Kiggins Theatre

The Hero at the Kiggins

Sight & Sound, ,

“The Hero” stars the legendary Sam Elliott as an aging actor confronting mortality in the moving new film from writer/director Brett Haley (“I’ll See You in My Dreams”). Fun fact: although Elliott was born in Sacramento, he moved to Portland as a teen and went to David Douglas High School. After graduating, he completed a two-year degree at the Couve’s own Clark College! Who knew? But back to the movie…here’s a plot teaser:

Lee Hayden (Elliott) is a Western icon with a golden voice, but his best performances are decades behind him. He spends his days reliving old glories and smoking too much weed with his former-co-star-turned-dealer, Jeremy (Nick Offerman from “Parks and Rec”), until a surprise cancer diagnosis brings his priorities into sharp focus. He soon strikes up an exciting, contentious relationship with stand-up comic Charlotte (Laura Prepon, “That 70s Show,” “Orange Is the New Black”), and he attempts to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Lucy (Krysten Ritter), all while searching for one final role to cement his legacy.

Showtimes at the Kiggins Theatre in downtown Vancouver are daily from Friday, June 23, through Tuesday, June 27. Visit http://www.kigginstheatre.net/movies/the-hero/ to see individual showtimes. General admission is $9, and on Monday all seats are $6. In the meantime, here’s a trailer:

Cellist Ko Iwasaki at VSO Chamber Series

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Following his critically acclaimed debut in November 2015, internationally renowned cellist Ko Iwasaki returns to the Kiggins Theatre at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 18, for the Vancouver Symphony Chamber Music Series Season Finale. He will be joined by Dr. Michael C. Liu on piano and Igor Shakhman on clarinet. The program will include Beethoven’s Sonata No. 3, Op. 69 for cello and piano, Schumann’s Drei Fantasiestücke (Three Fantasie Pieces), Op. 73 for cello and piano, Brahms’ Trio, Op. 114 for clarinet, cello, and piano, and selections from Bruch’s Acht Stucke (Eight Pieces), Op. 83 for clarinet, cello, and piano.

First-Prize winner of the Japan National Music Competition in 1960, Iwasaki studied cello with Hideo Saito. After graduating from the Toho Gakuen High School, he continued his studies at the Juilliard School under Leonard Rose. In 1965, he made his New York debut in the Young Concert Artists Series. Later, he studied with Harvey Shapiro and Pablo Casals in Puerto Rico. He has won top prizes in numerous international cello competitions such as the Vienna, Munich, Budapest, Cassado, and Tchaikovsky competitions. In 1971, he received the Arts Minister Award for Young Artists and the Arts Festival Record Prize for his performance of contemporary Japanese cello music. In 1972, he made his European debut with the London Symphony Orchestra with Andre Previn.

Since 1974, he has been based in the United States where he has performed both as a soloist and as a chamber music player, as well as in Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Japan. In addition, he has participated in numerous festivals, including Marlboro, Aspen, Santa Fe, Lockenhaus, and Kuhumo. He is also a founder of the Tokyo Chamber Soloists and was a director of the Okinawa Moon Beach Music Camp & Festival in Japan. Since 1995, he has performed the entire cycle of Beethoven String Quartets as a member of the Japan String Quartet.

Tickets are $25 general admission or $10 for students. Tickets are available for this and all events at vancouversymphony.org or 360-735-7278. And if you especially love the VSO’s popular Chamber Series, the VSO is holding a one-day-only sale on tickets for the 2017-2018 season at the Kiggins on Sunday during the concert. The Kiggins Theatre is located at 1101 Main Street St. in downtown Vancouver.

Neither Wolf nor Dog

Sight & Sound,

The independent Kiggins Theatre brings you a select screening of the new Native American drama, Neither Wolf nor Dog, starting Friday, June 16. Adapted from the acclaimed novel by Kent Nerburn, this funny and deeply moving film follows an author who gets sucked into the heart of contemporary Native American life in the sparse lands of the Dakotas by a 95-year-old Lakota elder.

Kent Nerburn (Christopher Sweeney), a goodhearted, white American family man and writer, receives a mysterious call from a distant Indian reservation regarding an oral history book he made with Red Lake Ojibwe reservation students in northern Minnesota. Despite misgivings, Kent travels across America’s northern plains to arrive at the bleak, poverty-stricken reservation deep in the high plains of the Dakotas.

