oakland, 2501 Harrison St., at 27th St., Oakland. 444.4577.  

Introduction to Stamp Collecting with the East Bay Collectors Club at 1:30 p.m. in the 3rd flr Community meeting Room, Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge St. 981-6143. 

Free Digital Fingerprinting for Children and activities for children Sat. from noon to 6 p.m., Sun. from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Hilltop Buick, 3230 Auto Plaza, Richmond. Records are given to parents.1-319-268-4044. 

Albany Tennis Tournament from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Memorial Park to raise money for the new Albany High School Men’s Tennis Team. All ages and levels are welcome to play in a doubles round robin format. Cost is $10-$25, sliding scale. BBQ lunch included. Advance sign up strongly suggested. 527-5775. bbguletz@sbcglobal.net 

Make a Miniature Japanese Kite at 2 p.m. in the Edith Stone Room, Albany Library, 1247 Marin Ave. 526-3720, ext. 17. 

“Destination Studies Class: Hawaii” from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Berkeley City College, 2050 Center St. Cost is $10. 981-2931. 

The Berkeley Lawn Bowling Club provides free instruction every Wed. and Sat. at 10 a.m. at 2270 Acton St. 841-2174.  

Free Garden Tours at Regional Parks Botanic Garden Sat. and Sun. at 2 pm. Regional Parks Botanic Garden, Tilden Park. Call to confirm. 841-8732. www.nativeplants.org 

Around the World Tour of Plants at 1:30 p.m., Thurs., Sat. and Sun. at UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive. 643-2755. 

SUNDAY, OCT. 7 

Beach Impeach Join 1,500 others to spell out IMPEACH on the lawn of Cesar Chavez Park, Berkeley Marina. Arrive by 11 a.m. To sign up see www.beachimpeach.org 

Autumn Meditation Walk Guided exercises including walking meditation and quiet sitting at 9:30 a.m. at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. 525-2233. 

Solo Sierrans Hike in Tilden Meet at 3:30 p.m. at Lone Oak big parking lot for an hour & a half hike through the woods and up the hills, before we dine on Solane Ave. Rain cancels. 234-8949. 

“The Big Game” A documentary about Berkeley’s urban tree-sit at 6:55 p.m. at the Landmark California Theater, 2133 Kittredge St. 464-5983. 

ACLU B.A.R.K.+ Chapter Annual Meeting “Govenment Surveillance 2007: Where Has Privacy Gone?” with Nicole A. Ozer, Gayle McLaughlin and Barbara Zerbe MacNab from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel, Berkeley Marina. 558-0377. 

Haiti Report Back with the East Bay Sanctuary Haiti Support Committee at 2 p.m. at Epworth United Methodist Church, 1953 Hopkins St.  

CodePINK Newcomer Orientation & Activist Training at 10 a.m. at 1248 Solano Ave., Albany . RSVP to 524-2776. 

Friends of People’s Park meeting at 4 p.m. in the park at the stage. Topics include Park updates and work objectives. All are welcome.  

“Lose 5,000 Pounds” Cool the Earth Workshop from 2 to 6 p.m. at Fellowship Hall, 1924 Cedar St. at Bonita. Cost is $25. www.bfuu.org 

EcoHouse Tour of the Ecology Center’s environmentally friendly demonstration home and garden, at 10 a.m. at 1305 Hopkins St., enter via garden entrance on Peralta. Cost is $10, sliding scale, no one turned away. RSVP to 548-2220, ext. 242. ecologycenter.org 

“Afflicted Powers: Capital and Spectacle in a New Age of War” with Iain Boal, at 10 a.m. at Niebyl-Proctor Marxist Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. 595-7417. www.tifcss.org 

Rockridge Kitchen Tour of nine remodeled kitchens from Arts & Crafts to Contemporary, from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Register at 5951 College Ave at Harwood. Tickets are $30-$40. www.rockridge.org 

“Driving Public Policy to Improve End-of-Life Care” with former US Assistant Attorney General Robert Raben, at 2 p.m. at Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge. 981-6100. www.compassionandchoicesnca.org 

Booksigning: “Yoga as Medicine” with Timothy McCall, M.D. at 1 p.m. at Elephant Pharm Berkeley, 1607 Shattuck Ave. 549-9200. 

Free Hands-on Bicycle Repair Class Learn how to do a safety inspection. Bring your bicycle and tools. At 10 a.m. at REI, 1338 San Pablo Ave. 527-4140. 

Lake Merritt Neighbors Organized for Peace Meet at 3 p.m. at the colonnade at the NE end of the lake. 763-8712.  

“Poetry and the Spiritual Journey” with Barbara Hamilton-Holway at 10 a.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, 1 Lawson Rd., Kensington. 525-0302, ext. 306. 

Tibetan Buddhism with Rosalyn White on “From the Roof of the World: Saving Tibet’s Culture” at 6 p.m. at the Tibetan Nyingma Institute, 1815 Highland Pl. 843-6812.  

Sew Your Own Open Studio Come learn to use our industrial and domestic machines, or work on your own projects, from 5 to 9 p.m. at 84 Bolivar Dr., Aquatic Park. Cost is $3 per hour. 644-2577.  

MONDAY, OCT. 8 

Berkeley Green Monday meets to discuss “ Think Global - Act Local. Go Green at Work, at Home and at the Beach!” with Babak Jacinto Tondre of EcoHouse & Graywater Systems, Ecology Center; Pamela Evans of Green Business Program, Alameda County; Patty Donald of Marina Experience Programs, City of Berkeley, at 7:30 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Free. 848-4681. 

