SCREENING
Head to I.V. Theater tonight at 7 to see the SoCal premiere of “Sleeping Nights Awake,” a documentary film about one of the best bands EVER (subjectively speaking, of course), Sonic Youth. The film’s director, UCSB alum Michael Albright, will be on hand for a Q&A session following the screening. Tickets are $4 for everyone.

FILM FEST
The SB Human Rights Film Festival runs from May 27-29. Programming includes a plethora of highly regarded films from around the globe, including some of last year’s finest: “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days” plays on May 27 at 7 p.m., and “Persepolis” screens on May 29 at 7 p.m. Passes are $16 for students and $20 for the public. Head to the Arts & Lectures Web site for more information.

LIVE MUSIC
Psychedelic rock outfit Dead Meadow stops by Muddy Waters Café on May 27 as part of its North American tour promoting its latest album, Old Growth. The Matador Records three-piece band has been together since 1998 and has five albums under its belt. Tickets are $8 at the door, and the show is 18+.

DVD
Those cinephiles at Criterion release “The Thief of Baghdad” (1940) on DVD on Tuesday. Director Alexander Korda’s vivid, Arabian Nights-inspired fantasy looks better than ever, and this edition includes a trove of extras, including commentary tracks by Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola. For more info, check out Criterion’s Web Site.

ART EXHIBITION
Don’t miss the UCSB Masters of Fine Arts Exhibition currently open at the University Art Museum. The exhibition features work by Wiley Wallace, Kirsten Pisto, Alana Carso, Joe Reihsen, Danielle Hatch, William Fenn, Anna Knos and Alexios Monopolis. The museum is open from Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.