Reps Etc.

Commentary by Gregg Rickman (greggr1@mindspring.com). Times compiled from information available Tuesday; it's always advisable to call for confirmation. Price given is standard adult admission; discounts often apply for students, seniors, and members.

We're interested in your film or video event. Please send materials at least two weeks in advance to: Film Editor, SF Weekly, 185 Berry, Suite 3800, San Francisco, CA 94107.

ACT ONE/TWO

2128 Center (at Shattuck), Berkeley, (510) 464-5980, www.landmarktheatres.com. $9.25 save as noted. One of this venue's two screens is a "calendar house" for Landmark Theatres. For additional screenings, see our Showtimes page.

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY: Zhang Yimou's latest, House of Flying Daggers (China, 2004). See Ongoing for review. Call for times.

FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY (Jan. 7-13): Travellers & Magicians (Khyentse Norbu, Bhutan, 2003); see Opening for review. Call for times.

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE

345 Bush (at Polk), 775-7755, www.afsf.com. French-language films shown on projected video. $5 donation.

WEDNESDAY (Jan. 5): André Dussollier woos old flame Emanuelle Devos, while young Hélène Fillières enters his life as the title role in Sophie Fillières' comedy Aïe (France, 2000). (The two Fillières are sisters.) 6 p.m.

ARTISTS' TELEVISION ACCESS

992 Valencia (at 21st Street), 824-3890, www.atasite.org. $5 save as noted. This venue offers all manner of strange and unusual video and film.

THURSDAY (Jan. 6): International ANSWER presents La Boca del Lobo (The Lion's Den, Francisco J. Lombardi, Peru, 1988), a drama about an army occupation of an Andean town during the war against the Shining Path guerrilla movement. A live report on Peru follows 7:30 p.m.

FRIDAY (Jan. 7): "StreetLevel TV" inaugurates the new year with video reports on social issues, including the Castro Theatre protests, post-election coverage, trailers for new films, and live music. See www.videoactivism.org/show for more 8 p.m.

BALBOA

3630 Balboa (at 37th Avenue), 221-8484, $7.50. This great neighborhood house, long a good place to catch second-run fare, is converting one of its screens to a repertory theater this week. See our Showtimes page for what's on the Balboa's other screen.

THURSDAY (Jan. 6): The Balboa inaugurates its new rep policy with an "Open House" program of cartoons, short subjects, and previews. Free 6-10 p.m.

FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY (Jan. 7-13): Travellers & Magicians (Khyentse Norbu, Bhutan, 2003); see Opening for review. Lead actress Sonam Lhamo and cinematographer Alan Kozlowski in person at Saturday evening screenings 12:15, 2:30, 4:45, 7:15, 9:30 p.m.

CASTRO

429 Castro (near Market), 621-6120, www.castrotheatresf.com; www.goethe.de/sanfrancisco for the Berlin & Beyond series. $8 for regular screenings, $9 for Berlin & Beyond save as noted. Short-run rep in a spectacular 1922 Greco-Roman-themed palace designed by Timothy L. Pflueger. Evening intermissions feature David Hegarty or Bill McCoy on the Mighty Wurlitzer.

WEDNESDAY: A musical series concludes with George Sidney's Pal Joey (1957), a signature role for Frank Sinatra as he weaves between Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak 2, 4:30, 7, 9:30 p.m.

THURSDAY: The Opening Night program of the 10th Berlin & Beyond series of German-language films includes the Opening Night Party 6:30 p.m. The Edukators (Weingartner) 8 p.m. $10 film only, $30 film and party. See Night & Day, Page 23, for more.

FRIDAY: Berlin & Beyond -- Bruno Ganz tribute: The Inventor (Gloor, Switzerland, 1980) 1 p.m. Ganz tribute: Circle of Deceit (Schlöndorff, 1981) 3 p.m. En Route (Krüger) 7 p.m. Alone (Durchschlag) 9 p.m.

SATURDAY: Berlin & Beyond -- Emil and the Detectives (Buch) 11 a.m. "Best of German Film Schools" (shorts) 1 p.m. Am I Sexy? (Feistl) 4 p.m. Nocturne (Signorell, Switzerland) 7 p.m. Head-On (Akin) 9:30 p.m.

SUNDAY: Berlin & Beyond -- My Brother Is a Dog (Timm) 11 a.m. The Center (Mucha) 1 p.m. Bruno Ganz tribute: Behind Me (Wiedmer, 2002) 3 p.m. Ganz tribute: Downfall (Hirschbiegel) 5 p.m. Ganz in conversation with David Thomson (free) 8 p.m.

MONDAY: Berlin & Beyond -- Bruno Ganz tribute: Wings of Desire (Wenders, 1987) 1 p.m. Asphalt (May, 1928) 7 p.m. Miss Phyllis (Schönborn, Austria) 9 p.m.

TUESDAY: Berlin & Beyond -- Poem -- I Set My Foot Upon the Air and It Carried Me (Schmerberg) 1 p.m. This Year in Czernowitz (Koepp) 3:30 p.m. Quiet as a Mouse (Mittermeier) 7 p.m. Crazy Love Crazy (Luisi, Switzerland) 9:15 p.m.

FOREIGN CINEMA

2534 Mission (between 21st and 22nd streets), 648-7600, www.foreigncinema.com. Free with meal. This restaurant screens foreign films, usually in 35mm, on the back wall of its outdoor patio, with drive-in speakers available for the tables of those who want to watch while they dine.

DAILY: Zhang Yimou's visually stunning Hero (China, 2002) screens through Jan. 16. See Ongoing for review 6:15, 8, 9:45 p.m.

LITTLE ROXIE

3125 16th St. (at Valencia), 863-1087, www.roxie.com. $8 save as noted. Popular holdover programs from the "big" Roxie two doors down.

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY: Artist Andy Goldsworthy plays with sand, mud, and time in the Roxie perennial Rivers and Tides (Thomas Riedelsheimer, 2001) 8 p.m. Tarnation (Jonathan Caouette, 2004) 6:15, 9:45 p.m.

STARTS FRIDAY: Call for program.

MECHANICS' INSTITUTE LIBRARY

57 Post (near Market), 393-0100 and www.milibrary.org for information; phone or e-mail rsvp@milibrary.org for reservations. $7. This cultural asset of long standing opens a documentary film series this week. Shown on projected video, with salon-style discussions to follow.

FRIDAY (Jan. 7): SF Weekly contributor Michael Fox hosts a four-week series on "The Contemporary Documentary: Cultural Icons," beginning with a rare screening of Orson Welles' entertaining essay on Clifford Irving's faked Howard Hughes autobiography, F for Fake (1976). Has anyone noticed how alike Citizen Kane and Scorsese's The Aviator are? 6:30 p.m.