“Faith, Politics and Passion” with John L. Bell from the Iona community in Scotland at 7:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church of Berkeley, 2345 Channing Way. 848-3696. 

Berkeley CopWatch organizational meeting at 8 p.m. at 2022 Blake St.548-0425. 

Free Boatbuilding Classes for Youth Mon.-Wed. from 3 to 7 p.m. at Berkeley Boathouse, 84 Bolivar Dr., Aquatic Park. Classes cover woodworking, boatbuilding, and boat repair. 644-2577. www.watersideworkshops.org 

TUESDAY, OCT. 9 

Tuesdays for the Birds Tranquil bird walks in local parklands, led by Bethany Facendini, from 7 to 9:30 a.m. Today we will visit Eastshore State Park and the Albany Bulb. Call for meeting place and if you need to borrow binoculars. 525-2233. 

Birding Class on Owls Learn about their habits and habitats, then look for them on Sat. field trips. Classes are Oct. 9, 16, and 23 at 7 p.m. at Oakland Museum of California, Oak at 10th St., Oakland. Field trips are Oct. 20 and 27. Offered in conjunction with the Audubon Society. Fee is $50. To register call 843-2222.  

“Tracking the Nation’s Groundwater Reserves” with William M. Alley of the U.S. Geological Survey at 5:30 p.m. in Room 112, Wurster Hall, UC Campus. 642-2666. 

“The Hidden Humor in Holy Scripture” with John L. Bell from the Iona community in Scotland at 7:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church of Berkeley, 2345 Channing Way. 848-3696. 

Berkeley School Volunteers Orientation from 4 to 5 p.m. at 1835 Allston Way. Come learn about volunteer opportunities. 644-8833. 

End the Occupation Vigil every Tues. at noon at Oakland Federal Bldg., 1301 Clay St. www.epicalc.org 

Street Level Cycles Community Bike Program Come use our tools as well as receive help with performing repairs free of charge. Youth classes available. Tues., Thurs., and Sat. from 2 to 6 p.m. at at 84 Bolivar Dr., Aquatic Park. 644-2577. www.watersideworkshops.org 

Family Storytime at 7 p.m. at Kensington Library. 61 Arlington Ave. 524-3043.  

Community Sing-a-Long every Tues, at 2 p.m. at the Albany Senior Center, 846 Masonic Ave. 524-9122.  

Berkeley Camera Club meets at 7:30 p.m., at the Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda. Share your digital images, slides and prints and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 548-3991. www.berkeleycameraclub.org 

St. John’s Prime Timers meets at 9:30 a.m. at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave. 845-6830. 

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 10 

Walking Tour of Historic Oakland Churches and Temples Meet at 10 a.m. at the front of the First Presbyterian Church at 2619 Broadway. Tour lasts 90 minutes. Reservations can be made by calling 238-3234. www.oaklandnet.com/walkingtours 

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Colloquium with Stephen R.J. Sheppard on “Global Warming in Everyday Places: Localizing, Spatializing, and Visualizing Climate Change” at 1 p.m. at Wurster Hall, Room 315A, UC Campus. All welcome. laep.ced.berkeley.edu/events/colloquium 

Pools for Berkeley meets to discuss the possibilities of an aquatic center at West Campus at 7 p.m. at City of Berkeley Corporation Yard, Public Meeting Room, 1326 Allston Way. All welcome. Childcare for ages 5 and up. www.poolsforberkeley.org 

“Matewan” A film about labor and race in a West Virginia mining town at 8 p.m. at Long Haul Infoshop, 3124 Shatttuck Ave. www.thelonghaul.org 

An Introduction to Marxism, a free class for beginners and students at every level from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Niebyl-Proctor Marxist Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. 595-7417. www.tifcss.org 

Walk Berkeley for Seniors meets every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at the Sea Breeze Market, just west of the I-80 overpass. Everyone is welcome, wear comfortable shoes and a warm hat. 548-9840. 

THURSDAY, OCT. 11 

“Hidden History of the East Bay: Photographs Tell Towns’ Stories” at 1 p.m. at the Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak Sts., Oakland. 238-2022. www.museumca.org 

Tilden Mini-Rangers Hiking, conservation and nature-based activities for ages 8-12. Dress to ramble and get dirty. From 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. Cost is $6-$8, registration required. 1-888-327-2757. 

35th Anniversary Celebration of Harbor House with Dr. Tony Campolo from 6 to 9 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Oakland, 2619 Broadway at 27th St., Oakland. Tickets are $30-$40, available from Harbor House, 1811, 11th Avenue, Oakland. 534-0165. 

University of California Press Book Sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 2120 Berkeley Way, one block north of University, between Shattuck and Oxford. www.ucpress.edu 

Jack London Aquatic Center Community Challenge and fundraiser to inspire diverse communiteis to participate in water sports, at 5 p.m. at Jack London Aquatic Center. For information call 208-6067. 

Food + Farming Film “Our Daily Bread” and “We Feed the World” with San Francisco area breadbakers Steve Sullivan, founder Acme Breads, and Julie Cummins, CUESA, at 6:40 p.m. at the Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St. at Arch.  

