Here's my selection of events in Rochester this week:
Thursday, December 11

• From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Gandhi Institute is a Vegetarian Potluck followed by a Talking Circle and Gathering to discuss Are the holidays challenging for you?. [source: Gandhi Inistitute website, 2014-Dec-1]
• Starting around 6:30 p.m. at Bernunzio Uptown Music is a Bluegrass Jam.
  

  This is a small gathering of players with medium to advanced skills. The jam provides a great opportunity to share musical ideas and tunes. The jam is held in the back room here in the store.

  [source: Bernunzio Uptown Music website, 2014-Dec-1]

• The Bertrand Russell Forum hosted by Walter Uhrman meets tonight at Writers and Books from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tonight, William Drumwright will Examine and Contract Bertrand Russell's Views on WW I and WW II. [source: Writers and Books website, 2014-Dec-1]
• From 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Henrietta Public Library is Hochstein Guitar Ensembles with John Wiesenthal. [source: Monroe County Library website, 2014-Dec-1]
• The Eastman New Jazz Ensemble performs in Kilbourn Hall tonight at 8 p.m. [source: Eastman School of Music calendar, 2014-Dec-1]
• The Dryden will screen Abus de faiblesse (Abuse of Weakness, Catherine Breillat, France/Germany/Belgium 2014, 105 min., French w/ subtitles, DCP) tonight at 8 p.m.
  

  Director Catherine Breillat's autobiographical film confronts some uncomfortable truths about the personal choices we make that knowingly or unknowingly cause pain and self-destruction. As Breillat's alter ego Maud, Isabelle Huppert brings emotional depth and passion to a character suddenly crippled from a stroke—and ferociously determined to continue with her life. That she becomes the "willing" victim of an avowed con artist is both inexplicable and understandable. The question then becomes, who is using whom?

  [source: Dryden website, 2014-Dec-1]

• Miss Tess and the Talkbacks, and Thomas Bryan Eaton perform at Abilene starting around 8:30 p.m. tonight. [source: Abilene website, 2014-Dec-1]
• Starting around 9 p.m. at the Bug Jar is Albert and The Fish, Stick Figures, and Limeworks. [source: Bug Jar calendar, 2014-Dec-1]

Friday, December 12

• From 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. today at Rochester Contemporary is a Future Fund Frenzy event.
  

  100s of artists including: Carl Chiarenza, Anne Havens, Carlos Carcamo, Jo Krajci, and many more! RoCo has a special holiday gift for you! We are revealing 100s of artworks during the Future Fund Frenzy! Receive 15% off prints, photographs, paintings, drawings and framed artworks.

  [source: RoCo website, 2014-Dec-1]

• Tonight and tomorrow at 7 p.m. and on Sunday at 2 p.m., the MuCCC will host performances of Pura's Beauty.
  

  Tulipan thinks she is pregnant, Anacleta isn't aware that her husband is having an affair, Cruzita is looking for amor. The women alongside Alfredo discuss sexuality, drugs, local gossip, and come to the beauty shop not only to be groomed but to be heard in their local safe haven. In one short hour audiences will be mused with stories, filled with imagery, parody, satire and the irony of a lover's perception and confessions.

  [source: MuCCC website, 2014-Dec-1]

• Starting at 7 p.m. tonight at the Bug Jar is Rochester Metal Fest: Night I with Malformed, Ancalagon, Order of the Dead, Saints and Winos, Darkapathy, Desekrator, and Vagaasm. [source: Bug Jar calendar, 2014-Dec-1]
• The Dryden will screen Zui hao de shi guang (Three Times, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Taiwan/France 2005, 135 min., Mandarin and Min Nan w/ subtitles, 35mm) tonight at 8 p.m.
  

  Hou Hsiao-hsien's most successful film tells three stories, scattered throughout history. In the first, a soldier returning home falls in love with a hostess at a pool hall. The second, presented almost like a silent film, concerns a courtesan at a brothel and an idealistic man who visits her. Third, a pop star neglects her current lover and begins a romance with a photographer. Passion and tragedy are never far from each other in this subtly moving portrait of love's many forms.

  [source: Dryden website, 2014-Dec-1]

Saturday, December 13

• Today at 12:15 p.m. at the George Eastman House is a Focus 45 lecture with Chris Holmquist discussing There Must Be Something in the Water.
  

  Chris Holmquist, Eastman House object preparator and chemical photography enthusiast, will speak on the history of photographic innovation in Western New York and Rochester's present role as a mecca for pre-digital photography techniques, as a new generation preserves and celebrates this rich history.

  [source: City Newspaper events calendar, 2014-Dec-1]

• Starting at 7 p.m. at the Bug Jar is Rochester Metal Fest: Night II with Circus Grenade, Nokturnal Hellstorm, The Highest Leviathan, Abdicate, Avulsion, Porphyria, and Tyranitar. [source: Bug Jar calendar, 2014-Dec-1]
• At 8 p.m., the Dryden will screen Doctor Zhivago (David Lean, U.K. 1965, 197 min., 35mm).
  

  Boris Paternak's classic story of the ill-fated love affair between the married Dr. Zhivago and the beautiful Lara is brought to the screen in this sweeping adaptation by director David Lean. Set against the backdrop of Imperial Russia, World War I, the staggering upheaval of the Russian revolution, and life under Stalin, Doctor Zhivago is a visually stunning epic, with a top-flight international cast headed by Omar Sharif and a memorable score by Oscar-winning composer Maurice Jarré.

