The widow of actor Steve McQueen is visiting Tacoma Saturday to herald photographs of the acting legend.

Barbara McQueen will sign copies of her book, “Steve McQueen: The Last Mile,” and show photographs at Miki Spa Salon on Tacoma’s Ruston Way.

Long time friend Miki Keogh, who owns the salon-spa, invited McQueen to Tacoma. In addition to the book signing there will be entertainment and a McQueen-themed car and Harley-Davidson exhibit.

McQueen said she wanted the event to be more than just a book signing.

“I like rock 'n' roll music, classic cars and a fun atmosphere. I like meeting people, conversing with them and getting to know them personally,” McQueen said.

McQueen’s book features photographs she made of "The King of Cool" from the time the pair met in 1977 through 1980 when the actor died at age 50 from cancer. Photographs include moments from his personal life (which involved driving trucks, flying planes and riding motorcycles) as well as McQueen on the sets of his last two films, “Tom Horn” and “The Hunter.”

Barbara McQueen, a former model, met Keogh in Tacoma shortly after Steve McQueen died. Keogh said she became Barbara McQueen’s stylist and traveled to photo shoots to style McQueen’s hair while she was still modeling.

Admission to the event is free.

What: “Steve McQueen: The Last Mile,” book and photographs by Barbara McQueen

Where: Miki Spa Salon, 3102 Ruston Way, Tacoma (across from C.I. Shenanigan's)

When: 2-6 p.m. Saturday

More info: 253-752-5299; www.mikispasalon.com

For the fourth year, The Grand Cinema is holding its Tacoma Film Festival: one week of arthouse, indie, foreign and (especially) Northwest-made film. And once again, local artists get the chance to design the poster, which will be displayed all over the city. Last year's entries ranged from an Earth goddess with a camera to a black-and-white of the SR509 bridge to a Terry Gilliam-esque Tacoma in the sky.

You can see the full list at www.thenewstribune.com/944/story/442829.html

So here's the deal for this year's competition. Deadline is July 20. All entries will be displayed at The Grand, and will receive four movie passes. The winner will receive $350, two festival passes, a joint member to The Grand, and a lot of fame and glory.

The design needs to include this information:
2009 Tacoma Film Festival
October 1-8, 2009
www.TacomaFilmFestival.com
Plus space at the bottom for at least 10 sponsor logos

Please send entries via an electronic format (pdf, jpeg, etc.) to rachel@grandcinema.com that can be reproduced into 11x17 posters. Or you can mail a finished 11x17 printed poster via mail (or drop it off) at 606 S. Fawcett St., Tacoma.

For more information contact Rachel Marecle, Community Development Director at 253-572-6062.

PLUS: There's still time to get in an actual film entry. Deadline is June 30. See www.grandcinema.com/page.php?id=43 for details.

"Freeing Silvia Baraldini," a documentary about an 1980s political activist showing at the Seattle True Independent Film Festival Friday and in Olympia June 18, was made by former Gig Harbor and Olympia resident Lisa Thomas.

Thomas grew up in Gig Harbor (1990 graduate of Gig Harbor High School) and attended The Evergreen State College in Olympia where she was a member of the Olympia Film Society.

So who is Silvia Baraldini? According to Thomas and co-filmmaker Margo Pelletier:

Silvia Baraldini, anti-war, anti-racist activist was sentenced to 43 years in prison in 1982 in part for her participation in freeing Black Panther, Assata Shakur from prison. “Freeing Silvia Baraldini” revisits the decisive events, political and personal that forged the young Italian immigrant into an American radical. In the 1980’s when hundreds of politically minded people folded back into the comforts of American society, Silvia deepened her commitment to revolutionary struggle. She became the National leader of the May 19th Communist Organization.

The filmmakers, both based in New York state, spent eight years making the movie. Pelletier, director of the movie, said she came to New York in 1979 to be an artist. But, exposed to the social conditions and radical elements of New York City, she also became an activist.

A turning point came during a demonstration in 1981 against apartheid at a New York City airport. "It went kind of badly. Several of us went to prison," Pelletier said. She was convicted of criminal trespassing and resisting arrest. She served six months on Rikers Island.

Pelletier says she chose Baraldini as the subject for her first film because the Italian activist "could not tolerate injustice." Baraldini was eventually released from prison and now lives in Italy.

For Thomas, the motivation was to preserve history. She wanted to document the politics before they were lost.

"The more I started to look into it the more I thought, 'This story has to get out'," Thomas said.

The documentary will show Friday in Seattle at 7:20 p.m. at the Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave. and at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 18 at the Olympia Film Society, 206 5th Ave. SE in Olympia.

Performing during the 26th season are: Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt, Gaelic Storm, Seattle Men’s and Women’s Chorus and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

Other appearances include Public Radio International's Ira Glass, the Smothers Brothers, Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble and Soul Street Dance Co.

Theater includes "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "The Salvation of Iggy Scrooge"- both in partnership with Theatre Northwest - and the return of "Defending the Caveman."

The company that produced "Altar Boys" is bringing "Cabaret" to BCPA April 16, 2010. The cool thing about this performance is that BCPA is transforming their newest rehearsal hall into the Kitkat Club for a post-peformance reception.