Here are 20 of our favorite events happening in L.A. this week.
MONDAY, NOV. 7
RAINBOW TIME (Film + Q&A)
There’s a special screening of Rainbow Time at Cinefamily on Monday night at 7:30 pm. Produced by the Duplass Brothers, the film focuses on the odd relationship between Todd (Timm Sharp) and his older, mentally challenged brother Shonzi (writer-director Linas Phillips). “As kids, Shonzi forced Todd to make action movies. As adults, Todd is pressured to share love life details, even showing Shonzi a sex tape he made with an old girlfriend to help him cope when family tragedy hits.” When family secrets are threatened to be exposed, Todd realizes he must be honest with current girlfriend Lindsay (Melanie Lynskey) even if it means losing her. The film screening is free, but you must pre-register for tickets. First-come, first-served on the seats.
ELECTORAL DYSFUNCTION (Comedy)
This joke of an election season is finally coming to an end, so why not send it off with a few laughs? On Monday at 7 pm, Electoral Dysfunction returns to the Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater (Sunset). Hosted by Nate Starkey, the show features a panel of comedians and political pundits discussing the issues of the day and is followed by a improvised set based on the conversation. Tickets: $5.
PETER SILBERMAN (Music)
Brooklyn-based singer, songwriter and guitarist Peter Silberman (of the rock band The Antlers ) is playing a solo show at Resident on Monday night. He’s currently on tour to support his new EP Transcendless Summer. Timmy Mislock opens. 8 pm. Tickets: $13-$15. This show is 21+.
CHEF TUNDE (Nigerian food)
On Monday night at 7 pm, Good Girl Dinette in Highland Park turns its kitchen over to Chef Tunde for a one-night only pop-up dinner of Nigerian food accompanied by Afro-beats from the chef’s own personal music collection. The menu features pepper soup, Nkwobi (braised trotter stew), Moi Moi + Garri (steamed, bean cakes + manioc), Efo Riro (stewed spinach), Jollof Rice + Dodo + Quail (seasoned long grain rice + fried plantains + thrice cooked quail) and Puff Puff (deep fried dough). No substitutions on the menu because all dishes are served up family style. Tickets: $75.
TUESDAY, NOV. 8
ELECTION INTERRUPTION (Comedy + politics + potluck)
There’s a special event—Election Interruption, hosted by John Early and Kate Berlant—at Cinefamily on Tuesday. Coverage of election night will be screened, and Cinefamily is promising some surprise interrupters. The potluck begins at 6 pm, so bring a dish dish (chips and soda will be frowned upon like a Clinton supporter at Trump rally). Doors at 4 pm, the potluck is at 6 pm and the interruptions begin at 7 pm. Tickets: Free, with RSVP. (Seats are first-come, first-served.)
ELECTION NIGHT WATCH PARTY (Politics)
The Theatre at Ace Hotel is hosting a free Election Night Watch Party on Tuesday from 4 to 10 pm (ish). Come celebrate or commiserate with friends/frenemies. You betcha drinks will be available to buy all night long and DJs will be on hand to deal with the boring parts. Free with RSVP.
THE TIPPLER CLUB (Champagne tasting)
The Tippler Club, Fundamental L.A.’s wine club, holds a champagne tasting with on Tuesday at 8 pm. Winemaker Aurélien Laherte at fundamental LA. Laherte will be pouring five champagnes/wines and Fundamental L.A. serves up light snacks to accompany each tasting. Tickets: $35 per person.
ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL (Film)
The 30th edition of the Israel Film Festival in Los Angeles runs from Wednesday to Nov. 23 with festival screenings taking place at the Laemmle Ahrya Fine Arts (Beverly Hills) and the Laemmle Town Center 5 (Encino). The festival opens with a gala dinner at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel that honors Natalie Portman (2016 Israel Film Festival Achievement in Film Award), Sharon Stone (2016 Israel Film Festival Career Achievement Award) and Jay Sanderson will accept the 2016 Israel Film Festival Community Leadership Award on behalf of The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. (Tickets start at $500.) The opening night film is the U.S. premiere of Emil Ben-Shimon’s The Women’s Balcony at the Steve Tisch Cinema Center in the Saban Theatre (Beverly Hills). Opening night tickets: $45.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 9
LO MOON (Music)
The LA-trio Lo Moon plays a private set at the Masonic Lodge on Wednesday night at 7 pm. It’s invite only, but email info@lomoonofficial.com for a chance at admission. Check out the song "Loveless" for a sampling of Lo Moon’s sounds.
ILLEANA DOUGLAS (Book talk)
Actress and author Illeana Douglas presents her memoir I Blame Dennis Hopper: And Other Stories from A Life Lived In and Out of Movies on Wednesday at 7:30 pm at Skylight Books. The title is a reference how the film Easy Rider changed her family’s life. In 1969 after seeing the film, her parents gave up a comfortable middle class life for a hippie lifestyle with goats, free spirits and free love. She brings a few friends to help her along, too, including: Jennifer Tilly, Matt Oswalt, Annette O’Toole, Ben Mankiewicz, Steven Weber and Kate Micucci.
LIDO (Music)
Lido plays The Theatre at Ace Hotel on Wednesday night as part of Red Bull’s 30 Days in L.A. series. The solo show, which features lights and visuals, live instruments and singing while alone on stage, technically sold out in two hours, but get a ticket from an alternate resource somehow. We think this night’s going to be off the charts. Opening for Lido are Joey Dosik and Nick León. Tickets (were) $15 through the Red Bull RSVP process.
