In an eerie, deceptively placid near-future, a techno-entrepreneur named Karsh (Vincent Cassel) has developed a new software that will allow the bereaved to bear witness to the gradual decay of loved ones dead and buried in the earth. While Karsh is still reeling from the loss of his wife (Diane Kruger) from cancer—and falling into a peculiar sexual relationship with his wife’s sister (also Kruger)—a spate of vandalized graves utilizing his “shroud” technology begins to put his enterprise at risk, leading him to uncover a potentially vast conspiracy.

Written following the death of the director’s wife, the new film from David Cronenberg is both a profoundly personal reckoning with grief and a descent into noir-tinged dystopia, set in an ominous world of self-driving cars, data theft, and A.I. personal assistants. Offering Cronenberg’s customary balance of malevolence and wit, The Shrouds is a sly and thought-provoking consideration of the corporeal and the digital, the mortal and the infinite.

Set in the shadow of the most magical place on Earth, 6-year-old Moonee and her two best friends forge their own adventures, while Moonee's struggling mom and a kindhearted motel manager protect the kids from the harsh reality that surrounds them.

Part of our Filmmaker Focus on Sean Baker.

Mikey Saber -- charismatic con man and washed-up porn star -- plots his return to the big time from small-town Texas in this story of an American hustler and a hometown that barely tolerates him.

Part of our Filmmaker Focus on Sean Baker.

RESISTANCE OF VISION is a touring festival comprising of four programs of social justice themed short films debuting this month in Boston, San Francisco, Wichita and Birmingham.

A select program of 8 shorts will play at the Sidewalk Film Center Thursday May 1:
Feeling the Apocalypse - Resist: The Resistance Revival Chorus - When We Arrive as Flowers - Black Tide - Roll Down The Window - Ancestral Call - Nomads in the City - Local One

Feeling the Apocalypse 7 minutes - (THIS IS AN EMERGENCY)

A psychotherapist struggling with climate anxiety explores what it means to live in a dying world.

Resist: The Resistance Revival Chorus 19 minutes (OUR BODIES, OUR CHOICE)

In the midst of a country divided, a diverse group of women and non-binary individuals unite through the historic power of music to create a movement ignited by song.

When We Arrive as Flowers 5 minutes (OUR BODIES, OUR CHOICE)

When We Arrive as Flowers, follows Diovanna, a New York-based trans Afro-Latinx dancer as she realizes her transfemme identity through a choreographic journey of self-discovery, celebration, and the poetic metaphor of a flower coming into bloom.

Black Tide 14 minutes (THIS IS AN EMERGENCY)

On July 25, 2020, the bulk carrier MV Wakashio ran aground on the reef on the east coast of Mauritius. Twelve days later, oil began to spill, causing the worst ecological disaster ever to occur in the region.

Roll Down The Window 10 minutes- (FIGHT THE POWER)

Filmmaker Lipa Hussain interrogates a neurological condition she has experienced since childhood and the parallels it represents with her own religious and racial struggles. Alice In Wonderland syndrome causes the sensation of shrinking and losing bodily control. The film explores the idea of utilizing AIW to confront an enemy from Lipa’s past.

Ancestral Call 16 minutes (FIGHT THE POWER)

Danielle Scott, a legally blind Black, Polish-Jewish, and Asian mixed-media artist at the cusp of international fame, risks her own well-being by exposing herself to the intergenerational trauma of the Atlantic Slave Trade. She traces her ancestors' lives for a greater purpose: creating art that reveals the wretched pain and intense beauty of the era while guiding her audience through an experiential journey toward healing and hope.

Nomads in the City 14 minutes- (WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?)

Nomads in the City is a short documentary film that gives insight into the Squatter community of modern London. From the perspective of females and queers, we explore how routine movement and evictions affect their day-to-day life, navigating the growing housing crisis and exploring alternative forms of living.

Local One 10 minutes-(WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?)

The Amazon Labor Union made history in 2022 by becoming the first group to successfully unionize an Amazon warehouse in the U.S. Two and a half years later, the company has refused to recognize the union and bargain a contract. To pressure the company to start negotiating, the Amazon Labor Union, now affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, launches a nationwide strike during peak holiday shopping season. From the filmmakers of the Award-winning film Union, Local One takes us into the first days of the strike at two Amazon warehouses in New York City, this time in solidarity with hundreds more workers across the country.

Virtual Ticket Option available here: https://resistanceofvision.eventive.org/schedule/67ef2125989d4cb1267e55e1

Soprano Jasmine Habersham will join the Orchestra from Atlanta as our soloist for the Barber. Ms. Habersham’s soprano has been called “radiant in voice” (Arts ATL), and Earrelevant called her Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto “…vocally luminous (as Gilda).” She will be making her Alabama Symphony debut with May’s performances.
ASO kicks off May 2025 with Entr’acte by Pulitzer Prize and Grammy Award-winning North Carolinian composer Caroline Shaw. Following the Shaw, Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 will transport listeners to a world of childhood wonder and familial warmth, where memories are cherished and time seems to stand still. With its gentle rhythms and tender harmonies, Knoxvillecaptures the essence of a fleeting moment in time.
After Intermission, the ASO will perform Bruckner’s Symphony No. 4 “Romantic.” Composed in the late 19th century, it captures the essence of the Romantic era with its expansive melodies, lush harmonies, and majestic orchestration.
Free benefit with every ticket:

Conductor’s Comments with Maestro Carlos Izcaray!

Conductor’s Comments is a unique opportunity to hear Carlos Izcaray provide insights to better understand and appreciate the selections you will hear and learn about the journey of the Symphony and artists working to make the performance come together. Join us at 6:15pm before the concert in the Reynolds-Kirschbaum Recital Hall (upper level, next to main doors) of the Alys Stephens Center.

Artists
Carlos Izcaray, conductor
Jasmine Habersham, soprano

Program to Include
SHAW Entr’acte
BARBER Knoxville: Summer of 1915
BRUCKNER Symphony No. 4, “Romantic”

City Center Art is Space One Eleven’s afterschool studio art program for students of all skill levels and is designed to build visual communication skills and foster creative thinking. Through individually conceived projects and collaborations, young artists learn the elements of art and principles of design, strengthen foundation skills, and further their understanding of art criticism, art theory, and art history.

Grades 2-3: Tuesday, 4:00pm - 6:00pm

Grades 4-5: Monday, 4:00pm - 6:00pm

Grades 6-8: Wednesday, 4:00pm - 6:00pm

Grades 9-12: Saturday, 10:00am - 1:00pm

Desi Banks

Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster, and their friends from Sesame Street are coming to your neighborhood to say hello! At Sesame Street Live! Say Hello, sing, dance, and play alongside your favorite furry friends, all while you follow Elmo's puppy, Tango, in a fun game of hide & seek. So put on your dancing shoes and make your way to where the air is sweet for this all-new celebration on Sesame Street!