Benefit for Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassemia Programs at Children’s Hospital & Research Center with an Evening Under the Stars at Chabot Space & Science Center. Tickets are $40-$90. 428-3452. www.childrenshospitaloakland.org 

“How to Have a Healthy Childbirth” at 5:30 p.m. at Pharmaca, 1744 Solano Ave. 527-8929. 

World of Plants Tours Thurs., Sat. and Sun. at 1:30 p.m. at the UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive. Cost is $5. 643-2755.  

CITY MEETINGS 

City Council meets Tues., Oct. 9, at 7 p.m in City Council Chambers. 981-6900. www. 

ci.berkeley.ca.us/citycouncil 

Commission on Disability meets Wed., Oct. 10, at 6:30 p.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-6346. TDD: 981-6345.  

Homeless Commission meets Wed., Oct. 10, at 7 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-5426.  

Planning Commission meets Wed., Oct. 10, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-7484.  

Waterfront Commission meets Wed., Oct. 10, at 7 p.m., at 201 University Ave. 981-6740.  

Downtown Area Plan Advisory Commission meets Thurs. Oct. 11, at 7 p.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-7487. 

Zoning Adjustments Board meets Thurs., Oct. 11, at 7 p.m., in City Council Chambers. 981-7410.  

FRIDAY, OCT. 5 

THEATER 

California Shakespeare Theater “King Lear” at the Bruns Ampitheater, 100 Gateway Blvd., Orinda, through Oct. 14. Tickets are $15-$60. 548-9666. www.calshakes.org 

Contra Costa Civic Theatre “Rumors” by Neil Simon, Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m., selected Sundays at 2 p.m. at 951 Pomona Ave. at Moeser, El Cerrito, through Oct. 14. Tickets are $11-$18. 655-8974. www.cct.org 

Impact Theatre “Sleepy” Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m. at La Val’s Subterranean, 1834 Euclid Ave., through Oct. 13. Tickets are $10-$15. 464-4468. 

Masquers Playhouse “4 Plays by Peter Levy” Fri. at 8 p.m., Sat. at 2:30 and 8 p.m., and Sun. at 2:30 p.m. at 105 Park Place, Point Richmond. Q&A with the playwright at the Sat. eve. performance. Tickets are $10. 232-3888. www.masquers.org 

Ragged Wing Ensemble “Alice in Wonderland” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m. at Envision Academy, 1515 Webster St., Oakland, through Oct. 13. Tickets are $15-$30. 800-838-3006. www.raggedwing.org 

Shotgun Players “Bulrusher” Thurs.-Sun. at 8 p.m. at the Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave. through Oct. 28. Tickets are $17-$25. For reservations call 841-6500. www.shotgunplayers.org 

“Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” written and performed by Amy Wong, Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $12-$15. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

EXHIBITIONS 

“The Quilts of Dorothy Vance” On display Fri. from 5 to 8 p.m., and Sat. from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St. 

Tea Pot Show Works by members of the Potters’ Studio in celebration of their 35th Anniversary. Opening reception at 5:30 p.m. at 637 Cedar St. 528-3286. 

“A Class Act CCA-C” A group art show by students from California College of the Arts. Opening reception at 5:30 p.m. at Joyce Gordon Gallery, 406 14th St. 465-8928. 

New Works by Peter Honig and Ce Ce Landoli Opening reception at 6 p.m. at Mercury 20 Gallery, 25 Grand Ave. at Broadway, Oakland. 701-4620. 

“Works by Keira Kotler and Jenn Shifflet” Opening reception at 6 p.m. at Chandra Cerrito Contemporary, 25 Grand Ave., upper level, Oakland. Exhibition runs through Nov. 17. www.chandracerrito.com 

“Water Street: Works by Jenny E. Balisle and Antonio Vigil” Reception at 4 p.m. at Pro Arts Gallery, 550 Second St., Oakland. 763-4361. 

“Circular Logic: Works by Mae Leung, Jo-ey Tang and Jesse Powell” Opening reception at 7 p.m. at Front Gallery, 35 Grand Ave., Oakland. http://frontgalleryoakland.com 

First Annual Oakland Arts Day Ceremony and Reception at 5 p.m. at Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza at 14th St, & Broadway. RSVP to 238-7561. 

FILM 

Berkeley Video & Film Fest Independent cinema from around the world continuous sreenings Fri.-Sun. at California Theater, 2113 Kittredge St. 464-5983. http://berkeleyvideofilmfest.org 

“Irma Vep” with filmmaker Oliver Assayas and film historian Jean-Michel Frodon in conversation at 6:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $5.50-$9.50. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

Sunset Cinema: “Piece by Piece” on San Francisco’s graffiti art movement at 6:30 p.m. at Oakland Museum of California, Oak at 10th St., Oakland. 238-2022. www.museumca.org 

Midnight Movies “Office Space” Fri. and Sat. at midnight at Piedmont Cinema, 4186 Piedmont Ave., Oakland. Cost is $8. 464-5980. 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Wendy Tokunaga introduces her novel “Midori by Moonlight” at 7 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

Marina Lewycka reads from her new novel “Strawberry Fields” at 7:30 p.m. at Mrs. Dalloways, 2904 College Ave. 704-8222. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Oakland Opera Theater “Turn of the Screw” Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2 p.m. at Oakland Metro Operahouse, 630 3rd. St., through Oct. 14. Tickets are $25. 763-1146.  

The Korean Traditional Dance Company at 8 p.m. at Hertz Hall, UC Campus. No ticket required. 642-5674. 