THURSDAY, NOV. 10
THE LOVE SONG OF R. BUCKMINSTER FULLER (Live documentary)
Cinefamily teams up with the Skirball to present the L.A. debut of The Love Song of R. Buckminster Fuller on Thursday at 8 pm. Guests will not only view, but experience a “live documentary” with Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sam Green and the indie band Yo La Tengo. The film traces the career of the designer and futurist Fuller. Green narrates live while Yo La Tengo performing their original score live on stage. Tickets: $40-$75.
AFI FEST (Film Fest)
AFI FEST runs Nov. 10-17 with screenings and events held at the TCL Chinese Theatre, the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres, the Egyptian Theatre and The Hollywood Roosevelt. The fest opens with the world premiere of Warren Beatty’s Rules Don’t Apply and closes with the Peter Berg-directed Patriot’s Day, starring Mark Wahlberg. There are free individual tickets to many of the screenings, but passes guarantee admission (and run from $400-$5,000).
WOMEN IN ENTERTAINMENT SUMMIT (Conference)
ArcLight Cinemas presents the second annualWomen in Entertainment Summiton Thursday from 8:30 am to 5 pm at the Cinerama Dome. Hosted by ArcLight’s Executive Vice President Gretchen McCourt, the day will be filled with keynotes, panels and more. The day’s speakers include: Suzanne Todd, producer (Bad Moms, Across the Universe); Haifaa al-Mansour, director and writer (Wadjda) and Saudi Arabia's first female filmmaker; actress Shohreh Aghdashloo; Betsy Beers, ShondaLand partner and co-executive producer; Dalia Ganz, director of Digital & Partnership Marketing for Freeform; Ilene Chaiken, co-creator, The L-Word (Showtime) and executive producer, Empire (Fox); Lydia Dean-Pilcher, Producers Guild of America Vice President, Motion Pictures; Amanda Hill, Chief Marketing Officer, A&E Networks; Allison Schroeder, Co-Chair of the WGA Committee of Women Writers; Jennifer Warren, Alliance of Women Directors Founder & Chairperson; Madeline Di Nonno, CEO of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender and Media; and several others. Tickets: $85.
ODD NIGHTS (Shopping)
Odd Nights returns to the Arts District at One Santa Fe on Thursday night from 6-10 pm (and the second Thursday of each month), featuring a market of local artists, merchants and food purveyors. More than 25 vendors transform the One Santa Fe space into a bazaar as a DJ spins on the raised deck outside Bulletproof Cafe. ediBOL sets up an outdoor bar in the market, featuring draft beer, wines and cocktails. DTLA’s Art Walk also happens on Thursday night, too.
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA (Film + Q&A)
On Thursday at 7:30 pm, Film Independent at LACMA presents a screening of Manchester by the Sea, starring Casey Affleck, Kyle Chandler and Michelle Williams in the family drama. Writer/director Kenneth Lonergan (You Can Count on Me, Margaret) will be in attendance for a post-screening Q&A. Free, but tickets required.
MANKIND TO MARS (Science)
Nat Geo Live: Mankind to Mars is at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica on Thursday and Friday night at 7:30 pm. Produced in conjunction with Nat Geo’s new miniseries Mars, the science event features Andrew Fazekas space correspondent and The Night Sky Guy, bringing audience members along the first manned mission to Mars in 2032. Along with panelists Dr. Bobby Braun and Dr. Jedidah Isler, they’ll make predictions about the voyage. The show’s accompanied by film footage and other visuals. Tickets range from $50-$95.
HEADCAN(N)ON (Comedy game show)
On Thursday at 7 pm at the NerdMelt Showroom, comedians Joseph Scrimshaw (RiffTrax) and Hal Lublin (Thrilling Adventure Hour) bring audiences a new comedy game, Headcan(n)on. It's a show that's “ripped from the headlines” of pop culture. Contestants compete in multiple rounds of odd questions and improvised scenarios to test their knowledge of pop culture, and in between rounds, guest performers do stand-up comedy or play music. This week’s guests are Janet Varney (Stan Against Evil), Mike Phirman (@midnight, Hard N’ Phirm) and Amber Preston (Punchline Punchout). Tickets: $8 in advance, $10 at the door.
SWAG BAG PARTY (Fundraiser)
The 7th Annual Canned Goods For Good Charity (CGFGC) Ball & Swag Bag Party is being held on Thursday, from 7 to midnight at The Study Hollywood. All proceeds from the evening will be earmarked for Project Return Peer Support Network (a support group network for those suffering from mental illness). Travis Clark (Tiny Odd Conversations) hosts an evening of comedy and music featuring comedians Andie Bolt (MTV's Mary+Jane, WoW Mom), Curtis Kingsley (The Burn, MTV's Disaster Date) and Eva Marie Woodby, with musicians Ari Herstand, Adam Lasher and Mad Revival. Desperada Wines will sponsor one hour of free wine from 7-8 pm. There are tons of raffle prizes and gift bags for all attendees. Dress to impress and bring a $25 donation for Project Return Peer Support Network. To RSVP, please email CGFGC1@gmail.com
EXTINCTION! (History + science)
The La Brea Tar Pits and Museum partners with the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability to explore the global consequences of extinction on Thursday night at the museum from 6-8:30 pm. From the organizers: “Extinctions happen all the time and evolution can’t progress without them. But mass extinctions are rare, wiping out large numbers of species regardless of how well adapted they are. Today, scientists say that a sixth mass extinction may be underway—this one caused by people.” Panelists will discuss the impact of disappearance of species (using several examples found in the tar pits) and ways to remember extinct plants, animals and create laws and policies to protect those species in danger. Admission is free. Advance reservation is required. Doors open at 6 pm for tours and the discussion begins at 7 pm.
Want the 411 on additional events and happenings in LA? Follow @LAist or me (@christineziemba) on Twitter.