  [source: Dryden website, 2014-Dec-1]

• Tonight at 8 p.m., and tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. and at 7 p.m. is The Music of Emmet Otter's Jug-band Christmas at the Lovin' Cup.
  

  Ladies and Gentlemen… it's Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas Weekend at Lovin' Cup!!! An all-star lineup from several of Rochester's favorite bands have come together to pay homage to this beloved Jim Henson classic with an interactive performance of all its music, featuring audio and visual samples from the film. If you share our love for this magical film and the wonderful music that came from it—or you're unfamiliar and just want to know why so many adore it—we invite you to come see the show!

  [source: Lovin' Cup website, 2014-Dec-1]

• Starting around 9 p.m. at Abilene is Attic Abasement, Pony Hand, No Glitter, and Northern Spies. [source: Abilene website, 2014-Dec-1]

Sunday, December 14

• At (*sigh*) The Best Coffee at the Market in the Java's Market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. is Craftacular, "a caffeine fueled holiday craft sale featuring local artisans: Trudy Feikert, Emily Bellinger, Chris Charles, Jennifer Kath Buckley, Debra Parrish Barone, Margaret Storms, Kara Seay and [Lucinda Storms]". [source: Facebook, 2014-Dec-1]
• Today starting at 1 p.m. at One Nightclub and Ultralounge (1 Ryan Al.) is a Gay Alliance Day Party. [source: RocWiki events, 2014-Dec-1]
• From 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Rundel Auditorium on the 3rd Floor of the Rundel Library Building, Christine Ridarsky will discuss Rochester's Rich History in a lecture titled Sisters in Equality: The Rochester Women's Political Equality Club. "City Historian Christine Ridarsky reveals the work of a little-known local women's club to secure suffrage and equal rights for women." [source: Monroe County Library website, 2014-Dec-1]
• At 2 p.m., the Dryden will screen The Polar Express (Robert Zemeckis, U.S. 2004, 100 min., 35mm).
  

  Using the technique of "performance capture," The Polar Express brought a new dimension to animated films. This stylish and moving adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg's beautifully illustrated children's book allows the protean actor Tom Hanks to play five different roles, including the helpful conductor of the magical train of the title. One little boy's wish to meet Santa Claus is fulfilled in a most extraordinary way.

  [source: Dryden website, 2014-Dec-1]

• Starting around 9 p.m. at the Bug Jar is Lesionread, electronic and guitar duo Sparx and Yarms, and Drive Me Home, Please. [source: Bug Jar calendar, 2014-Dec-1]

Monday, December 15

• The Coalition of Concerned Residents of Monroe County meets at the Flying Squirrel from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to discuss "strategies related to finding housing/ shelter for all." [source: Flying Squirrel website, 2014-Dec-1]
• From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Bernunzio Uptown Music will host a Hope For Haiti fundraiser for the Gaia Ansapit community gardening project, with musical performances by The Rochester Ukulele Orchestra, Paxtor, Howlo, Passive Aggressives Anonymous, and Andrew Alden, a "mini dance workshop" with Rayla Meshawn, and food tasting by Natural Oasis, and Philomena. [source: Bernunzio Uptown Music website, 2014-Dec-1]
• Updated: Starting at 7 p.m. at the Cinema is screening local director Winston Young's Killing The Future. [source: Cinema Theatre e-mail, 2014-Dec-10]

Tuesday, December 16

• Updated: At 7 p.m., the Cinema will screen local director Ken Rhodes' The Inbox. [source: Cinema Theatre e-mail, 2014-Dec-15]
• The Dryden will screen Side by Side (Christopher Kenneally, U.S. 2012, 99 min., 35mm) tonight at 8 p.m. "A discussion with Associate Curator Ed Stratmann and Preservation Manager Daniela Currò will follow the film."
  

  The Dryden is pleased to be able to screen our new 35mm print (courtesy of producer Justin Szlasa) of this timely and important documentary. Narrated by Keanu Reeves, Side by Side examines with clarity the differences between film and digital moviemaking, the fundamental changes to the industry, and the impact on its creative artists.

  [source: Dryden website, 2014-Dec-1]

• Tonight at Abilene starting around 8:30 p.m. is With A Little Help From My Friends—The Beatles Unplugged, Holiday Session with Don Christiano, and special guest Spencer Christiano. [source: Abilene website, 2014-Dec-1]

Wednesday, December 17

• From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Writers and Books is Standup Comedy Open Mike hosted by Dario Josef, and Carol Roberts. [source: Writers and Books website, 2014-Dec-1]
• The Dryden will screen The Searchers (John Ford, U.S. 1956, 119 min., 35mm) tonight at 8 p.m.
  

  This was always considered a good Western, but time has continued to elevate it to greatness. Though it received no Oscar nominations, the film was declared the greatest Western ever made by the most recent, prestigious Sight and Sound critics' poll. It's now clear that John Wayne has never been better than as Ethan Edwards, as he battles Indians, his own past, a failed romance, and his strong racist tendencies to search for his niece, abducted by Comanches.

  [source: Dryden website, 2014-Dec-1]

• Starting arond 9 p.m. at the Bug Jar is Nashville Pussy, Valient Thorr, Against the Grain, and Heatseeker. [source: Bug Jar calendar, 2014-Dec-1]
• John Akers, Erik Welsh perform at the Dinosaur tonight starting around 10 p.m. [source: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que website, 2014-Dec-1]