Ric Alexander, jazz fusion, at 5 p.m. at Oakland Museum of California, Oak at 10th St., Oakland. 238-2022. www.museumca.org 

Tin/Bag plus Chris Brown, Phillip Greenlief & Donald Robinson at 8 p.m. at Free-Jazz Fridays at the Jazz House, 1510 8th St., Oakland. Cost is $5-$15. 415-846-9432. 

Yore Folk Dance Ensemble “Semah” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m. at Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2640 College Ave. tickets are $15-$25. 925-798-1300. 

Joffrey Ballet at 8 p.m. at Zellerbach Hall, UC Campus. Tickets are $34-$90. 642-9988. www.calperfs.berkeley.edu 

Dwele and Melissa Young at 8:30 p.m. at Kimball’s Carnival, 522 2nd St., Jack London Square. Tickets are $30. 444-6979. www.kimballscarnival.com 

Michael Smolens & KRIYA at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $15. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Robinson, Brown & Greenlief in Trio at 8 p.m. at Free-Jazz Fridays at the Jazz House, 1510 8th St., Oakland. Cost is $5-$15. 415-846-9432. 

Youssoupha Sideibe and Shimshai, West African kora, at 9 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $12-$15. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Tamra Engle, rock, folk, at 8 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Australian Bebop Ragas at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

The Brothers Goldman at 9 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810.  

Jeff Rolka and Robert Heiskell at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

Berkeley Django Reinhardt Hot Jazz Festival at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $12. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

Modern Life is War, Trap Them, Trash Talk at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $5. 525-9926. 

The Dave Stein Hub-Bub at 10 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

William Beatty, piano, at 6:30 p.m. at The Mount Everest Restaurant, 2011 Shattuck Ave. at University. 

Ben Adams Quintet at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 843-8277. 

Rahsaan Patterson at 8 and 10 p.m., through Sun. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $24-$28. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

SATURDAY, OCT. 6 

CHILDREN  

Michael Katz, storyteller, at 10:30 a.m. at Berkeley Public Library, 3rd floor, Community Meeting Room, 2090 Kittredge St. 

Los Amiguitos de La Peña with Jerry Kennedy, aka J-Soul at 10:30 a.m. at La Peña. Cost is $5 for adults, $4 for children. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Active Arts Theatre for Young Audiences “James and the Giant Peach” Sat. and Sun. at 2 p.m., Mon. at 11:30 a.m. at Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2640 College Ave. Tickets are $14-$18. 925-798-1300. 

“Short Attention Span Circus” Acrobatics and juggling by Jean Paul Valjean Sat. and Sun. at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. at Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Ave. 452-2259. 

Annie Barrows reads from “Ivy and Bean Break the Fossil Record” at 4 p.m. at Mrs. Dalloways, 2904 College Ave. 704-8222. 

EXHIBITIONS 

“The Quilts of Dorothy Vance” On display from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St. 

“One Way or Another: Asian American Art Now” Sign-language interpreted tour at 1:30 p.m.at Berkeley Art Museum, 2626 Bancroft. Cost is $5.50-$9.50. 642-0808. 

“Cross Currents: Artists of Alameda” Opening reception at 1 p.m. at Alameda Museum gallery, 2324 Alameda Ave. 865-0541. 

21st Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition A showcase for more than 90 artists who live or work in Emeryville opens at EmeryStation East, 2nd Floor, 5885 Hollis St., Emeryville, and runs to Oct. 28. 652-6122. www.emeryarts.com  

“Counter Intuitive: Photographs by Susan Tuttle” Opening reception at 3 p.m. at Montclair Gallery, 1986 Mountain Blvd., Oakland. 339-4286. 

FILM 

Berkeley Video & Film Fest Independent cinema from around the world, Sat. and Sun. from 1 to 9:45 p.m. at California Theater, 2113 Kittredge St. 464-5983. http://berkeleyvideofilmfest.org 

“The Big Game” A documentary about Berkeley’s urban tree-sit at 6:55 p.m. at the Landmark California Theater, 2133 Kittredge St. 464-5983. 

“demonlover” with filmmaker Oliver Assayas and film historian Jean-Michel Frodon in conversation at 6:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $5.50-$9.50. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

The Third Baby Beat Poetry Festival featuring Judy Wells, Neeli Cherkovski, H.D. Moe & Blake More from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Humanist Fellowship Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland. Free. 528-8713. 

Bay Area Poets Coalition Annual Contest and Poetry Reading from 3 to 5 p.m. at Strawberry Creek Lodge, 1320 Addison St. Park on the street, not in Lodge parking lot. 527-9905.  

Oliver Chin reads from his latest work “Julie Black Belt, The Kungfu Chronicles” at 3 p.m. at Eastwind Books of Berkeley 2066 University Ave. 548-2350. 

