Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine Director Participates in Saturday Showing at the Frida

Frida Cinema just received confirmation that director Michele Josue is coming to downtown Santa Ana Saturday night to introduce her new documentary Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine and participate in a post-screening Q&A.

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Described by the New York Daily News as a “heartbreaking documentary [that] should be shown in every high school and college–and everywhere intolerance is suspected” (shout out to OC!), Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine has those who knew the LGBT martyr best–including close friend Josue–telling his life story.

They go beyond the headlines about Matthew Wayne Shepard's tragic, hate-fueled murder near Laramie, Wyoming, on the night of Oct. 6, 1998, to recall someone who, for them, remains trapped in time as the sensitive young man they knew as simply Matt.

Here's the trailer:

Saturday's event with Josue begins at 7:30 p.m. If you can't make that, there will be a repeat screening at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Both are sponsored by The Barrel Room wine bar at 324 W. 4th St. , Santa Ana. Go there for a lunch entree today, mention Matt Shepard Is A Friend of Mine and receive a free ticket while supplies last.

Otherwise, visit thefridacinema.org for ticket info. The venue is at 305 W. 4th St.–just down the street from The Barrel Room.

But wait, there's more (shout out to OCC!) …

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Previously on this blog this morning, we told you about a student film festival at UC Irvine on Saturday. Orange Coast College has one of its own Sunday at the Frida.

The OCC Film Club presents is second semi-annual NGF Film Festival–NGF standing for Next Generation Filmmakers–at noon and 7 p.m., with the same block of student films screening each time Sunday.

You may be yawning at the notion of films made by community college students, but I can tell you from experience that OCC has a great film program thanks to an outstanding faculty and talented students, some of whom started shooting when they were wee ones and some who are beyond the typical age of college students.

And all NGF FIlm Festival tickets are just $5! What have you got to lose? Toast the student filmmakers at an after-party at Original Mike's starting at 10 p.m. Sunday.

Of course, Frida presents intriguing cinema every weekend, and this one is no different. Besides the aforementioned presentations, there's:

Kill All Redneck Punks: A Documentary Film About a Band Called KARP (8 tonight ONLY) This is a Frida staff pick screening of director William Badley's film that chronicles the 20-year kinship between three childhood friends who ultimately formed post-hardcore band KARP.

The Human Centipede 3 (10 tonight) The sick and twisted film series continues, with the setting this time a maximum security prison in the middle of the desert. The buzz is director Tom Six has out-grossed the previous two entries, so consider yourself warned. Eric Roberts, Tommy “Tiny” Lister and Six himself star. … Oh yeah, and now a word from Frida: “PARENTAL DISCRETION STRONGLY ADVISED.”

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1:30 p.m. Saturday) No such parental warning for Tim Burton's feature-length directorial debut that has Paul Reubens' classic character touring across America in search of his beloved friend, his bicycle. The Bicycle Tree, a nonprofit community bicycle center, sponsors the screening.

Dark Star: H.R. Giger's World By popular demand, the run of Belinda Sallin's documentary about the surrealist artist has been extended. Yes, you know the late Giger's work from album covers, tattoos, fetish art and horror and sci-fi movies, including his Oscar-winning monsters in Ridley Scott's Alien. The added screenings are 5, 7 and 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

For tickets or any more information on anything in this post, visit thefridacinema.org.

Email: mc****@oc******.com. Twitter: @MatthewTCoker. Follow OC Weekly on Twitter @ocweekly or on Facebook!