Award-winning Czech film comes to Vashon Theatre

An animated Czech film that won best animated feature film at the 2012 European Film Awards will be shown at Vashon Theatre Friday night, part of the First Friday Gallery Cruise.

Set in the late 1980s, “Alois Nebel” tells the story of a train dispatcher at a small railway station in a mountainous region on the Czechoslovak border who begins to hallucinate about the region’s dark past after World War II. Based on a graphic novel by Jaroslav Rudiš, the black-and-white film explores the expulsion of Germans after the war, a tragic and little-explored chapter of Czech history.

The film, brought to the island by the Vashon Film Society, begins at 9:15 p.m.

Seven-piece band to fill the Bike

The Highlife, a seven-piece Seattle band that combines elements of reggae, jazz and Caribbean music, will play at the Red Bike at 9 p.m. Saturday.

The band, which includes a trumpet and trombone with guitar, percussion and vocals, creates a full-bodied sound with poetic lyrics and funky beats, according to organizers of the event. It’s played on Vashon several times over the years and tours throughout the region. The show is free and all ages until 11 p.m., then 21 and older after that.

Redeker, Ingalls team up again

Brush Notes II, an improvisational event combining the artistic talents of Pam Ingalls and the musical talents of Daryl Redeker, will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, at Open Space for Arts & Community. Ingalls and Redeker brought the first Brush Notes to Open Space in June 2011. This time around, Ingalls will paint a portrait of an audience member while Redeker writes a song about the person. Tickets, $10 per person, are available at the Vashon Bookshop and www.brownpapertickets.com.