The old man, Dan (Dave Bald Eagle), who lives alone in a clapboard shack back in the hills with his only real companions—his dog, a close friend named Grover (Richard Ray Whitman) and his granddaughter, Wenonah (Roseanne Supernault)—interrogates Kent as to his motives for working with Indian people. Once satisfied he is not a turquoise clad “wannabe” spouting Indian philosophy, Dan recounts the story of American history from the Native point of view. As the stories pour from Dan, Kent’s understanding of the world is turned upside down. An inanimate landscape comes alive, and a history he thought he knew is called into question.

Showtimes are daily from June 16 through June 20. Check www.kigginstheatre.net for specific times. The Kiggins Theatre is located at 1011 Main St. in downtown Vancouver. All seats are $9, except for Monday, when all tickets are $6.

Science on Tap: The Neuroscience of Pain

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The Kiggins Theater‘s next Science on Tap at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 14, is going to be a real pain. That’s because the topic is “The Neuroscience of Pain: The Good, The Very Bad, and the Ugly.” Pain is the most important and misunderstood sensory system: you cannot live without it, yet we live every day trying to avoid it. Dr. Michael Morgan cannot cure your pain (he’s not that kind of doctor), but he will explain how your nervous system codes pain, how your brain tries to control it, and how drugs provide relief. And don’t worry…his presentation will be entertaining and pain-free, especially if you listen while enjoying a craft brew from the Kiggins lobby.

Morgan is a Professor of Psychology at Washington State University Vancouver, and has studied the neural mechanisms of pain modulation for over thirty years. He earned a doctorate in Physiological Psychology from UCLA and conducted post-doctoral research in Neurology at UC San Francisco before joining the faculty at WSU Vancouver, where he’s won teaching and research awards. Dr. Morgan has also spoken about “The Neuroscience of Reality: Can You Trust Your Brain?” at several previous Science on Tap events.

Science on Tap is a monthly lecture series at the Kiggins Theatre, offered in partnership with Via Productions (“Better Learning Through Beer”) and Washington State University Vancouver. The presentation starts at 7 p.m., but the Kiggins will open its doors at 6 p.m. so you can find a seat and purchase yummy refreshments: beer, wine, soda, pizza, and theater-style popcorn and candy. Tickets are $8 in advance (click here to purchase online, or check with the Kiggins’ box office) or $10 suggested donation at the door. Science on Tap is largely supported by money collected at the door, but no one will be turned away for lack of a few dollars. Come anyway and donate what you can! Buying a ticket in advance merely confirms that you will have a seat at the event.

Science on Tap: The Neuroscience of Pain

Happenings & Hotspots, ,

The Kiggins Theater‘s next Science on Tap at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 14, is going to be a real pain. That’s because the topic is “The Neuroscience of Pain: The Good, The Very Bad, and the Ugly.” Pain is the most important and misunderstood sensory system: you cannot live without it, yet we live every day trying to avoid it. Dr. Michael Morgan cannot cure your pain (he’s not that kind of doctor), but he will explain how your nervous system codes pain, how your brain tries to control it, and how drugs provide relief. And don’t worry…his presentation will be entertaining and pain-free, especially if you listen while enjoying a craft brew from the Kiggins lobby.

Morgan is a Professor of Psychology at Washington State University Vancouver, and has studied the neural mechanisms of pain modulation for over thirty years. He earned a doctorate in Physiological Psychology from UCLA and conducted post-doctoral research in Neurology at UC San Francisco before joining the faculty at WSU Vancouver, where he’s won teaching and research awards. Dr. Morgan has also spoken about “The Neuroscience of Reality: Can You Trust Your Brain?” at several previous Science on Tap events.

Science on Tap is a monthly lecture series at the Kiggins Theatre, offered in partnership with Via Productions (“Better Learning Through Beer”) and Washington State University Vancouver. The presentation starts at 7 p.m., but the Kiggins will open its doors at 6 p.m. so you can find a seat and purchase yummy refreshments: beer, wine, soda, pizza, and theater-style popcorn and candy. Tickets are $8 in advance (click here to purchase online, or check with the Kiggins’ box office) or $10 suggested donation at the door. Science on Tap is largely supported by money collected at the door, but no one will be turned away for lack of a few dollars. Come anyway and donate what you can! Buying a ticket in advance merely confirms that you will have a seat at the event.