Poetry Flash with Tung-Hui Hu and Mari l’Esperance at 7 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Erica Weber, soprano, performs the works of Mozart, Brahms, Schubert at 8 p.m. at Trinity Chapel, 2320 Dana St. Tickets are $8-$12. 549-3864. www. 

trinitychamberconcerts.com 

Women’s Antique Vocal Ensemble “Transitions: Spanish Influence in the New World” at 8 p.m. at St. Albert Priory Chapel, 6172 Chabot Rd., Oakland. Tickets are $10-$15. www.wavewomen.org  

“Melody of China” Premiering compositions by Gang Situ and Yuanlin Chen at 7:30 p.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 2300 Bancroft Way. Tickets are $10-$18. 415-681-8599. www.melodyofchina.org 

Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, all Vivaldi program, at 8 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 2345 Channing Way. Tickets are $30-$72. 415-392-4400. www.philharmonia.org 

Gamelan Sekar Jaya Music and dance of Bali, at 8 p.m. at Oakland Asian Cultural Center, 11th St. between Franklin and Webster in the Pacific Renaissance Plaza in Oakland’s Chinatown. Tickets are $6-$12. 237-6849. www.gsj.org 

Joffrey Ballet at 2 and 8 p.m. at Zellerbach Hall, UC Campus. Tickets are $34-$90. 642-9988. www.calperfs.berkeley.edu 

Jessica Williams, jazz pianist, at 8 p.m. at Piedmont Piano Company, 4382 Piedmont Ave. corner Pleasant Valley, Oakland. Donation $20. For reservations call 415-543-9988. 

Beep with Michael Coleman jazz, at 9:30 p.m. at Albatross, 1822 San Pablo Ave. Cost is $5. 843-2473.  

Tanaora at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $14. 841-JAZZ.  

Melodians, reggae, at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $15-$18. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com  

Sotaque Baiano, Brazilian, at 9 p.m. at Shattuck Down Low, 2284 Shattuck Ave. Cost is $10. 548-1159. www.shattuckdownlow.com 

Jessica Rice and Stevie Barsotti at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

Veretski Pass at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Faye Carol at 8 p.m. at the Jazzschool. Cost is $18. 845-5373. www.jazzschool.com 

Royal Hawaiian Serenaders at 9 p.m. at Temple Bar Tiki Bar & Grill, 984 University Ave. 548-9888. 

Vanessa Lowe and Elliot Randall at 8 p.m. at Spuds Pizza, 3290 Adeline St. Cost is $10. 558-0881. 

Sugar Shack at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 843-8277. 

Tried and True, Troublemaker, Call to Arms, at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $5. 525-9926. 

SUNDAY, OCT. 7 

CHILDREN 

Asheba at Ashkenaz at 3 p.m. Cost is $4-$6. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com  

Rosemary Wells reads from her new books including “Mother Gooses’s Little Treasures” at 4 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

“The Panchatantra: Animal Lessons from India” at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. at Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Ave. 452-2259. 

EXHIBITIONS 

Berkeley Treasures: Three Generations of Printmakers Works by Emmanuel Montoya, Miriam Stahl and Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs. Opening reception at 2 p.m. at Berkeley art Center, 1275 Walnut St. www.berkeleyartcenter.org 

“One Way or Another: Asian American Art Now” Guided tour at 2 p.m.at Berkeley Art Museum, 2626 Bancroft. Cost is $5.50-$9.50. 642-0808. 

Michael-Che Swisher “Animals of Tilden” Artist talk at 2 p.m. at Tilden Nature Area, Tilden Park. 525-2233. 

21st Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition featuring more than 90 artists who live or work in Emeryville. Reception at 6 p.m. at EmeryStation East, 2nd Floor, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville. 652-6122. www.emeryarts.com  

FILM 

Berkeley Video & Film Fest Independent cinema from around the world, from 1 to 10 p.m. at California Theater, 2113 Kittredge St. 464-5983. http://berkeleyvideofilmfest.org 

“Cold Water” with filmmaker Oliver Assayas and film historian Jean-Michel Frodon in conversation at 3 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $5.50-$9.50. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

“A Celebration of Odd and Hilarious Found Videos” at 5 p.m. at Parkway Theater, 1834 Park Blvd., Oakland. Tickets: $8. 814-2400. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Prometheus Symphony Orchestra at 3 p.m. at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Montecito and Grand Ave., Oakland. 415-864-2151. 

Paul Hanson, bassoon, Steve Erquiaga, guitar, perform music of Brazil, Eastern Europe and more at 7:30 p.m. at Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St. Cost is $8-$10. 644-6893. www.berkeleyartcenter.org 

Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, all Vivaldi program, at 7:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 2345 Channing Way. Tickets are $30-$72. 415-392-4400. www.philharmonia.org 

Oakland Opera Theater “Turn of the Screw” Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2 p.m. at Oakland Metro Operahouse, 630 3rd St., through Oct. 14. Tickets are $25. 763-1146.  

Slammin’ the Infinite & Citta Di Vitti featuring Steve Swell & Sabir Mateen at 8 p.m. at 1510 8th Street Performance Space, Oakland. Cost is $10-$15. 415-846-9432. rob@thejazzhouse.com 

Esteban Bello, Meli Rivera, Ray Cepeda and other, noon to sundown on Edith St. just off Cedar. Look for balloons. Benefits “The Children of Chaguitillo Nicaragua” Cost is $12. 472-3170. 

Benny Watson Trio at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $8. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Americana Unplugged: The BAckyard Party Boys at 5 p.m. at Jupiter. 843-8277. 

William Beatty and The Unconditionals at 6:30 p.m. at The Mt. Everest Restaurant 2011 Shattuck Ave. at University. 665-6035. 

Duamuxa and Rafael Manriquez recounting a musical history of the Chilean presence in California, at 7:30 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $12. 849-2568.  

John Handy at 4:30 at the Jazzschool. Cost is $20. 845-5373.  

