Regent captures spirit of adventure
The Regent Theatre in Arlington is hosting some of the week's most interesting events, from a strong slate of international films today to an ``extreme sports festival" later in the week.
Today's program, which runs from 2 p.m. to 9:45 p.m., features Miao Wang's ``Yellow Ox Mountain," about contemporary artists Zhang Hongtu and Zhang Jian-Jun. Wang was born in Beijing and immigrated to Boston in 1990 as an eighth-grader. She worked as an assistant to Albert Maysles and lives in New York City.
Also in the program are five Spanish-language films including Adam Schlachter's semi-autobiographical ``My Backyard Was a Mountain," about a boy preparing to move with his family from Puerto Rico to New York City. That film won the Grand Prize at the Rhode Island International Film Festival in August.
The program was put together by The World Language Network, an Arlington-based educational group.
Wednesday through Friday, the Regent shifts gears entirely to bring the world of extreme sports to the screen. On Wednesday at 7 p.m. there is a double feature about rock climbing, ``Dosage Vol. IV" and ``First Ascent," which follow teams of climbers from Texas to Switzerland, then to the Himalaya s and the buildings of Hollywood. On Thursday at 7 p.m. the ``Radical Reels Film Tour" presents 10 short films about skiers, mountain bikers, skydivers, and more.
And on Friday, at 6 and 9 p.m., it's a double feature about snowboarders: ``Follow Me Around" and ``People," which both follow riders in search of the most insane runs in the world. These films are from Mack Dawg Productions, which made the skateboard video ``Sick Boys." Everyone who purchases a ticket gets a subscription to the magazine Transworld Snowboarding and a ski lift ticket.
For more information on all the Regent's programs, call 781-646-4849 at or go to www.regenttheatre.com.
CONVERSATIONS WITH: Actress/director Liv Ullmann comes to the Museum of Fine Arts on Thursday at 7:45 p.m. for a special evening about her work and career. She'll present and discuss excerpts from films she has directed, including ``Sophie," ``Kristin Lavransdatter," ``Private Confessions," and ``Faithless." The evening begins at 6:30 with a book-signing by Ullmann of Robert Emmet Long's ``Liv Ullmann: Interviews." Details at 617-267-9300 and www.mfa.org/film.
Former Red Sox pitcher Bill Lee will be at the Brattle Theatre with filmmakers Josh Dixon and Brett Rapkin and their ``Spaceman: A Baseball Odyssey" on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Earlier in the day, Lee will be signing DVDs of the movie -- and only DVDs of the movie -- at Borders in downtown Boston. That's at 12:30 p.m. at 10-24 School St . Brattle information is at 617-876-6837 and www.brattlefilm.org.
SEASIDE DOCUMENTARY FEST: Newburyport is home to a three-day festival next weekend . Formerly known as the Northern Lights Film Festival, this third annual event will present 19 documentaries. Danny Schechter's ``In Debt We Trust: America Before the Bubble Bursts," inspired by Robert Manning's book ``Credit Card Nation," opens the festival on Friday at 7 p.m., with a director Q&A afterward .
Other films include Linas Phillips's ``Walking to Werner," about an epic walk Phillips made re-creating German director Werner Her zog's own Munich-to-Paris trek in 1974 (Saturday at 11 a.m.); Kevin McCarthy's short ``The Bowlers," about bocce players in Boston's North End neighborhood (Sunday at 11 a.m.); and Sara Sackner's ``Class Act," about the decline of arts education in the public schools (Sunday at 12:45 p.m.). Each of these screenings will have a director Q&A.
The festival includes a Saturday night party and Sunday morning coffee-with-filmmakers that are open to the public. Details on films and events are at www.northernlightsfilmfestival.com.
BRATTLE FUND-RAISER: In the continuing series of events to raise money for the Brattle Theatre, a silent art auction will be held on Thursday. Artwork from more than 70 local and national painters, potters, printers, and photographers is included, with minimum bids set at $13 to $250. The in-person event takes place from 6:30-9 p.m. at the theater, or bid online for some pieces. Details and photos at www.brattlefilm.org.
SCREENINGS OF NOTE: Valarie Kaur's post-9/11 documentary ``Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath," tonight at 7 and tomorrow at 6 p.m. at the Asian American Center at Tufts University, with a director Q&A after tomorrow's free screening ( www.dwf-film.com).
Also tomorrow, it's the ``Second Annual Best of Open Screen Film Fest" at 7:30 p.m. at the Coolidge Corner Theatre. The program is a selection of work shown over the past year at the theater's ``open-mike " nights, where anyone can present their films. As programmer Jeff Stern says: ``Open Screen attracts a truly fringe audience. We get a few students and established insiders, but the bulk of the work comes from people who are experimenting with the moving image in a very genuine, pure, and often inspired way." (617-734-2500 and www.coolidge.org).
Claude Chabrol's 2004 ``The Bridesmaid," a thriller love story, Wednesday at 6 p.m. and additional days at the Museum of Fine Arts this week. . . . Christian Frei's ``The Giant Buddhas," about the 1991 destruction of the ancient monuments in Afghanistan , for a five-show engagement starting Thursday at 5:45 p.m. at the MFA as well.
Live piano music is on tap to accompany several films at the Harvard Film Archive: Tuesday's 7 p.m. screening of D. W. Griffith's 1919 ``Broken Blossoms," which opens the theater's six-film ``Chinatown on Film" series; Friday's 7 p.m. screening of ``Piccadilly," starring Anna May Wong; and Saturday's 7 p.m. double feature of ``The Johnstown Flood" and ``The Shamrock Handicap" (617-495-4700 and hcl.harvard.edu/hfa).
The mock documentary ``Brothers of the Head," about British conjoined twins who become glam rockers, Monday at 8 p.m. and Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. at the Brattle Theatre. . . . And a tribute to director John Huston starting next weekend and running through Oct. 10, also at the Brattle. The celebration launches Friday with ``The Asphalt Jungle" at 5 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. and ``The Maltese Falcon" at 7:15 p.m. (617 876-6837 and www.brattlefilm.org).
Leslie Brokaw can be reached at lbrokaw@globe.com. 
