SCREENING ROOM

Want to see some films from women on the verge of bigger things? The American Film Institute’s Directing Workshop for Women presents eight new movies from the graduating class of 2007 on Monday at the Harmony Gold Theatre in L.A. One of the selections, “The Winged Man,” directed by Marya Mazor, was chosen to screen at Cannes. . . . Where were you in ‘73? If you’re of a certain age, probably at the local theater checking out George Lucas’ classic “American Graffiti,” starring Cindy Williams and Ron Howard (pictured), Richard Dreyfuss and Harrison Ford. AFI at the ArcLight presents the nostalgic coming-of-age film, set in 1962, on Monday at the ArcLight Sherman Oaks (afi.com). . . . You can find out how four of today’s top animators drew from the experiences of a previous generation when they discuss their mentors at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 12th Marc Davis Celebration of Animation at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater on Friday. In attendance: James Baxter, the supervising animator for Belle in “Beauty and the Beast”; Andreas Deja, who brought the evil Scar to life in “The Lion King”; Pixar’s Pete Docter, who received an Oscar nomination for “Monsters, Inc.”; and Eric Goldberg, the character animator for Genie in “Aladdin” (oscars.org). . . . At age 95, organist Bob Mitchell is still going strong, providing musical accompaniment at the Silent Movie Theatre. It pays tribute to him on Wednesdays this month with Bob Mitchell’s Favorite Westerns. On tap this week is the 1926 Tom Mix western “The Great K&A; Train Robbery.” . . . Every Saturday afternoon at the theater, the Femme Fatale Hall of Fame looks at some of the greatest film noir divas. This Saturday, Yvonne De Carlo joins Burt Lancaster in Robert Siodmak’s 1949 romantic thriller “Criss Cross,” which also marks the film debut of Tony Curtis (silentmovietheatre.com). . . . And the New Beverly Cinema continues its 30th birthday celebration Friday and Saturday with a double feature of two classic MGM sci-fi films, 1956’s “Forbidden Planet” and 1960’s “The Time Machine,” with Rod Taylor and a pre-”Mr. Ed” Alan Young (newbevcinema.com).

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-- Susan.King@latimes.com