Schedule of Events

United States, 2002

Documentary

A look at the legacy of the bomber that turned the tide in America's favor during the dark days of World War II. (Orange County Museum of Art, 2 p.m.)

United States, 2001

Romantic Comedy

Billie Golden is a cabaret crooner whose big dreams stand in stark contrast to the dives where she performs. A successful corporate lawyer drops into her life, offering nearly everything she could ever want. She's sorely tempted, but then she meets a cranky bohemian guy and finds she must choose between a life of ease and a life of music. (Edwards Island Cinemas, 3:30 p.m.)

United States, 2002

Documentary

An award-winning documentary about the intrigue surrounding the National Spelling Bee. We follow eight idiosyncratic young spellers as they train for the competition, journeying from the plains of Texas to the suburbs of Connecticut to the blighted urban landscape of the Washington, D.C., projects. (Lido Theater, 3:30 p.m.)

Oh, dear; this sounds far more like the title of a bad porno movie than a collection of short films. Well, that should at least bring out an interesting crowd for such shorts as East Side, a documentary look at a skateboard journey to Asia and beyond. (Orange County Museum of Art, 3:30 p.m.)

South Korea, 2000

West Coast Premiere

Comedy

A satirical look at the South Korean economic boom and the ways the Korean middle class has learned to employ such Western business practices as insurance scams. (Edwards Island Cinemas, 4 p.m.)

United States, 2002

Documentary

An affectionate portrait of a historic Detroit bar that once played host to Veronica Lake; Milton Berle; and even Roy Rodgers' trusty horse, Trigger. Irene Kress, an 86-year-old Polish immigrant, opened the bar in 1937 at the age of 23. The film chronicles the 65-year history of the beloved watering hole, as well as its eventual demolition. (Orange County Museum of Art, 5 p.m.)

United States, 2002

Comedy

Stephen Torcelli and Danny Russo are a gay couple living together happily in Manhattan, but all hell breaks loose when Stephen's parents announce a surprise visit, and the pair must scramble to cover up all traces of their secret, shameful lifestyle . . . as ruthless mob enforcers. To uphold the pretense of their catering business, the entire local mafia is brought in to throw a birthday bash for Stephen's mom. (Edwards Island Cinemas, 6 p.m.)

The title of this shorts program is a play on Gangs of New York. Don't feel too stupid; I didn't get it right away, either. This relatively dark collection of shorts includes Ryan Parrott's Ride, about a young man who finds himself stuck in the back seat of a police car with a maniac behind the wheel. (Edwards Island Cinemas, 6 p.m.)

A collection of shorts nominated for the Oscar, including Roger Weisberg and Murray Nossel's Why Can't We Be a Family Again, a cinema verite portrait of two troubled brothers. (Lido Theater, 6 p.m.)

Mexico, 2001

Documentary

Organized by Emiliano Zapata in 1910, the people of Morelos challenged 400 years of Spanish-style Mexican rule. Survivors of the Mexican revolution tell us the story, offering their personal memories to retrace the contested saga of their people. (Orange County Museum of Art, 6:30 p.m.)

Hong Kong, 2002

World Premiere

If their trousers weren't red to start with, they would be after the beating these guys take when shooting a film. Mortal Kombat star Robin Shou hosts this documentary look at the art of stunts in Chinese cinema. The film also features the short Lost Time, a futuristic martial-arts thriller in the noirish, nightmarish style of Alex Proya's Dark City. (Edwards Island Cinemas, 8 p.m.)

A cutesy title for a collection of shorts about people recovering from profoundly tragic events such as Sept. 11. Might have been a good time to skip the puns, guys. (Orange County Museum of Art, 8 p.m.)

Poland, 2002

Drama

Two brutal gangster brothers force Eddie, a homely, bookish lad, to tutor their 17-year-old sister, Princess. They believe Eddie's lack of grace of beauty will ensure the slatternly Princess won't sleep with him. Three months later, Princess is pregnant, and Princess, wanting to protect the local bootlegger she loves, puts the blame on Eddie. (Edwards Island Cinemas, 8:30 p.m.)

Japan, 1986

Animation

A young boy and a girl with a magic crystal battle against pirates and sinister foreign agents in the quest for a legendary floating castle in yet another odd, bewitching animated film from Oscar-nominated director Hayao Miyazaki, creator of Japan's all-time box office hit, Spirited Away. Even if you dislike anime, even if Pokémon and Sailor Moon make you itch, Miyazaki could just make you a believer. (Lido Theater, 8:30 p.m.)

SUNDAY, APRIL 6

France/Tunisia, 2002

Drama

A Tunisian take on Cinema Paradiso, as an unhappy, 40-year-old filmmaker leaves behind his family to make a film looking back on cinema's influence on the course of his life. (Lido Theater, 11 a.m.)