The Invincible Czars Play Live Accompaniment to Nosferatu at the Kiggins

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The Invincible Czars—an adventurous band all the way from Austin, Texas—is touring select cities on the West Coast with its new, tastefully modern score for the 1922 German silent film Nosferatu, directed by the legendary F.W. Murnau. The band is stopping at the Kiggins Theatre in downtown Vancouver on its way to the Seattle International Film Festival—and you can catch the live performance at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 7.

Nosferatu is one of the most revered films in the history of cinema. It is considered the most important horror film of the silent era and one of the first vampire movies—although it was almost completely lost when the estate of Bram Stoker sued the filmmakers for copyright infringement and most of the prints of the movie were destroyed.

Fans, theaters and media have praised The Invincible Czars for making the nearly century-old movie “actually scary” for modern-day audiences. The score and their performance of it complements the onscreen tone and emotion from moment to moment. For more information on the band, visit invincibleczars.com.

The Kiggins Theatre is located at 1011 Main St. in downtown Vancouver. All seats for this show are $12. Advance tickets are available here: http://tinyurl.com/y8n3r22u.

The Last Magnificent at the Kiggins

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The delicious documentary “Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent” explores the remarkable life of Jeremiah Tower, one of the most controversial and influential figures in the history of American gastronomy. Featuring interviews by Mario Batali, Anthony Bourdain, Ruth Reichl, and Martha Stewart, this film tells the story of the rise and fall of America’s first celebrity chef, whose brash personality and culinary genius has made him a living legend.

Tower began his career at the renowned Chez Panisse in Berkeley in 1972, becoming a pioneering figure in the emerging California cuisine movement. After leaving Chez Panisse, due in part to a famously contentious relationship with founder Alice Waters, Tower went on to launch his own legendary Stars Restaurant in San Francisco.  Stars was an overnight sensation and soon became one of America’s top-grossing U.S. restaurants. After several years, Tower mysteriously walked away from Stars and then disappeared from the scene for nearly two decades, only to resurface in the most unlikely of places: New York City’s fabled but troubled Tavern on the Green. What’s next for this foodie icon?

The Kiggins Theatre in downtown Vancouver is offering daily showings from Friday, June 2, through Tuesday, June 6. To learn more about showtimes and ticket pricing, visit www.kigginstheatre.net.

Audition for the STAR Talent Competition

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Update: the dates of this event have been postponed until the fall. Auditions—originally scheduled for June—are now in September, and the show—originally scheduled for July—is on Oct. 18. The article below reflects the new, revised dates.

Got talent? Bring it on! Audition for STAR, Southwest Washington’s Premiere Talent Competition. The Kiggins Theater, in partnership with Metropolitan Performing Arts (MPA), is hosting an open call audition for entertainers of all ages. Singers, musicians, dancers, comedians and more will have two opportunities to impress judges. Auditions will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 20, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23, at Metropolitan Performing Arts in Hazel Dell. Performers should prepare an act that’s three minutes or less. A piano will be provided, if needed.

Semifinals will be by invitation at MPA. Fifteen acts will be selected from the semifinalists to participate in the finals, to be held at the Kiggins Theater on Oct. 18. Winners will receive cash and local prizes. Judging the finales include Corey Brunish (Tony Award-winning producer), Dan Wyatt (owner of the Kiggins), Barbara Richardson (Executive Director of MPA) and others.

To schedule an audition, call the Barbara Richardson at the MPA office at 360-975-1585. You may also find the event on the MPA Facebook page and sign up online. There is a $15 entry fee for individuals and small group, or $30 for groups of four or more. For more information about this and other MPA classes, events, and theatrical productions, visit www.metropaa.org.

VANTalks

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VANTalks—like TED Talks, only better because it’s in Vancouver—is the North Bank’s annual forum for sharing innovation, ideas, and ingenuity. It’s your chance to see inside the growing ecosystem of innovators, disrupters, professionals, and social entrepreneurs who are Southwest Washington’s agents of change. The next VANTalks will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 24, at the Kiggins Theater, 1011 Main St. in downtown Vancouver. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and admission is $15 or $18 at the door. Advance tickets are available at www.vantalks.org.

