I The Michigan Daily I michigandaily.com I Thursday, March 20,2008 The Daily Arts guide to the best upcoming events - it's everywhere you should be this weekend and why. "..Add% ON SCREEN Martin Sheen and Susan Sarandon star in "On The Line," an investigative look at the movement to close the Western Hemi- sphere Institute for Secu- rity Cooperation (formerly the School of the Ameri- cas). The free screening is tonight at 6 p.m. in the Pond Room in the Michi- gan Union. A group dis- cussion will follow. ON STAGE Naomi Lizuka's "Polaroid Stories" plays with clas- sical mythology and real stories of street kids to produce a compelling tale. The Basement Arts production is open to the public and takelthe stage tonight, tomorrow and Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Walgreen Drama Center. By Brandon Conradis I Daily Film Editor nn Arbor isn't typically known for glamour. A In fact, mest people wouldn't knew it ac all if it weren't for the University that has engulfed it. But for one week out of every year the city becomes a hotbed of entertainment industry intrigue, flashing camera bulbs and red carpet-style mur- murings. And for once, the spotlight isn't on the students. For the past 46 years, the Ann Arbor Film Festival has been one of the city's most vibrant and distinctive cultural institutions, second only, perhaps, to the University itself. Spawned from a resurgence in cinematic experimentation during the '60s, the festival grew to become one of the most widely-regarded avant-garde and experimental film festivals in the world. Yet only a year ago - despite the temptation to think a festival as well-established as this would be immune to such worries - it was dangerously close to extinction. "Everybody was very disturbed," said Christen McArdle, AAFF's executive director. "It seemed like a lot of artists did get in touch with me - internationally, especially." The concern in the filmmaking community arose in 2006 after a group of state legislators cut the festival's state fund- ing. The instigating factor for this sudden controversy was an article published by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy - a group opposed to state funding for the arts - which used several films shown at the festival as examples of state-fund- ed art they deemed objectionable. Among the films named were Brooke Keesling's "Boobie Girl," an award-winning ani- mated short about a young girl who wishes for bigger breasts and Jenny Bisch's "The Arousing Adventures of Sailor Boy," a sexually-suggestive piece of surrealism with vaudevillian undertones. The thin line between pornography and art has always been a cause of struggle for filmmakers, so it was no surprise to McArdle that the sort of risqu6 material the festival spe- cialized in would cause some discomfort. "It'll never go away," she said, commenting on the ongoing art/porn conflict. "It's an easy argument, and there's no legal definition for pornography. It's a hot button issue, you know, for everyone." McArdle also added that the actual content of the films listed by the legislators ultimately was beside the point. Ref- erencing the films on the list that sparked the initial outburst of controversy, she said, "They never watched the films. The legislators and the special interest groups ... they named 23 films and one performance, and I can confidently ask them if they watched them, andthey'll say no." Regardless - and despite outcries from filmmakers defending the integrity of their work and the festival - the AAFF was being zeroed out by the state. McArdle pointed to its history of pushing the envelope and taking chances with audacious and often controversial material as the main rea- son, yet she was quick to add that the festival was about more than just shocking its audience. "The festival is about the dialogue t athappc as durie and after the festival, and supporting those very art'- i' i TIME OFF are making work that instigate this dialo 'o" e sail End-of-the-semester It's that sense of community awarenes a a rb tors to the festival that helped McArdle as otsers wien grind wearing you down? they turned to filmmakers around the wsord fsr support. You're not alone. Get Almost immediately, they were met with a wave ifc ssiive back in touch with your response, as supporters running the ganut iisfroi m brs of creative side and stop y the local filmmaking