Philips Marine Duo at 11 a.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344.  

MONDAY, OCT. 8 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Poetry Express with May Garron and Terry McCarty at 7 p.m., at Priya Restaurant, 2072 San Pablo Ave. 644-3977. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Four Seasons Concerts presents Joyce Yang at 7:30 p.m. at Regents Theatre, Valley Center for Performing Arts at Holy Names University. Tickets are $30-$40. 601-7919. www.fourseasonsconcerts.com 

Ed Neff and Friends at 7 p.m. at Le Bateau Ivre, 2629 Telegraph Ave. 849-1100. www.lebateauivre.net 

Ric & Yolanda, at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Viva Brasil at 8 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $10. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

TUESDAY, OCT. 9 

THEATER 

SporK Festival, a bi-racial, bi-cultural celebration of short palys featuring Leila Buck at 7 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $10-$25. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Poetry Flash with Lucille Lang Day, Ed Miller and Antohony Russell White at 7:30 p.m. at Berkeley City College auditorium, 2050 Center St. 525-5476. 

Peter Turchi talks about “maps of the Imagination: The Writer as Cartographer” at 7 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Sauce Piquante at 8:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cajun dance lesson at 8 p.m. Cost is $10. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Singers’ Open Mic with Kelly Park at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way Cost is $5. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Vagabond Opera at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Scraptet, jazz, at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Jazzschool 10th Anniversary Concert at 7:30 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $125. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

Jazzschool Tuesdays, a weekly showcase of up-and-coming ensembles from Berkeley Jazzschool at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 843-8277. 

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 10 

EXHIBITIONS 

“Ancient Roots/Urban Journeys: Expressions for Dias de los Muertos” opens at the Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak Sts., Oakland. 238-2022. www.museumca.org 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Ann Patchett reads from her new novel “Run” at 7 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

Deep Sports with authors Michael Lewis and Dave Zirin at 7:30 p.m. at King Middle School, 1781 Rose St. Benedit for KPFA. Tickets are $10-$13 at Cody’s. 559-9500. 

Anne Willan presents “Country Cooking of France” at noon at Mrs. Dalloways, 2904 College Ave. 704-8222. 

Berkeley Poetry Slam with host Charles Ellik and Three Blind Mice, at 8:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $5-$7. 841-2082 www.starryploughpub.com 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Young Musician’s Program perfroms at noon at Oakland City Center, 12th and Broadway. www.oaklandcitycenter.com 

Bach Festival with Angela Hewitt, piano, Wednesday, October 10 at 8:00 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 2345 Channing Way. Tickets are $42. 642-9988. www.calperformances.net; 

Michael Barsimanto Quartet at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $10. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Balkan Folkdance at 8 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Dance lessons at 7 p.m. Cost is $7. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Orquestra Bakan at 9:30 p.m. at Shattuck Down Low, 2284 Shattuck Ave. Salsa dance lessons at 8:30 p.m. Cost is $5-$10. 548-1159.  

Buxter Hoot’n at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 843-8277. 

Fred O’Dell and the Broken Arrows at 10 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

John Scofield Trio featuring The ScoHorns at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square, through Sun.. Cost is $16-$24. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

THURSDAY, OCT. 11 

EXHIBITIONS 

“One Way or Another: Asian American Art Now” Guided tour at 12:15 and 5:30 p.m. at Berkeley Art Museum, 2626 Bancroft. Cost is $5.50-$9.50. 642-0808 

“A Class Act CCA-C” A group art show by students from California College of the Arts. Reception at 5:30 p.m. at Joyce Gordon Gallery, 406 14th St. 465-8928. 

THEATER 

“Whatever She Wants” a romantic comedy stage play by Je-Caryous Johnson, Thurs. and Fri. at 8 p.m., Sat. at 3 and 8 p.m. at the Paramount Theater, 2025 Broadway, Oakland. Tickets are $34.50-$49.50. 465-6400. 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

“Hidden History of the East Bay: Photographs Tell Towns’ Stories” at 1 p.m. at the Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak Sts., Oakland. 238-2022. www.museumca.org 

Omali Yeshitela, Black Power Movement veteran and Uhuru Movement leader reads from his latest work, “One Africa! One Nation!” at 7 p.m. at Barnes & Noble, 98 Broadway, Jack London Square, Oakland. 272-0120. 

“Opera and Sovereignty: Transforming Myths in 18th Century Italy” with author Martha Feldman in conversation with Mary Ann Smart at 5:30 at University Press Books, 2430 Bancroft Way. 548-0585. 

“History, Culture and the Art of Puppetry in Japan” with Peter Grilli at 7 p.m. in Wheeler Auditorium, UC Campus. www.calperfs.berkeley.edu 

Gabrielle Calvocoressi and Ken Weisner, poets and contibutors to “The Music Lover’s Poetry Anthology” at 7:30 p.m. at Mrs. Dalloways, 2904 College Ave. 704-8222. 

Edward J. Larson describes “Magnificanet Catastrophe: The Tumultuous Election of 1800, America’s First Presidential Campaign” at 7 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Oakland Opera Theater “ Turn of the Screw” Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2 p.m. at Oakland Metro Operahouse, 630 3rd St., through Oct. 14. Tickets are $25. 763-1146.  

