There is house music on Friday, a film festival next week, as well as kid-friendly fun at the Central Library and The New Children's Museum anytime, plus roller derby.
Film festival picks
Although the San Diego International Jewish Film Festival (SDIJFF) and San Diego Black Festival (SDBFF) do not start until next week, I am giving you an early heads-up so you can plan ahead. Film festivals often require some reconnaissance if you want to maximize your experience, but you can also have a great time casually dropping in.
The SDIJFF and SDBFF overlap this year and even share one film, "Ain't No Back to a Merry-Go-Round," a stunning documentary about the 1960 protest to integrate Glenn Echo Amusement Park. The protest included both Black and white participants on the picket line.
The 35th Annual SDIJFF runs Jan. 27 through Feb. 8 at the David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center. It will showcase over 30 feature films and will have Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz giving a keynote speech (he prefers calling it a "talk") on Feb. 4.
The SDBFF takes place Jan. 29 through Feb. 2 at AMC La Jolla 12. The opening night films are "The Dichotomy of Hattie McDaniel," a drama about actress Hattie McDaniel facing personal and professional challenges as she prepares to attend the 12th Annual Academy Awards, where she is nominated for Best Supporting Actress for "Gone With The Wind." It is paired with the short documentary "Costume Royalty," about the legacy of Black fashion designers.
Kid-friendly activities
If you are a festivalgoer, you are likely familiar with Brian Hu, artistic director at the San Diego Asian Film Festival (SDAFF) and a key reason their programming kicks ass.
The SDAFF will have its Spring Showcase in April, so Hu is between festivals. With San Diego's vibrant film festival scene, he noted: "We all know what everyone is doing because we understand that cinema-going — people often talk about this as nobody wants to do it anymore. So we have each other's backs on this. And we let each other know, hey, this is a great new venue that's here in town or new ways of seeking audiences, and we are all stronger together. So yeah, we're always abreast of what each other is doing."
Hu is also an associate professor in television, film and new media at San Diego State University. However, his ability to attend weekend events has changed since becoming a parent. Here are his recommendations for things to do with your kids any weekend:
- Barnes & Noble: Hu said Barnes & Noble has replaced the old Toys R Us that he used to visit as the go-to spot for toys as well as books. He noted, "The La Mesa one has this great area where you could just sit and read to your kids, and just flip through pages. They tend to be very clean, air-conditioned and have parking."
- San Diego Central Library: If you don't want to be tempted to spend money, Hu recommends the downtown library for its extensive children's book collection, inviting spaces to read and computers. He said, "My kid is always saying parents are always working. And all she wants to do is work at a computer because that's what she saw sees us doing. At the library, she has many to choose from. This is also where she could run into other kids and she can go out and see other people her age and I can meet other parents as well. Libraries are a great place for all this."
- The New Children's Museum: If you want someone else to clean up the mess your kids make while creating art, this is the place. Hu called it "a gem" — a welcoming and creative space for parents and kids.
- Lunar New Year: Although Lunar New Year is celebrated for weeks, City Heights kicks off the festivities this Friday through Sunday at Officer Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park. The event includes "an array of folk and traditional performances, arts and cultural exhibitions, lion dances, firecrackers and numerous family-friendly activities." A highlight is the Cultural Village, which aims to recreate the traditional villager lifestyle of Southeast Asia. The event is inclusive, festive, free and open to the public.
Final weekend picks
Shameless self-promotion: Film Geeks SD (where I am a volunteer programmer) kicks off its yearlong Neo-Noir and International Horror Film Series at Digital Gym Cinema with "Get Carter" on Sunday at noon. This 1971 film, starring a stone-cold Michael Caine, is often credited with launching the hardened British gangster genre. Tickets are almost sold out.
Popcorn Reef and Eddie Gurrola (you can hear him on Midday Edition) host a marathon on Saturday at 10th Avenue Arts Center called January Giallo 2025: TRIPLO DI FENECH. The enticingly titled gialli in this marathon include "All the Colors of the Dark," "Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key" and "The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh." If you're unfamiliar with giallo films are, here's a primer.
The San Diego Shakespeare Society presents performances of "Macbeth" (my absolute favorite Shakespeare play!) at Westminster Presbyterian Church this Friday through Sunday. It is also offering a free talk by Kim Keeline, "Shakespeare's Peers," on Sunday at the Mission Valley Branch Library. As the title suggests, the talk highlights contemporary playwrights of the Bard.
House music and roller skating
Eris Leonardis recommends House Music Fridays at The Air Conditioned Lounge.
Amy Fan recommends skating and roller derby at Ringer's Roller Rink.