Each VANTalks will feature a line-up of live speakers (and if you’re interested in being a future presenter, VANTalks welcomes your curiosity, drive, and passion to the stage; find out more at www.vantalks.org.) May 24th’s speakers include:

  • Bruce Elgort, computer technology instructor, Clark College: “How We Work: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence in the 21st Century”
  • Adriana Vela, founder of NanoTecNexus: “Technology Convergence: Shaping the Technologies that Shape Us”
  • Jessica Brown, Burgerville manager: “Do You Want Fries with That? How Self-Awareness + Love = Powerful Change”
  • Doug Harness, insurance educator: “Driving Miss Daisy: The Future of Self Driving Cars”
  • Kevin Getch, director of digital strategy, Webfor: “Expose Yourself”
  • Erika Laws, executive director of Impactful Women NW: “Impactful Women: The How-to Guide”
  • Eric Smith, creative director, “Getting Over Yourself: How to Start a Creative Practice that Sticks”
  • Melissa Sokolsky Haviv, activist and Fulbright scholar: “What Doing the Impossible Taught Me About Reality”

The event will last approximately two hours, and beer, wine and snacks and food from the lobby are welcome in the theater. To purchase tickets now, click here or visit www.vantalks.org. The Kiggins Theatre is located at 1011 Main St. in downtown Vancouver.

A Quiet Passion at the Kiggins

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Just can’t get enough Emily Dickinson? Well, hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words, and never stops at all! (Hint: if that doesn’t make any sense to you, then perhaps this movie isn’t your cup of tea. Just hang in there—I’m sure another X-Men movie will be along soon.) Fortunately for you Dickinsonians, there is an absolutely masterful new movie out about our favorite American poetess, and it’s being given an extended run at the Kiggins Theatre this weekend, May 26-28.

In “A Quiet Passion,” Cynthia Nixon delivers a triumphant performance as Emily Dickinson as she personifies the wit, intellectual independence, and pathos of the poet whose genius only came to be recognized after her death. Acclaimed British director Terence Davies (House of Mirth, The Deep Blue Sea) exquisitely evokes Dickinson’s deep attachment to her close-knit family along with the manners, mores, and spiritual convictions of her time that she struggled with and transcended in her poetry.

Showtimes are:

  • Friday, May 26, at 5:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 27, at 5 p.m.
  • Sunday, May 28, at 4:30 p.m.

General admission is $9. The Kiggins Theatre is located at 1011 Main Street in downtown Vancouver. To learn more about upcoming movies and events at this landmark historic theater, or to purchase tickets online, visit www.kigginstheatre.net.

VanTalks, May 24

Happenings & Hotspots,

VANTalks—like TED Talks, only better because it’s in Vancouver—is the North Bank’s annual forum for sharing innovation, ideas, and ingenuity. It’s your chance to see inside the growing ecosystem of innovators, disrupters, professionals, and social entrepreneurs who are Southwest Washington’s agents of change. The next VANTalks will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 24, at the Kiggins Theater, 1011 Main St. in downtown Vancouver. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and admission is $15 or $18 at the door. Advance tickets are available at www.vantalks.org.

Each VANTalks will feature a line-up of live speakers (and if you’re interested in being a future presenter, VANTalks welcomes your curiosity, drive, and passion to the stage; find out more at www.vantalks.org.) May 24th’s speakers include:

  • Bruce Elgort, computer technology instructor, Clark College: “How We Work: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence in the 21st Century”
  • Adriana Vela, founder of NanoTecNexus: “Technology Convergence: Shaping the Technologies that Shape Us”
  • Jessica Brown, Burgerville manager: “Do You Want Fries with That? How Self-Awareness + Love = Powerful Change”
  • Doug Harness, insurance educator: “Driving Miss Daisy: The Future of Self Driving Cars”
  • Kevin Getch, director of digital strategy, Webfor: “Expose Yourself”
  • Erika Laws, executive director of Impactful Women NW: “Impactful Women: The How-to Guide”
  • Eric Smith, creative director, “Getting Over Yourself: How to Start a Creative Practice that Sticks”
  • Melissa Sokolsky Haviv, activist and Fulbright scholar: “What Doing the Impossible Taught Me About Reality”

The event will last approximately two hours, and beer, wine and snacks and food from the lobby are welcome in the theater. To purchase tickets now, click here or visit www.vantalks.org. The Kiggins Theatre is located at 1011 Main St. in downtown Vancouver.