Bluehouse at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Jim Grantham Quartet at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $8. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Five Dollar Suit, bluegrass, at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Mark Growden, Professor Gall, Knees & Elbows at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $7. 841-2082 www.starryploughpub.com 

Todd Shipley at 10 p.m. at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave. 647-1790. www.beckettsirishpub.com 

TURN OF THE SCREW 

Benjamin Britten’s revisioning of Henry James’ ghost story is relocated in a Louisiana plantation by the ever adventurous Oakland Opera. 630 Third, St., Oakland. October 5-7, 11-14, Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m. 510-763-1146 or www.oaklandopera.org. 

SLEEPY AT LAVAL’S 

Steven Yocky’s play Sleepy runs two more weekends at LaVal’s, 1834 Euclid Ave. Sleepy is a revival of the omni-bus play: different characters in different scenes, or vignettes, that somehow fit together. A credible job of fun. Through Oct. 13, Thurs.-Sat. 8 p.m. Tickets $10-$14. 464-4468. 

WILLIAMS PLAYS AT  

PIEDMONT PIANO 

Jazz pianist Jessica Williams, a resident of the Bay Area until recently, returns to Piedmont Piano for two shows—tonight (Friday) at 8 p.m. in the San Francisco store on Second Street, Saturday (also 8 p.m.) at the Oakland store. Over the years, Williams has evolved a unique style, in part an interpretation of Monk, which is very much her own.

I’m fascinated by why some succeed, and why some struggle with life,” said Alameda County Deputy Public Defender and Berkeley resident Mark McGoldrick, “why similarly situated people do differently, even from the same family. Why do some make it and some have a harder time? It’s one of the mysteries of life. Why does one kid from East Oakland make it to Julliard and others never get out of the ‘hood? How do you describe it? Is it luck? The will to live? It’s unquantifiable.” 

McGoldrick was reflecting on the bigger questions behind his own new solo show, Countercoup, directed by David Ford, now playing at The Marsh in San Francisco through Oct. 20. 

Countercoup is “semiautobiographical,” the story of a young man from a white middle-class family in rehabilitation from an accident that paralyzed him, the friendship he makes with a man from the ghetto, paralyzed from a gunshot wound, and what happens to them both on re-entry into the real world, how their “lives end up in different places.” 

McGoldrick says the model for the principal character of his tale is himself as a teenager and young man, an at-risk youth from “a loving family” in Arizona leading a “don’t-tell-me-what-to-do lifestyle—typical: alcohol, drugs, being a jerk—and progressively getting into more trouble,” including breaking his hands twice in fistfights, getting suspended from school, until finally breaking his neck in a car accident during Christmas 1982 at age 17. 

Now the former angry young man finds himself defending other angry young men in court. “It’s interesting how the roles are reversed, now that I’m the seasoned graybeard, trying to counsel those bent on self-destruction. Generations keep coming up, and continue to do strange stuff.” 

After his accident and hospitalization, McGoldrick went through rehabilitation, “like a bootcamp,” eventually getting discharged to his waiting parents’ care. “It was frustrating. I couldn’t do anything. But at least my family was around to abuse!”  

McGoldrick enrolled in the local community college, then later at the state university. “Before, I wasn’t sure about going. College wasn’t interesting. But once I’d broken my neck, and couldn’t do the things I wanted to do, it seemed obvious college was a first step. I’d go for the thinking jobs.” He graduated from Harvard Law School, then clerked for a Federal judge in San Diego, before taking the job he still holds after 13 years with the Alameda County Public Defender’s Office and moving to Berkeley. “I like the climate, where it is on the bay,” said McGoldrick, “the ambiance, the mix of people.” 

His work as a deputy public defender brings him into immediate contact with those who “live in a different America than I live in. The clients I meet coming through the criminal justice system; that’s our point of contact, where the most resources ever invested in them are used to punish them. I start with that as the defendant’s reality.” 

“Some are the working poor,” he continued, “None have enough to pay for a private attorney. They have no health insurance; they go to the emergency room for health care. Some wait to get their dental work done in prison. Their probation reports, a kind of bio of five or 10 pages, often read like a Stephen King story. I look at their background, read through—and ask, what did we think was going to happen to this kid? Anything other than what did? It reads like a recipe for making a criminal defendant.” 

“What do we do? Catch them, put our hands on hips and say, ‘For shame!’? There’re no chances for shame—say, for a prostitute on San Pablo Avenue—and as if it’s not it’s own hell.” 

He reflected further on his job and on the system he works in: “It’s emotionally hard work, and often comes from the soul when terrible, terrible things go awry in the industry of pain I work in. But I like what I do. I believe in it. I’m proud of my office. There’s a world of choices of what I could be doing, could get paid for somewhere else. I have an immense amount of pride to be working as a public defender rather than a private attorney. I feel that’s on a public service model.” 

Countercoup is partly a straight-ahead cautionary story, which ends in an epiphany the character has when it’s almost too late about how he’s been messing up, and half buddy story, McGoldrick said.  

“He and his new friend meet in the hospital and go through the same process together, but end up in different places. The new friend is a blue collar guy who never thought about going to college; it wasn’t in the cards,” he said. “The buddy gets out, moves into substandard subsidized housing, with miscreant attendants who sometimes show up, sometimes leave him to sleep in his wheelchair all night. One life goes into a bad place, the other is lifted up. And the character based on me sees himself abandoning his buddy, where the audience might not. I like telling stories, not creating messages in that way. I prefer it if people afterwards, over a drink or dinner, have different opinions. That’s fine with me. It’s more the way I think life is.” 

