MOVIES: CineVegas’ Chinese connection

  Yet another reminder of the movie medium's universality: the Chinese drama "Still Life," which plays Saturday night at CineVegas' Green Film Series at the Springs Preserve.
  Director Jia Zhang-ke's film recounts the story of two people searching for their spouses in a small village on the Yangtze River, which some claim is slowly being destroyed by the building of the controversial Three Gorges Dam.
  The Nevada connection? Small Nevada towns such as St. Thomas that were submerged by the construction of Hoover Dam — and the creation of Lake Mead. (Now that the water's receding, however, St. Thomas' ghostly remains have re-emerged.)
  Following the 7:30 p.m. screening, local experts will discuss issues raised in the film — and what action audience members can take. Featured speakers include Dennis McBride, former director of the Hoover Dam Museum and current curator of collections and programs at the Nevada State Museum; Dr. Sue Fawn Chung, professor of Chinese history at  the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; and Dr. Ying Bao, professor of Chinese cinema, modern literature, and popular culture at UNLV.
  The screening will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Big Springs Theater at the Springs Preserve. Tickets are $10 each; the $25 "Food and a Flick" package gets you into the movie and a pre-movie dinner at the Springs Preserve Cafe. Call 822-7705 for tickets, or visit  CineVegas' Web site at www.cinevegas.com for more information, including information on the next title in the series: "Manufactured Landscapes" on Feb. 21.