Irish folk: A hot new trio of traditional Irish folk veterans, Chulrua, makes its Cincinnati debut today at Grammer's (Walnut and Liberty streets, downtown). Admission is $15, music starts at 8 p.m. (281-9195).

        Wine and Cheese with Paavo: Joseph-Beth Booksellers and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra will host a free wine and cheese reception for the CSO's new music director, Paavo Jarvi, 6-8 p.m. next Thursday at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Norwood. Word is, Mr. Jarvi will also be signing CDs. Reservations are limited. 621-1919.

        Film school: The Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky Film Commission is bringing back Dov S-S Simens and his Hollywood Film Institute Two-Day Film School Sept. 29 and 30 at Northern Kentucky University.

        The intensive crash course in the basics of moviemaking compresses information on planning, casting, directing, funding and marketing an independent feature into two nine-hour days. Over the decade Mr. Simens has traveled the world with his program, heclaims thousands of students, including directors Kirk Jones (Waking Ned Devine), Guy Ritchie (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) and Chris Nolan (Memento).

        Mr. Simens, who bills his business as a alternative to academic training, presented the program in Cincinnati in 1998 and 1999.

        The current program emphasizes the use of low-cost, high-tech digital equipment, film commission spokeswoman Kristen Erwin said.

        The course costs $299; film commission members receive a 20 percent discount. Places are limited, and pre-registration is required. To enroll, call 784-1744.

        Stepping In: Cincinnati Opera artistic director Nicholas Muni is stepping in to take over classes and direct an opera for Malcolm Fraser at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Mr. Fraser, department chair and holder of the J. Ralph Corbett Distinguished Chair in Opera, will be on medical leave for the 2001-02 academic year, CCM announced this week. Mr. Muni will conduct master classes and direct CCM's mainstage opera production, The Crucible (by Robert Ward and Bernard Stambler, after the Arthur Miller play) in February. During spring quarter, Sandra Bernhart will direct the premiere of The Memory Game by Cincinnati's Joel Hoffman.

        Festival entries: Filmmaker Scott Barlow was pleased his short digital-video comedy Crazy Like the Taz was accepted for exhibition at two California film festivals this weekend, Big Bear Lake and Temecula.

        There was a bigger surprise coming when the director of the Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival discovered that Mr. Barlow also had a feature film, The Last Late Night (www.lastlatenight.com), an adult comedy filmed in the Cincinnati area.

        She was so impressed with the awards and reviews it has garnered on the festival circuit that she decided to add it to the Temecula lineup.

        For details on the festival schedules, visit www.tviff.com and www.bigbearlakefilmfestival.com.

        • Divided We Fall

        • Fantasia

        • The Glass House

        • Hardball

        • Into the Deep

        • The Road Home

Coming Friday in Weekend

        Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati celebrates its 25th year, and the Firstar Imax Theater opens at Newport on the Levee.

Braids hair to stay
Imagination inspires composer's work for CSO
Artist finds creativity in tornadoes' power
Dylan celebrates 60 with a rockin' good time
In face of tragedy, the shows will go on
Ultimate scene stealer
The Early Word
Top 10s
Get to it