This weekend, catch a Swiss film, a rare photo exhibition and a tribute to Beethoven

Some recommendations to enliven your weekend

BANGALORE

Films

A film fiesta from Switzerland: As part of the centenary celebrations of German teaching in India, Max Mueller Bhawan is hosting a festival of Swiss films in German with English subtitles. The inaugural film, More Than Honey, is a documentary of the mysterious death of honey bees all over the world over the past three years. Other films that will be screened include Will You Marry Us, The Circle and The Foster Boy.
Where: Max Mueller Bhawan, CMH Road, Indira Nagar, Bangalore
When: August 30 to September 1
Info: The full schedule is available at www.goethe.de/ins/in/en/bag.html

In tune with Fiddler On The Roof: Relive the familiar old tunes from the hit musical Fiddler On The Roof, which returns to the stage courtesy the Cause Foundation. The foundation has previously staged other favourites such as My Fair Lady and Monty Python. The Fiddler On The Roof centres around Tevye, the father of five daughters, and his humorous attempts to retain their Jewish traditions in the face of change.
Where: Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Malleshwaram, Bangalore
When: At 7 pm on August 28, 30 and 31 and at 7.30 pm on September 1
Info: Tickets available on www.bookmyshow.com

Theatre

The case of the missing hand: A Behanding In Spokane is a dark play, described as a “rollercoaster of love, hate, desperation and hope”. The play revolves around Carmichael, who has been searching for his missing hand for 17 years. Enter two bickering lovebirds with a hand to sell, and a curious hotel clerk. The play, which opened on Broadway in 2010, is written by Martin Mcdonagh, who also directed the film In Bruges and has been directed by Kashin Shetty.
Where: Jagriti, Varthur Road, Whitefield, Bangalore
When: August 28 to 31

DELHI

Art

Through a historic lens: The Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, in collaboration with Alkazi Foundation, presents 'Drawn from Light: Early Photography and the Indian Sub-continent', a rare exhibition of vintage camera collection for photography enthusiasts. The exhibition will highlight varied aesthetics of representation- portraiture, landscapes and cityscapes - visual signposts that encompass prevalent tropes, mannerisms and motivation of image production from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century.
Where: Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, Janpath, New Delhi
When: Till September 30

Theatre

A man with his own laws: Himachal Culture Research Forum Theatre Repertory presents Sakha Ram Binder, a play directed by Suresh Sharma. The story revolves around Sakha Ram, an atheist who does not believe in societal regulations. He brings poor women home, provides them the basic amenities and believes that this gives him the license to treat them as his personal slaves. The plot takes a turn when he meets a girl who turns out to be his match.The play has been one of the most noted and controversial Marathi plays since its first showcase in 1972.
Where: Shri Ram Centre, Mandi House, New Delhi
When: August 28, 7:30 pm

Films

The world in crises: Alliance Francaise de Delhi presents The Invisibles, a film produced by Javier Bardem. Comprising of five stories, The Invisibles is about those we do not want to see, but who end up appearing inside our fears and our unease, among other things, because they never stop existing. These include displaced people in Colombia, child soldiers in Uganda, and victims of the Chagas disease, sleeping sickness, and sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. All of these stories belong to some of the forgotten crises in the world.
Where: Alliance Francaise, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi
When: August 30, 7 pm

Save the Date

This year's edition of Rajasthan International Folk Festival, or RIFF, brings Jodhpur alive on October 8, with foot tapping music by the Algoza party, dancers, Jumma Jogi’s Bhapang, poetry and wisdom and vignettes of many other Rajasthani and international performances. Consequent to this vibrant opening concert, Mehrangarh will, between October 9 and 12, turn into a centre of cultural dialogue through music, narrations, dance forms and talks -- with artists and performers converging from across Rajasthan, Scotland, Brazil, Crete, Reunion Island, Senegal and Australia.
Where: Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, Rajasthan
When: October 8 to 12
Info: Earlybird tickets available at discounted rates at www.jodhpurriff.org

MUMBAI

Theatre

Back to school: Comedy group East India Comedy will perform Back Benchers, featuring Sapan Verma, Sahil Shah and Azeem Banatwalla. The stand-up artists will take you down memory lane with their take on college, campus life, education, ragging, hostel life, exams, cheating and attractive professors. The show features various styles of comedy including stand-up, sketches, music, improv games and videos.
Where: Godrej Dance Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point, Mumbai
When: August 30, 7 pm

ART

Middle class on canvas: A collection of works by Lalu Prasad Shaw in tempera will be exhibited at Art Musings gallery. Born in Bengal in 1937, Shaw draws inspiration from nature and the milieu of the Bengali middle class, often depicting scenes from his own life on canvas. He began painting in Kolkata and later spent several years in Shantiniketan, which influenced his works. His paintings have a smooth synthesis of disparate elements including the pre-independence Company School of Art, the traditional Kalighat Pat and the Ajanta cave paintings. Done mainly in gouache or tempera, they include stylized portraits of Bengali women and men laying emphasis on his subject’s physical characteristics.
Where: Art Musings Gallery, Colaba, Mumbai
When: Till August 31

Painter prince: A unique exhibition will showcase lithographs of Raja Ravi Varma, whose depiction of Indian women had gained recognition within the country as well as in the West. To ensure that his work would not remain only in the possession of royal families, he started a lithographic press to mass produce copies of his paintings that were affordable. Rashme Mehta, who received the artist's press as family heirlooms, reproduced the stone lithographs in archival UV-ink, taking care to protect it from sunlight and water.
Where: Cosmic Heart Gallery, New Marine Lines, Mumbai
When: Till October 9, 11 am to 7 pm

MUSIC

Beethoven tribute: As part of a Western classical music season, attend a recital featuring compositions by Ludwig van Beethoven. The artists performing will be Alina Ibragimova, a Russian-born violinist residing in the UK and Cédric Tiberghien, the renowned pianist from France.
Where: NCPA, Nariman Point, Mumbai
When: September 2 & 3, 7 pm

FILM

French cinema: Le fils de l’autre (The other son) will be screened by Alliance Francaise de Bombay in partnership with Institut Francaise. It is a moving and provocative story of two young men, one Israeli and the other Palestinian, who discover they were accidentally switched at birth. Directed by Lorraine Levy, the film follows the complex repercussions facing them and their families.
Where: Alliance Francaise, New Marine Lines, Mumbai
When: Sept 1, 6.30 pm

KOLKATA

Theatre

Troubled lovers: Academy of Fine Arts presents Fula, a play that highlights the issues and difficulties faced by the people of tribal communities. Written and directed by Subodh Patnaik, the play highlights the challenges faced by them, in the form of deforestation, natural disasters, politics and corruption. This play is a love story between Fula and a tribal man, Samaru. As per the traditions, Samaru is supposed to pay a sum of money to the bride’s father that will prove his capability to become an able husband. But the lovers become victims to the tradition and norms that are used to exploit people and are still prevalent in their community.
Where: Academy of Fine Arts, Park Street, Kolkata
When: August 30, 6:30 pm
Info: Tickets priced at Rs.100-150

Art

An ode to the Left: Experimenter presents 'The Young Man Was', a solo exhibition by Naeem Mohaiemen. Since 2006, Mohaiemen has worked on the history of the 1970s radical left, through the prism of Bangladesh’s particular experience of these movements, branching out into related movements in Japan, Germany, and the Middle East.
Where: Experimenter Gallery, Gariahat, Kolkata
When: Till September 27, 11 am to 7pm