Arts briefs: Tropfest, ‘Tattooed Girls,’ Michael Nigro

Film festival

All-star shorts mark Tropfest anniversary

It all started in a Sydney cafe with one short film - and an audience of 200.

Two decades later, Tropfest has expanded beyond Australia to become the world's largest short film festival - and is marking the occasion with a weekend 20th birthday party at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

"It's a real celebration of the past couple decades," says Tropfest founder John Polson , who notes that "Vegas felt like a perfect venue" for the party. About 3,000 people are expected to attend.

The festivities kick off at 9 tonight at Book & Stage with a welcome party featuring music by Allen Stone. San Diego band Delta Spirit provides the sounds for the 20th birthday bash at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Boulevard Pool.

The pool also provides the backdrop for Tropfest's All-Star Competition at 8 p.m. Sunday, in which 16 previous Tropfest winners will vie for top honors. Rob Corddry hosts; Toni Collette chairs a jury that includes actors Anthony LaPaglia (who was on Tropfest's very first jury panel), Rebel Wilson and Griffin Dunne, screenwriter Charles Randolph ("Love and Other Drugs," "The Interpreter") and Sundance film festival programmer Trevor Groth - who used to run the now-defunct CineVegas film festival.

When Tropfest began 20 years ago, "most people didn't know what short film was," notes Polson, a filmmaker whose credits include features ("Hide and Seek") and television ("The Good Wife" and "The Mentalist").

But the switch to digital filmmaking, he says, has made short films a more viable proposition for filmmakers and audiences alike.

Sunday's all-star competition includes the man-vs.-dog short "Wilfred," which inspired the Elijah Wood TV series of the same name.

"You might not love 'em all," Polson says of the festival's all-star lineup, "but if you don't like three or four, you just don't like movies."

General admission to Tropfest is free, but reservations are recommended. (Click on tropfestlasvegas.com to reserve tickets.) VIP packages and tickets also are available; for more information, call 698-7778 or go online to cosmopolitanlasvegas.com.

Music

Guitarist Michael Nigro leads musical tour

We may be in Southern Nevada, but classical guitarist Michael Nigro will take local audiences on "A Journey Through Latin America" at two free library concerts this weekend.

Featuring compositions from Venezuela's Antonio Lauro, Brazil's Heitor Villa-Lobos, Cuba's Leo Brouwer and Argentina's Jose Luis Merlin and Jorge Cardoso, the concerts spotlight Nigro's commentary as well as his musical talents, which have taken him to 26 states. According to the American Record Guide, "Nigro has a big sound, a smooth tone and sure-footed interpretive instincts."

The guitarist will perform at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road, and at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Summerlin Library, 1771 Inner Circle Drive.

Both concerts are free; for more information, call 507-3459 or go to the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District's website at lvccld.org.

Art

'Tatooed Girls' makes First Friday debut

Artist Nora Martin Hall has two inspirations: the early 20th-century art deco and futurist movements, and her education in tattooing.

The Los Angeles-based artist combines the disparate influences in "Tattooed Girls Are Easy," a new exhibit of portraits - and arms - at downtown's 303 North Studio. Using symbolism and references to icons of the past, Hall finds parallels between past and modern ideals in such works as "Diamonds" and "Sungold."

Located in the Arts Factory at 107 E. Charleston Blvd., 303 North Studio will be open from 6 to 11 tonight for First Friday event. But if you can't make it to the exhibit tonight, never fear; you can check out "Tattooed Girls Are Easy" by appointment, through July 1; call 742-6241 for more information or to schedule a viewing.

- Carol Cling