• Mechanical Eye Microcinema presents an evening of experimental films by the remix masters Wreck and Salvage at Grail Moviehouse on Thursday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m. Selected found footage mashups include POTUSes, Summertime Syria Sadness, Ain’t Broke Biden, Ob(s)ama and Trumped. Tickets are $5 but no one will be turned away due to a lack of funds. mechanicaleyecinema.org
• Hi-Wire Brewing’s Winter of John Candy film series continues on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 8 p.m. with a screening of Uncle Buck. The Big Top taproom will be transformed into a movie theater, and attendees are invited to bring lawn chairs, blankets and other seating. Foothills Local Meats will be providing classic movie theater eats including $3 corndogs. Free and open to the public. hiwirebrewing.com
• Grail Moviehouse presents a screening of The Conquest of Canaan on Sunday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m. Unseen in its original form for nearly 90 years, the film was shot on location in Asheville in March 1921. This reconstruction features newly translated title cards — the only original 35mm print is in a Russian archive — and Paramount logo and titles in a font that is accurate to the period and studio. Local film historian Frank Thompson will introduce the film and be available afterward to discuss the work. Pianist Andrew Fletcher will provide live musical accompaniment. Tickets are $15 and available online and at the Grail box office. avl.mx/3av
• The North Asheville Public Library’s America, America film series — featuring films that wrestle with the idea and reality of America — continues Tuesday, Jan. 24, at 6 p.m. with a screening of Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused. Free and open to the public. avl.mx/1d0
• Former National Geographic filmmaker Kevin Peer will lead a one-day workshop on activist/advocacy documentary filmmaking on Saturday, Jan. 28, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Asheville School of Film. Peer was inspired to craft the workshop after seeing a significant amount of fear, anger and uncertainty following the recent presidential election, but also by the large number of people who want to turn their frustrations into a positive and empowering form of digital expression. Footage of Standing Rock — much of it looking the same and featuring repeated phrases across multiple interviews — also helped spark the workshop. Peer considers the video from the standoff to generally be a lost opportunity and will speak to his own experience in exploring both sides of difficult issues and how it benefited his filmmaking.
In addition to teaching a cognitive approach to storytelling, the session is designed to impart practical knowledge on the essential core basics of video cinematography, lighting and sound that anyone can apply using an iPhone or DSLR and low-cost lighting and audio gear. The workshop fee is $120. Register at wiseoakproductions.com
