BOOKS AND LIT | Azar Nafisi: Reading and Writing in Iran
During Luminato, This Is Not a Reading Series has kicked its regularly awesome programming into overdrive, offering up encounters with some of the most important authors of our time almost every night. Tonight TINARS partners with Luminato to bring Azar Nafisi to Toronto, an author best known for her revealing look at literary defiance of theocracy Reading Lolita in Iran. Nafisi is more recently the author of a memoir about growing up with a complex and controlling mother Things I've Been Silent About, and has invaluable insight into the culture of her divided nation.
Al Green Theatre, Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre, 750 Spadina Avenue, $15, 7:30 pm

FILM | It Came from Kuchar
George and Mike Kuchar make terrible movies. Since the late 1960s they've unleashed such titles on the world as Pussy on a Hot Tin Roof, The Devil's Cleavage, and Sins of the Fleshapoids, using untalented actors to advance plotless storylines in films that the general public would consider unwatchable. But as members of a New York City underground film scene that included Andy Warhol, the Kuchar brothers influenced a generation of filmmakers with their bizarre pictures, and have now achieved legendary status in certain circles. A new documentary by Jennifer Kroot looks at the Kuchars through the eyes of those they've inspired, interviewing luminaries like Atom Egoyan, Guy Maddin, and John Waters, all of whom say exposure to the Kuchars 8 mm messes had a profound affect on their own careers. Tonight is your last chance to catch Kroot's doc at the Bloor Cinema.
Bloor Cinema, 506 Bloor Street West, $10, 7 pm

GALLERY | NXNE Poster Show
Poster art is as much a part of the bar rock scene as cheap beer, tight denim, and $3 cover charges. As part of the weeklong NXNE festival, the Twist Gallery is exhibiting gig posters made by artists from across North America, featuring the work of silkscreeners and illustrators like the Cricket Press, Crosshair, and Nat Damm commissioned by a host of recognizable bands like the Constantines, the Decemberists, Swell Season.. .the list goes on and on. The show outlasts the festival and runs til June 28, and if you see anything you like a select group of posters is available for purchase. This weekend the show doubles as a party, with extended hours, DJs and booze on Friday and Saturday night.
Twist Gallery, 1100 Queen Street West, 11 am - 6 pm most nights

MUSIC | The New Pornographers at the Sound Academy
It's been ten years since the New Pornographers released their first record, and since then they've proven to be a consistent force on Canada's music scene, churning out five critically acclaimed albums and a slew of indelible power pop singles. The Vancouver collective led by Dan Bejar of Destroyer and fiery songstress Neko Case comes to Toronto tonight in support of their new record Together, and their show tonight is your best bet for a rock and roll fix before NXNE kicks into high gear tomorrow. San Francisco experimental popsters the Dodos and Seattle blues-punk duo the Dutchess and the Duke open.
The Sound Academy, 11 Polson Pier, $26.50, Doors 7 pm

PRIDE | Queer Family Pride Party
In just over a week, the largest celebration of queer culture in the world will descend on Toronto for the 30th annual Pride Week. Although the festival aims to be as inclusive as possible, unless you want to explain the logistics of assless chaps to your four-year old, families might want to check out a more kid-friendly event like tonight's Queer Family Pride Party. Organized by the 519 Community Centre, which has been administering social services to the Church Street community for 35 years, the gathering is especially geared to kids 0-12 years old and includes activities like the Kids Pride Parade, allowing queer families to participate in the festival in a safe and fully pantsed environment.
Cawthra Square Park, Church and Dundonald Streets, Free, 5 pm

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Photo: "Red Light" by ronnie.yip, member of the blogTO Flickr Pool.