Scratch a film buff or a film historian and you’ll find somebody who believes that Satyajit Ray belongs in the same rarefied company as Federico Fellini, Ingmar Bergman and Akira Kurosawa. The Indian filmmaker’s canon includes 36 features, shorts and documentaries, including the three films that make up his accliamed 1950s series “The Apu Trilogy.”
Two of those three films, “Pather Panchali” and “Aparajito,” are among the 14 screenings beginning Friday that comprise the weeklong San Diego Asian Film Festival’s Spring Showcase. This celebration of Asian cinema is presented by Pacific Arts Movement.
All but one of the films will be screened at UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley. (The exception is “I Am A Ghost” on Saturday, which will be screened at Digital Gym Cinema downtown.) Here’s the complete showcase schedule: https://sdaff.org/spring2025/schedule/
The two Ray films screen on Sunday as part of a showcase presentation titled “Two By Two: The Parallel Cinemas Of Satyajit Ray and Rima Das.” Das is a contemporary filmmaker from India whose work, says Pacific Arts Movement Artistic Director Brian Hu, “conjures the spirit of ‘Pather Panchali.’”
“We’re showing all four films (the two from Ray and Das’ ‘Village Rockstars’ and ‘Village Rockstars 2’) because there are uncanny parallels across the years on how things have changed in India and how they’ve stayed the same.”
As for Ray, Hu points out that “There is a rediscovery of him. Until we had more recent digital restoration technologies we didn’t have great versions of his films to show on the big screen — until now.
“Ray’s films on their own are transformative cinematic experiences. As Kurosawa put it, ‘They’re like seeing the moon for the first time.’”
Tickets for individual showcase screenings are $12-$15.
More film
What’s one more film festival, right?
New Village Arts in Carlsbad is getting into the act with its inaugural festival of short films, a one-day event happening on Sunday in Carlsbad. The screening of three short films by local artists begins at 6:30 p.m. at NVA’s Dea Hurston New Village Arts Center.
The three are: Anthony Golden Jr.’s “The Mosleys: Love for the Ages,” Joshua Hill’s “What Would You Say? (If You Had A Song To Sing” and Alex Astrella and BlueStar Productions’ “Extraordinary Character.” Hill’s screening also includes a live musical performance.
This festival is tied to NVA’s education and outreach programs. Tickets are $10.
The films will be screened again on May 17 at 2 p.m. at Digital Gym Cinema in downtown San Diego.
Classical music
The Mingei International Museum’s new exhibit “Fashioning an Icon: Virgin of Guadalupe Imagery in Textile Design” is the inspiration for Art of Elan’s musical program “Revelations,” to be performed Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the museum in Balboa Park.
Featured will be music composed by Gabriela Ortiz, Jose Elizondo and Nico Muhly. The program also includes Arnold Bax’s “In Memoriam” written for English horn, harp and string quartet.
Mexican composer Ortiz, by the way, is Carnegie Hall’s 2025 composer in residence.
Streaming
Besides both having had smash-hit television shows on CBS, what do Alan Alda and Carol Burnett have in common? The answer is “The Four Seasons,” a modest 1981 rom-com that unfolds over the course of – yep, four seasons.
These many years later, Tina Fey (along with co-writers Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield) have adapted “The Four Seasons” into an eight-part series that begins next Thursday on Netflix. Besides Fey herself, the cast includes Steve Carell, Erika Henningsen and Colman Domingo, who recently delivered a knockout performance in the feature film “Sing Sing.”
Among the guest stars who’ll appear during the series run is Alan Alda, now 89.
Book festival
At least as far as Southern California is concerned, the book festival of book festivals happens this weekend when the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books returns to the University of Southern California campus south of downtown L.A. I tout this annually because I go to it practically every year. It’s a feast for bibliophiles.
Besides booths and booths of books, exhibits and special events, the festival like every year boasts author appearances that only Hollywood Land could lure — like Amanda Gorman and Griffin Dunne on Saturday, and Chelsea Handler, “Wicked” film director Jon M. Chu and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Sunday.
This festival is also a place for prime people watching, even those who aren’t famous. It’s worth the drive to L.A. Oh, and did I mention that admission is free?
And if you’re sticking closer to home this weekend, check out the San Diego Book Crawl, where 14 local independent bookstores are offering activities and prizes to book-buyers from Saturday through Monday. Visit https://www.sdbookcrawl.com.
U-T arts and entertainment stories you may have missed this week
UCTV
University of California Television (http://www.uctv.tv) invites you to enjoy this special selection of programs from throughout the University of California. Descriptions courtesy of and text written by UCTV staff:
“A Conversation with Author Jesmyn Ward”
Jesmyn Ward has been hailed as one of the most powerful literary voices of her generation, praised for her “fearless and toughly lyrical” writing across fiction, memoir, and nonfiction. A MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient, Ward made history in 2017 as the first woman and first person of color to win two National Book Awards for Fiction, joining an elite group of American writers. Her acclaimed works include “Let Us Descend,” “Sing, Unburied, Sing,” “Salvage the Bones” and “Navigate Your Stars.” As part of the 30th anniversary of the Writer’s Symposium by the Sea, Ward joins host Dean Nelson for a moving and thought-provoking conversation at Point Loma Nazarene University.
“Discussion of the Film ‘Borderland / The Line Within’”
Director Pamela Yates joins UCSB professor Giovanni Batz for a conversation about “Borderland | The Line Within,” a powerful documentary exploring the human cost of U.S. immigration policy. The film examines the “border industrial complex”— a vast system of surveillance, detention, and deportation—through the personal stories of immigrants resisting systemic injustice. Highlighting voices like Mayan activist Kaxh Mura’l and DACA recipient Gabriela Castañeda, Yates reveals how the border extends far beyond geography. This discussion sheds light on the role of storytelling in challenging structural violence and advocating for dignity, justice and human rights.
“Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Education”
This engaging panel discussion focuses on advancing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in education by creating supportive learning environments for all students. Panelists share lived experiences and offer practical insights into building classrooms that respect and reflect a wide range of abilities and identities. From early childhood education to college-level advocacy, the conversation highlights inclusive teaching practices, communication accessibility, and the power of empathy in supporting neurodiverse learners. Participants underscore the importance of collaboration among families, educators and communities to foster educational spaces where every student can thrive.
And finally, top weekend events
The best things to do this weekend in San Diego: April 25-27
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