VSO Chamber Series: City Girl

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See the classic silent film “City Girl” with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 21, while reclining in cushy seats at the beautifully restored Kiggins Theatre. This performance is the second to the last in the VSO’s 2016-2017 Chamber Music Series and features a live ensemble of soloists conducted by composer John Paul. There will be one more concert in the Chamber Series on June 18 featuring cellist Ko Iwasaki.

The May 21 concert at the Kiggins brings F.W. Murnau’s 1930 silent movie (some of which was shot in Oregon) to the big screen with an original score conducted by the composer himself and featuring four members of the VSO. Paul will lead violinist Tatiana Kolchanova, violist Angelika Furtwangler, cellist Dieter Ratzlaf, and clarinetist Igor Shakhman in this performance, which artfully combines sight and sound. There will be a question-and-answer session with the conductor following the movie.

Tickets are $25 per person, or $10 for students with ID, available online here. Refreshments from the Kiggins will be available before and during the performance. The entire VSO will perform two more concerts this spring, on June 3 and 4, at the Skyview Concert Hall. The orchestra is currently offering discounts on tickets for its upcoming 39th season; to learn more, visit www.vancouversymphony.org or call 360-735-7278. The Kiggins Theatre is located at 1101 Main Street in downtown Vancouver.

3 Grands Concert at the Kiggins

Happenings & Hotspots, Sight & Sound,

The sixth annual 3 Grands Concert features magnificent music from three grand pianos onstage at once. It will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 18, at the Kiggins Theatre. Tickets are $35 per person—available online at Brown Paper Tickets—and include one drink voucher for beer, wine, or a soft drink. Snacks and pizza by the slice are also available for purchase.

The concert will feature award-winning blind pianists Mac Potts, Nick Baker, and Brent Gjerve, as well as vocalist Darcy Schmitt and a few special guests. The event will also offer a small live auction and raffle with fun and unique items. Proceeds from this event will benefit programs at the Pacific Foundation for Blind Children, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works closely with the Washington State School for the Blind to assist in meeting the needs of students throughout the state of Washington who are blind or visually impaired, increasing their opportunities for success and independence.

The Kiggins Theatre is located at 1011 Main Street in Vancouver. Doors will open at 6 p.m. so that you can find your seat and enjoy some refreshments before the concert begins, although food and drinks are also welcome in the auditorium during the performance.

Swingin’ at the Kiggins

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Celebrate the 30s and the wonderful world of swing music at The Kiggins Theatre with live choreographed dancing, a 12-piece jazz orchestra, the close vocal harmonies of The Juleps, and the classic 1938 musical College Swing starring Bob Hope, Martha Raye and George Burns and Gracie Allen. Swingin’ at the Kiggins is expected to be so popular, it’s being presented on two consecutive nights: Friday, May 12, and Saturday, May 13. This evening of fun, fashion, and high-energy dancing is the result of a partnership between The Kiggins, Most Everything Vintage, and Bru Pomade, which is launching a new product called Dapper Man. The event is, in part, an answer to the question, “Where can I go after I get all dressed up in my fabulous vintage clothes?”

The film will be preceded with live music performed by the Ne Plus Ultra Jass Orchestra and choreographed swing dance by Zef Aiden Wolf and Company. On Friday, there will be pre-show entertainment by The Juleps in The Marquee upstairs lounge. So come dressed in all your vintage finery and enjoy an evening (or two) of music, dance, and fashion. And here’s a bold idea for those who haven’t yet decided on a Mother’s Day gift: if the mom in your life loves to get dressed up and dance, this is a gift is a sweet, sweet deal.

The doors open at 6:45 p.m. and the show starts at 7:45 p.m. Presale tickets are $15 or $18 at the door. Purchase tickets online at www.kigginstheatre.net—and then, if you don’t already have that perfect swingin’ outfit, swing on by Most Everything Vintage at 815 Washington St. for a spectacular collection of dresses and menswear from that era. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/408721786178632/, where you’ll also find a list of places in downtown Vancouver to grab a bite and a cocktail before or after the show. To learn more about Bru Pomade, a line of men’s hair and beard products made in Vancouver by Garret and Becca Olmstead of Locksmythe Salon, visit www.brupom.com.

Science on Tap: Chicks Dig Science!