community to Hollywood is slike c Sam Raimi ("Spider-Man") and Ken Burns ("Thc " ae CAPS on the fhird floor to the festival's defense. of the Michigan Union In March 2007, a lawsuit was Eiaed b 1 gi Friday at 12:15 p.m. for a the state of Michigan to overturn its decisi . free relaxation-training After months of struggle - and a grovng f s Ie val wouldn't have enough money to oper i - th AAFF workshop. The workshop achieved agreatvictory whenthe state legisltr rerd 1 ts is offered every Friday initial decision in December of that year, ceeing sthe resric dur ing the academic tions imposed upon the festival to be uncositutisc l S AAFF age 4B year. EVENT PREVIEW 9uide to Ann Arbor's famedetv By BLAKE GOBLE DailyArts Writer The Ann Arbor Film Festival rarely dis- appoints, and we expect it to be no different this year. But unless you're a hardcore film buff, the wide range of work poses a daunt- ing challenge when it comes to picking and choosing. So here's an eclectic sampling of what's in store, in case you need a little guid- ance at the box office. "Big Time": Dig Tom Waits? Sure you do. Live concert footage with surrealist zeal mark this exercise as hipsterdom from the raspy old crooner. Plus, it's a midnight movie, so all bets are off. "The Adventure": It's a common fact that the general public is disgusted by mimes. So when a traveling-through-the-countryside couple is terrorized by one of those creepy stooges, all hell might break loose. But don't worry, it's still (supposedly) comedy. "Cabinet":It's a shame Ted Kaczynski went to the University, but maybe viewing him as a fetishistic nut job might make it easier on all of us. That's what this piece aims to do. "Larry Flynt: The Right To Be Left Alone": He's old, creepy and politically crazy, but man, Larry Flynt is entertaining. The man who made "Hustler" gets documentary treat- ment in this feature length film. Pornography and politics? Why not? "Filled With Water": Hand-drawn anima- tion may have gone by the wayside in recent years, but it'll never truly disappear. This young woman's surfing journey will be the latest proof. "Brand Upon the Brain!": Canadian quack- artist Guy Maddin takes the gonzo route in describing childhood trauma. The mix of a bizarro camp, vampish lesbianism and parental confrontation guarantees a true geek show. "Crank Balls": This claymation short is about two crank balls (their words, not mine) and their resistance to happiness. With its mad-face animation and easy subject matter, this could be a pleasantly weird surprise. "Kids & Money": Interviewing teens from a variety of Los Angeles cliques, we get a peek into their So-Cal pocketbooks and learn what it means to have and spend loads of money: A valuable lesson for the "broke" college stu- dent. Hopefully these kids will know better than to call Pizza House at 3 a.m. "Leningrad Cowboys Go America": In this midnight movie, the world's crappiest Finn- ish band comes to the United States in search of fame and fortune. And who wouldn't want to see a movie with that title? "Coconut": It's only two minutes long, but a succinct film on duck, duck, goose is surely bet- ter than no film at all on the titular subject. "bLuE daHLia Live Performance: Seven Chances": The classic slapstick star of silent film Buster Keaton set to the world music of Kalamazoo's bLuE daHLia couldn' me more esoteric. But at the very least, y sic c ii it yourself to see at least one Ket is ism bcfarc you die. "Dish": Six gay men descb ei sobses- sions with Oprah. Hopefully i os he co- plete punchline, but the presiis si just IN CONCERT be enough. "Think (What Does 1t Tak ts Cs(.1 e a Patty Larkin - a singer/ Habit?)": An existential risi fl age. iib songwriter with unique its and one person's struggle c sps isfr Ipper biends of Celtic rock folk instead of plastic.b'o.i'k ' "Gibson & Recoder s Pierfo- blues and funk - is known mance": Sandra Gibsonand sce cre- for her eclectic approach ate innovative light works si p ets to music and the arts. and experimental sound -iagie ing She performs her newest lights representing everythiis floss le scul to everyday absurdities. alibum (of mostly original "Out of Sight": No, it's not that rld G corge material) Watch the Sky Clooney heist flick. it's a tiie ase ait pilce Saturday at 0 p.m. at The set on a landfill.Goahead, relish in iiioi- Ark Tickets are $20-$27 tunity to pay for garbage.