When 40 of the world's most innovative thinkers (physicists, chemists, religious leaders and the like) went to India to visit the Dalai Lama on a quest to promote world peace, Baldwin-Wallace alumnus Khashyar Darvich decided to go along. Accompanied by an 18-person crew, he filmed Dalai Lama Renaissance, a documentary about the event. Narrated by actor Harrison Ford, who tries a little too hard to sound mysterious and spiritual, the film includes interviews with the Dalai Lama, who speaks quite eloquently about what can be done to support the people of Tibet. Darvich also interviews many of the summit's attendees (most of whom don't seem to like each other so much) and examines the history of the Dalai Lama and his advocacy of peace throughout the ages. The film shows at 7 p.m. Friday, January 23, and at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, January 25, at the Cleveland Museum of Art (11150 East Blvd., 216.421.7350). Darvich will be on hand to answer questions after both screenings. Tickets: $8.
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the first two Godfather movies represent American cinema at its best. Epic in scope, the films about the triumphs and tribulations of a Mafia dynasty have just been issued in new, restored 35mm prints, which the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque (11141 East Blvd., 216.421.7450) will show. Part 1 screens at 7:30 p.m. Friday, January 23, and at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, January 24. Part II shows at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, January 24, and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, January 25. Tickets: $8.
The Cleveland International Film Festival is sponsoring an event dubbed "Food for Thought" at 7 p.m. Thursday, January 22, at the Taxel Image Group photography studio (4614 Prospect Ave.). The CIFF's Bill Guentzler and Debby Samples are the hosts for the program, which will feature Laura Taxel (author of Cleveland Ethnic Eats) and three local chefs who are also film buffs. They'll talk about good dinner-and-a-movie concepts and share wine, hors d'oeuvres and desserts. Tickets are $35 and reservations are required. Call 216.623.3456 x14 or visit clevelandfilm.org.
Prior to the screening of a restored version of the 1924 F.W. Murnau classic The Last Laugh, the Cleveland Museum of Art will show a 30-minute reconstructed version of Sergei Eisenstein's unfinished 1937 drama Bezhin Meadow. The double feature screens at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, January 28, at the Cleveland Museum of Art (11150 East Blvd., 216.421.7350). Tickets: $8.