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Picture a scientist. What do you see? Beakers? Check. Lab coats? Check. Wild fuzzy hair? Check. Old white dude? Check. Girl? Not so much. Today, right now, girls are killing it in math and science. They are taking more science credits in high school than boys and earning higher grades. What they aren’t doing is choosing science careers. Why is that? What does science have to say about this persistent gender gap? Dr. Brandy Todd, a.k.a. Eugene SLUG Queen Professor Doctor Mildred Slugwak Dresselhaus, director of the Science Program to Inspire Creativity and Excellence (SPICE), has spent the last 10 years researching and implementing engaging, hands-on science with girls. At this next Science on Tap, Dr. Todd—in a presentation called “Girls, Goggles, and Blowing Stuff Up”—will dive deep into the obstacles girl scientists face, share what parents, teachers, and allies can do to support budding girls scientists, and extol the virtue of a wicked set of bangs. You can get advance tickets for this show here.

Science on Tap is a monthly lecture series at the Kiggins Theatre, offered in partnership with Via Productions (“Better Learning Through Beer”) and Washington State University Vancouver. The presentation starts at 7 p.m., but the Kiggins will open its doors at 6 p.m. so you can find a seat and purchase yummy refreshments: beer, wine, soda, pizza, and theater-style popcorn and candy. Tickets are $8 in advance (click here to purchase online) or $10 suggested donation at the door. Science on Tap is largely supported by money collected at the door, but no one will be turned away for lack of a few dollars. Come anyway and donate what you can! Buying a ticket in advance merely confirms that you will have a seat at the event.

Reimagined Radio at the Kiggins: City of Weird

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Could your life use an extra dose of weirdness? Come to the Kiggins Theatre at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26, for the Willamette Radio Workshop‘s staged presentation of the locally bestselling book, “City of Weird,” a collection of 30 original stories set in Portland. Live voice actors and Foley sound effect artists will reinterpret some of the book’s 30 original stories, tales that “blend imagination, literary writing, and pop culture into a cohesive weirdness that honors the city’s personality, its bookstores and bridges and solo volcano, as well as the tradition of sci-fi pulp magazines,” according to the Powell’s Books review. Garnished with digital SFX, music, and visual backdrops, it promises to be a strangely memorable evening.

There will be one performance only at the Kiggins. Admission is $5 for adults or $3 for children under 12 years old. The Kiggins will open its doors at 6 p.m. so that you can purchase concessions—including wine or beer—and to make yourself comfortable in the beautifully restored 1930s-era theater with comfy leather seats and plenty of drink-holders.

This show is in partnership with WSU’s Creative Media & Digital Culture Program. “Reimagined Radio” is a project of Radio Nouspace and is focused on the re-creation of legendary radio dramas in front of live audiences. To learn more about this particular production, check out Scott Hewitt’s excellent article in The Columbian.

Acclaimed documentary “Tomorrow” at the Kiggins

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Just in time for Earth Day, acclaimed documentary “Tomorrow” opens Friday, April 21, at the Kiggins Theatre.

Shortly after having her first child, French actress and director Mélanie Laurent (“Inglourious Basterds”) became aware that humankind’s environmental impact on the planet had reached a critical stage, which could threaten human life as we know it. Conscious of the kind of world her son would grow up in, Laurent teamed up with partner Cyril Dion to make “Tomorrow,” a documentary about our environmental and social challenges.

The film’s incredible success lies in their choice not to frighten—though the facts are sobering—but to inspire; to go beyond disaster scenarios and share concrete solutions as implemented by hundred of communities around the world. Traveling to ten countries, from the urban farms of Detroit to an English town that mints its own David Bowie currency to encourage local spending, from a completely sustainable village in southern India to the progressive schools of Finland, Laurent and her colleagues introduce viewers to people making a difference in the fields of food, energy, finance, democracy, and education. Their shared ideas and examples make “Tomorrow” an essential and unexpectedly inspirational viewing experiences.

The Kiggins Theatre is located at 1011 Main St. in downtown Vancouver. All seats are $9 except for Monday, when all tickets are $6. The film will be shown daily, April 21 through Tuesday, April 25. See http://www.kigginstheatre.net/movies/tomorrow/ for exact showtimes.

Tomorrow at the Kiggins

Sight & Sound,

Just in time for Earth Day, acclaimed documentary “Tomorrow” opens Friday, April 21, at the Kiggins Theatre in downtown Vancouver and also at the Liberty Theatre in downtown Camas.

