Chicago International Documentary Film Festival

Tonight's the opening night of the Chicago International Documentary Film Festival, an 11-day festival that's happening at a half-dozen locations across the city. Tonight's opening film, Marina, is a film about the Afghan actress who was picked to star in the recent film Osama. The screening is at the Max Palevsky Cinema at Ida Noyes Hall of the Univeristy of Chicago, 1212 E 59th Street. See the Website for further information.

Poet Mark Strand @ The Metro

Poetry: amplified. In one of the most unique venues for poetry The Poetry Center of Chicago presents former U.S. Poet Laureate Mark Strand at The Metro music club with an opening by a "special musical guest". The Metro is located at 3730 N. Clark. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and are available through The Metro.

Conversations with Filmmakers: Alfred Guzzetti

The Department of Film, Video and New Media of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, in association with the Video Data Bank and the Gene Siskel Film Center, presents a series of Thursday night screenings entitled "Conversations at the Edge." The series brings together Chicago media makers, critics, scholars and theorists in dialogue around the most provocative and daring works being produced in media today.

This week's showcase is "The Subjective Landscape: Works by Alfred Guzzetti." A screening of short works includes "Sky Piece" (1978), "A Tropical Story" (1999), "Chronological Order" (1985), "Down From the Mountains" (2002), "Calcutta Intersection" (2003) and a work in progress, "History of the Sea." Show starts at 8:15pm, Mr. Guzzetti will speak afterwards. Tickets are $9.

The Legacy and Future of Feminism

The Public Square is hosting a debate at 6pm at the Harold Washington Library Center (400 S. State St.) on the future of feminism. Panelists will attempt to answer questions like: What difference has feminims made in the lives of women of color, white women, lesbian/gay and transgendered people, working class women, and the current generation of younger women and girls? How has feminism impacted men? What do the critics of feminism have to say? Panelists include Eleanor Smeal, Feminist Majority Foundation President, former national president of NOW (National Organization for Women); Professor Beth Richie, head of African American Studies at UIC and a leading scholar and activist in the anti-violence movement and on behalf of incarcerated women; Mary Morten, an activist in the LGBT community and the past president of the Chicago Foundation for Women and the local Chapter of NOW; , and Lisa Jervis, creator of bitch Magazine. Admission is free, but reservations are recommended (312-993-0682) or you can send an email to info@thepublicsquare.org.