• Silent movie star and film producer Mary Pickford will be the focus of three classic films presented by local film historian Chip Kaufmann at the Leicester Library on Friday, May 22, from 6-8 p.m. The slate begins with Wilful Peggy, a 1910 comedy (15 minutes) starring a then 17-year-old Pickford, followed by her 1917 vehicle A Little Princess (62 minutes). The evening wraps up with The Butcher Boy (1917, 25 minutes) a parody of A Little Princess starring Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle and Buster Keaton. Kaufmann will provide commentary on each of the films. Admission is free, all ages are welcome, and complimentary popcorn will be provided. avl.mx/0we
• Asheville Beer Week has two special film screenings on its impressive schedule of events. The first is a 7 p.m. showing of Blood, Sweat and Beer at the Carolina Cinemas on Saturday, May 23. The documentary investigates the explosive growth of the craft-beer industry and the dramatic stories of two startup breweries. The film is currently playing various festivals and was recently featured in USA Today. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased online. avl.mx/0wd
On Thursday, May 28, at 10 p.m., Asheville Pizza and Brewing on Merrimon Avenue will show the 1983 cult classic Strange Brew, starring Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas. Canadian beers from Molson Brewing Co. and Moosehead Brewery will be on special and anyone dressed as a Canadian will receive free admission. Otherwise, tickets are $3. avlbeerweek.com
• Asheville nonprofit outpatient clinic and resource center MemoryCare hosts a screening of the award-winning PBS documentary The Genius of Marian on Tuesday, May 26, at 5:30 p.m. at Asheville Community Theatre. The 85-minute film follows one family’s journey through Alzheimer’s disease. A reception with appetizers begins the evening, which concludes with a discussion moderated by Drs. Margaret Noel and Virginia Templeton of MemoryCare. Tickets are $12 and available through the ACT website or by calling 254-1320. tinyurl.com/GoMtickets
• The Carolina Cinemas’ Directors Series continues throughout May, upstairs in the Cinema Lounge. The free screenings celebrate a director’s work on his or her birthday. Featured filmmakers and films are Anton Corbijn (May 20: Control, The American and several of the director’s acclaimed music videos), Tom Tykwer (May 23: Perfume), Seijun Suzuki (May 24: Tokyo Drifter, Branded to Kill), Frank Oz (May 25: Little Shop of Horrors), Josef von Sternberg (May 29: The Blue Angel), Howard Hawks (May 30: Scarface, Red River), Agnès Varda (May 30: Cleo from 5 to 7, Vagabond) and Rainer Werner Fassbinder (May 31: Veronika Voss, The American Soldier). Call 274-8811 for showtimes. carolinacinemas.com/asheville