Shortly after having her first child, French actress and director Mélanie Laurent (“Inglourious Basterds”) became aware that humankind’s environmental impact on the planet had reached a critical stage, which could threaten human life as we know it. Conscious of the kind of world her son would grow up in, Laurent teamed up with partner Cyril Dion to make “Tomorrow,” a documentary about our environmental and social challenges.

The film’s incredible success lies in their choice not to frighten—though the facts are sobering—but to inspire; to go beyond disaster scenarios and share concrete solutions as implemented by hundred of communities around the world. Traveling to ten countries, from the urban farms of Detroit to an English town that mints its own David Bowie currency to encourage local spending, from a completely sustainable village in southern India to the progressive schools of Finland, Laurent and her colleagues introduce viewers to people making a difference in the fields of food, energy, finance, democracy, and education. Their shared ideas and examples make “Tomorrow” an essential and unexpectedly inspirational viewing experiences.

The Kiggins Theatre is located at 1011 Main St. in downtown Vancouver. All seats are $9 except for Monday, when all tickets are $6. The film will be shown daily, April 21 through Tuesday, April 25. See http://www.kigginstheatre.net/movies/tomorrow/ for exact showtimes. The Liberty Theatre is located at 315 N.E. 4th Ave. in downtown Camas, and the movie will be showing in its Granada Studio. Showings are April 21 through Thursday, April 27, with no showing on Wednesday, April 26. Tickets are $4.50 before 6 p.m. and $5.50 afterward, except Mondays, when all tickets are $3.50. See http://www.camasliberty.com/movie/205053/Tomorrow-(Demain) for exact showtimes. In the meantime, take a peek at the trailer below:

Noir Nights at the Kiggins: Touch of Evil

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The Kiggins Theatre and Niche Wine Bar & Bistro are teaming up to offer a second round of Noir Nights starting Monday, March 6. This film series pairs film noir classics with pre-show wine tastings featuring wines inspired by the films. Niche proprietor Leah Jackson will be on hand to discuss the wines, which will also be available for purchase during the movie, and by the bottle as customers leave. Individual film tickets are $10, include the tasting.

The next series of Noir Nights focuses on the noir films of the legendary Orson Welles. Kicking off the series at 7:30 p.m. on March 6 is “The Lady from Shanghai,” which Welles wrote, directed, and starred in—along with his wife, Rita Hayworth. Welles plays a sap (to use a noir-era descriptive term) named Michael who finds himself drawn into a web of deceit and ultimately murder when he gets involved with a dangerous blonde (the normally redheaded Hayworth) and her disabled husband (a never-better Everett Sloane).

Up next is the notorious 1958 Orson Welles classic “Touch of Evil,” at 7:30 p.m. on April 10. Once again Welles is on both sides of the camera in this film noir masterpiece whose Hollywood backstory is as unforgettable as the movie itself. Starring Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, and Orson Welles with a special appearance by Marlene Dietrich, this dark portrait of corruption and morally compromised obsessions tells the story of a crooked police chief who frames a Mexican youth as part of an intricate criminal plot.

The Kiggins Theatre is located at 1011 Main St. in downtown Vancouver. Niche Wine Bar is located in the same building at 1013 Main St. For more details, visit www.kigginstheatre.net. All seats are normally $9, except for Mondays, when all tickets are $6.

Salt and Fire at the Kiggins

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The Kiggins Theatre invites you to a special, one-time-only screening of Salt and Fire, an internationally co-produced thriller film directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man, Fitzcarraldo, Lo and Behold). The film, which made its debut at the Shanghai International Film Festival, was later selected to be screened in the Special Presentations section at the most recent Toronto International Film Festival.

Two ecologists (played by Veronica Ferres and Gael Garcia Bernal) are sent to South America as part of a U.N. investigation into an ecological disaster. They are quickly kidnapped by the villainous CEO (played by Michael Shannon) of a large company held responsible for the ecological disaster. But when a supervolcano nearby begins to show signs of erupting, they must unite to avoid a disaster.

This special advance NYFCS screening will include a special live-to-tape “talk back” with the enigmatic Oscar-nominated actor Michael Shannon. The movie will be shown at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 29. All seats are $10. Click here to purchase advance tickets online.