FILM | BLANK CITY at The Royal
A tribute to the renegade filmmakers of 1970s and 1980s New York, Céline Danhier's BLANK CITY credits the development of independent film, as we now know it, to visionaries such as John Waters, Jim Jarmusch and photographer Richard Kern. A history of the No Wave Cinema and Cinema of Transgression movements, which are often applied to underground guerilla-style cinema punctuated with shock value and a punk aesthetic, BLANK CITY emphasizes the gritty side of old New York and the DIY filmmaking that rose from this milieu. Opening today, daily screenings will run until July 21st.
The Royal (608 College Street) 7PM $10 general, $8 students/seniors

ART | Sweat: An Art Show
A strong candidate for rivalry against ROM's Water exhibit, Oz Studios brings you the dirtier, smellier side of the human-water partnership with a collaborative exhibit titled Sweat. 24 local artists and illustrators will display works that study the human body's greatest and possibly most embarrassing production in witty and hilarious pieces while observing the physical, social and cultural aspects of the basic human action. The exhibit, which ends July 29th, is open to anyone looking for inspiration from perspiration.
Oz Studios (134 Ossington Avenue) 6PM Free

COMEDY | Adam Carolla
The man behind the Guinness World record for the most downloaded podcast comes to Toronto this evening for a live comedy performance. Adam Carolla, radio and television personality, published author and funny guy, will be performing his comedy act at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre (because he apparently doesn't have enough projects going on already). The 47-year-old Angelino's act will, like his podcasts, cover a hodgepodge of current topics to offend sensibilities and get the audience laughing (for proof, see Comedy Central's "The Man Show").
Queen Elizabeth Theatre (190 Princes' Boulevard) 7PM $39.50-$49.50

CULTURE | Colombian Colours Il Diaspora Festival
Harbourfront Centre celebrates Colombian culture this weekend with music, dancing and food from the South American country known for its bright colours. Amongst samplings of traditional dishes like arepa and bandeja paisa, there will be exhibits by Colombian photographer Nereo López Meza and folklore performances by Ballet Raices de Colombia. Music by Caché and DJ Wayuu will bring the Friday night celebration to life while the rest of the weekend will feature traditional Colombian games, workshops and historical exhibits that tell this country's political story. Celebrate and enjoy the Il Diaspora festival and stretch your knowledge of Colombia beyond imitating Sofia Vergara's accent.
Harbourfront Centre (235 Queens Quay West) 6PM Free

FILM | Higher Learning with Gena Rowlands
To a younger generation, Gena Rowlands may be Allie of The Notebook (2004) but before that, the 81-year-old actress was a two-time Oscar nominee who starred in 10 films directed by her now-deceased husband John Cassavetes. The star of Gloria (1980) and A Woman Under the Influence (1974), for which she received the nominations, will be live at the TIFF Bell Lightbox this morning to discuss Cassavetes work as part of the most recent exhibit, Masks and Faces: The Films of John Cassavetes, open as of yesterday. The Q&A will commence following a screening of Cassavetes' Opening Night (1977) and the exhibit runs until July 31st.
TIFF Bell Lightbox (350 King Street West) 11AM

OTHER EVENTS ON OUR RADAR

• Midi Onodera's Moving-Image Art Career Celebrated at Jackman Hall
• Cataract: New Works by Julia Dickens and Greg Zenha
• Outdoor Film Screening of Checkpoint Rock: Songs of Palestine


• DIY Tour De Non-Profit Bike Shop Ride

Photo by alisdair jones in the blogTO Flickr pool