McGoldrick’s reticence about message-mongering is reflected in how he gets his points across on stage: “The buddy gets upset when he sees my character, ensconced in privilege, tear off the head of a nurse’s aide. So social ideas are shown through dramatic interchange. There’s a lot of dark stuff, but it’s also funny. It’s graphic; people wince, then laugh, feel comic relief, in the spirit of the public defender’s sense of humor.” 

COUNTERCOUP 

8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday through Oct. 20 at The Marsh, 1062 Valencia St.,  

San Francisco. Tickets: (800) 838-3006. Information: (415) 826-5750 or  

www.themarsh.org.

The Berkeley Film and Video Festivals marks its 16th year this weekend with another vast and varied program of independent productions. If there’s a theme to the annual festival, the theme is that there is no theme; it simply showcases independent film in all its unruly diversity, from the brilliant to the silly, from mainstream to left field, from documentaries and drama to comedy and cutting-edge avant garde. 

The festival, put on annually by the East Bay Media Center, runs today (Friday) through Sunday at Landmark’s California Theater in downtown Berkeley.  

Festival Director Mel Vapour takes pride in one participant’s description of the festival as a bastion of artistic integrity among film festivals, and one that remains blissfully celebrity-free. This year’s program is no exception, providing a feast of cinematic pleasures untouched by commercial considerations.  

One of the most extraordinary films on this year’s program is George Aguilar’s Diary of Niclas Gheiler. Aguilar has created what he terms a “documentary mashup,” consisting of old family photographs and found footage combined with words from his grandfather’s diary. The result is a stirring poetic reverie on his grandfather’s life in Germany from World War I, when he served alongside a young Adolf Hitler, and the rise of Hitler and the Nazis in the run-up to World War II. It’s a 32-minute tour de force that approaches history from a deeply personal perspective. 

The Big Game, by L A Wood, presents a sympathetic view of the Memorial Stadium oak grove tree-sit. Regardless of where you come down on the myriad issues surrounding the UC Berkeley’s plan to build an athletic performance facility along the stadium’s western wall, this entertaining 30-minute film is sure to provide grist for your political mill. Though university officials declined Wood’s invitation to comment on camera, he does little to fill that gap in the narrative, at no point providing the viewer with an account of the university’s reasoning behind its plans or its responses to the protest. The result is a film which may be endearing to the like-minded, but which will only fuel the ire of those on the other side of the debate, encouraging rather than tempering the tendencies of each side to paint the other in broad strokes. Familiar faces abound; in fact, the film is a veritable who’s who of Daily Planet opinion page contributors.  

Henry Ferrini and Ken Riaf’s Polis is This: Charles Olson and the Persistence of Place provides a compassionate portrait of the larger-than-life poet—his work, his humanity and his influence—using archival footage and audio along with testimonials from friends and colleagues. The central narrative concerns Olson’s quest to preserve the unique qualities of his hometown, a quest one fellow poet likens to a Superbowl match-up between the Minnesota Vikings and the Miami Dolphins, in which the Dolphins abandoned their game plan in favor of tactical improvisation that reached the level of poetry. It’s an analogy many tree-sitters would be loathe to accept, but in the context of Olson’s all-encompassing, all-embracing, big-picture view of life and community, such supposed polarities as football vs. poetry are exposed as meaningless. 

Other films from this weekend’s program: 

• Orit Schwartz’s The Frank Anderson, a sharp comedic short (featuring several familiar faces from larger-budget Hollywood productions), tells the story of an insurance agent who pays a price when he denies coverage for a man’s breast reduction surgery while enthusiastically offering to pay for enhancement surgery for a woman he hopes to bed.  

• Flaming Chicken, Gerald Varney’s 20-minute impressionistic musing on San Francisco, is comprised largely of hitherto unseen footage Varney shot while working as a Bay Area journalist in the ‘60s and ‘70s.  

• Silhouettes, a seven-minute short by Acalanes High School (Lafayette) students Patrick Ouziel and Kevin Walker, details the plight of a teen whose shadow, which takes the form of a rabbit, leads to bullying from his peers. 

• Chronicles of Impeccable Sportsmanship, Erika Tasini’s excellent silent short that depicts curious dynamics among a rooftop-dwelling family. 

• The Homecoming, a solemn and mysterious 10-minute film, consists of evocative scenes that almost play like trailers from longer films.  

• Tile M for Murder, an absurd, almost cartoonish comedy, features a hostile couple squaring off over a game of Scrabble on a sweltering summer day. “It’s a hot day and I hate my wife,” says the husband, and off we go on a bile-fueled ride in which the words spelled out on the board dictate the course of events. 

• Mark Hammond’s feature film Johnny Was boasts an excellent performance by Vinnie Jones as a former Irish Republican Army fighter hiding out in London. The film also features the screen debuts of boxer Lennox Lewis and former Who frontman Roger Daltrey. 

But this sampling just scratches the surface. There are simply too many films on the program to do justice to them in the space allotted here. Suffice it to say, this is a film lover’s film festival, one that eschews the predictable fare that so often passes for independent film these days in an effort to present an engaging and wide-ranging program of cinema artistry. 

Photograph: A scene from George Aguilar’s poetic “documentary mashup,” Diary of Niclas Gheiler, a found-footage reverie on the life of the director’s German grandfather in the years between the world wars.