The touring Best of the Banff Mountain Film Festival is no country for old men. Two separate nights of highlights from the November celebration of "mountain culture" in Canada's Banff Centre, it represents alpinism, nature escapes and outdoor sports cinema and video in full kineticism. There's everything from snow kiting and speed flying to several years' travels of a Norwegian who undertakes the perilous pastime of BASE jumping (this documentary has been credited for inducing audience fainting spells), from a vignette of Scandivanian "ski-punk" rock band Black-Eyed Snakes on a cross-country tour to a short about a German athlete turned naturalist studying the wolves of British Columbia. There's an animated UK comedy about a badger trying to get some sleep and a piece about English writer Jim Perrin making a mountain ascent on his 60th birthday (so it is a country for old men, after all). Films are shown in the plush surroundings of Playhouse Square's Allen Theater with "green" raffle prizes, refreshments, Red Bull and local outdoor-adventure clubs set up in the lobby, scoping out potential recruits. Films begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $25-$35. Call 216.241.6000 or go to theedgefilms.com. - Charles Cassady Jr.

Thursday, April 10

Improv Showcase: Full Frontal Nudity

The April Improv Comedy Showcases at the Powerhouse Pub (2000 Sycamore St., West Bank of the Flats) feature Columbus' Full Frontal Nudity (madlab.net/ffn.htm) in its aim to expose Clevelanders to the range of improv/sketch comedy talent in the region. Formed in 1993, the group has developed original, long-form scripts through use of improv as well as many thematic improv shows in its hometown. The 8:30 performance is free; reserve a seat by calling 216.479.3353. There's an encore performance April 17. The showcases run the second and third Thursday of each month. - Anastasia Pantsios

Interfaith Dialogue: Catholic Jewish Colloquium

Talking to those of different races, faiths, ethnicities and backgrounds is a good thing. That's why the Jewish Anti-Defamation League and the Cleveland Catholic Diocese linked up to host their annual interfaith colloquiums, now in their 20th year. This year's program, from 7-9 p.m. at Congregation Shaarey Tikvah (26811 Fairmount Blvd., Beachwood), considers the topic "Our Covenant with God: What Does It Mean?" Speakers are Dr. Eugene J. Fisher, who retired as associate director for Jewish-Catholic relations of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops last year after 30 years, and Dr. Peter J. Haas, Jewish studies professor at Case Western Reserve. It's free and followed by a dessert reception. Make a reservation at 216.579.9600, ext. 21. - AP

Flowers, Farms and Factories

Bananas and pineapple are common in Northeast Ohio, even if they don't grow in local gardens. Unfortunately, the countries where they do grow often don't look after their workers. Costa Rican Didier Leiton has worked on farms in his country and has been blacklisted for attempting to organize unions that supply Wal-Mart stores. Leiton is one of three speakers talking about workers' rights in Colombia, Costa Rica and Cambodia as part of the InterReligious Task Force on Central America's "Flowers, Farms, and Factories: Workers' Voices from Colombia, Cambodia and Costa Rica" from 7-9 p.m. at Pilgrim Congregational Church (2592 W. 14th St.). "As one of the largest employers in the world, if not the largest, Wal-Mart exemplifies many of the problems that workers face in their daily lives," says Victoria Kaplan, Midwest regional coordinator for SweatFree Communities, one of the talk's sponsors. "Unfortunately, right now, there exists this race to the bottom, where workers are forced to work extremely long hours for pay that doesn't meet their basic needs. This tour is about educating American consumers who shop at Wal-Mart about the high cost behind the low prices." Call 216.961.0003 for info. It's free. - Michael Gill

Friday, April 11

Aaron David Miller on the Middle East

While the Israel-is-always-right hawks often dominate Middle East discussions, soberer observers recognize this attitude can be a roadblock to real progress toward peace. Aaron David Wilson has written The Too Much Promised Land: America's Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace, exploring the complexities involved in balancing the interests of both Israelis and Palestinians who have to live side by side, for better or worse. Wilson, a public-policy scholar at the Wilson International Center who has been advisor to six secretaries of state, is the son of Forest City's Sam Miller and Ruth Ratner Miller, so it's a homecoming when he speaks about his book at the City Club of Cleveland (850 Euclid Ave., 216.621.0082) at noon today. Tickets: $18 members, $30 non-members which includes lunch. Call club for reservations at least 24 hours in advance. - AP

Saturday, April 12

North Union Farmers Market

A sign of impending summer, the North Union Farmers Market at Shaker Square kicks off its outdoor season from 8-noon today with the traditional shearing of the sheep. Then for the 14th year, it will offer locally grown and created products including produce, baked goods, dairy, meats, herbs, garden plants and hanging baskets, toiletries and crafts. Go to northunionfarmersmarket.org for info. - AP

Sunday, April 13

CIM benefit

The Cleveland Institute of Music is one of this area's treasurers, training musicians who go on to be internationally acclaimed while providing a full schedule of free and low-cost events by students and faculty. Those students will show off their talents in various ensembles, playing music ranging from classical to rock 'n' roll at a benefit for the school presented by the CIM Women's Committee. Dubbed From Beethoven to the Beach Boys, it's at Stages at the Cleveland Play House (8500 Euclid Ave.) at 5:30 p.m. It includes cocktails, dinner and a live auction in addition to music. Tickets: $90 and $130. For info and reservations, call 216.791.5000, ext. 360. - AP

Tuesday, April 15

Day in the Circle

Your income taxes are due by midnight. In the pallor of a bottoming-out Ohio economy, this means personal bankruptcy for many. Default. Foreclosure. Cherished hopes for the future now extinct. All your tomorrows, dead. Dead, like an assemblage of dry bones in dusty museum. Extinct? Bones? Museum? Hey, how about a day in University Circle? Wheeeee! As part of its lifelong learning series, the Cleveland Cultural Collaborative will host a senior tour of Wade Oval institutions and meetings with museum-exhibit curators called Dinosaurs, Dragons and Armor, Oh My! Stop at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History first and behold the new triceratops dinosaur acquisition. Then onto the Cleveland Museum of Art for a look at the Arms & Armor From Imperial Austria pageant. The fee is $77; it lasts from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. For info call 216.791.3900 or go to universitycircle.org. - CC

Wednesday, April 16

Research SHOWcase

Worlds will collide! Science and scholar alike are bringing their brand of intrigue to Case Western Reserve's Veale Convocation Center (2128 Adelbert Rd., 216.368.5963). The big ol' brains at CWRU will be holding their Sixth Annual Research SHOWcase. Collaboration, and creativity and innovation abound. This is no ordinary science fair. For your consideration will be the research of 500 undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral students, as well as faculty members, from the schools and colleges at the university. Sponsored in part by the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals, it will be held from 3-5:30 p.m. today and 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. tomorrow. Last year's winners included the Automated Algorithm for Quantifying Fiber Orientation in OCT Images of the Heart and Toll Like Receptors in Fusarium Keratitis. One that was particularly interesting to me was the Biologically Inspired Robot for Lunar Soil Excavation. This, I believe, would eventually apply to my personal dream of Sandwich-Making Robots. - Jara Anton