Get Famous, Get Fit, and Meet the Band That Fled Iran

Heading into the final stretch of the semester can make you feel a bit stir-crazy. This weekend, put down the books for a minute and try out some cheap, or free, activities — on campus and in greater Boston as well. Not sure where to find them? Don’t fret; BU Today has your weekend planned.

Tonight: With all the movie stars in town, you might feel tempted to track down Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway, but try out some homegrown, soon-to-be famous films instead at the Campus Movie Fest, billed as the world’s largest student film festival, showcasing all-BU talent. The films will be shown at a free open screening at 7 p.m. in the LAW Auditorium, 765 Commonwealth Ave. If you want to watch a live performance, check out the College of Fine Arts Faculty Recital: Long Night, with all performances by school of music faculty members. The concert starts at 8 p.m. at the CFA Concert Hall, 855 Commonwealth Ave. Admission is free.

Saturday: Seeking fame and fortune? A casting call for the science fiction feature film Surrogates begins at the GSU’s Metcalf Hall at 10 a.m. — producers are looking for men and women, age 18 to 30.

If you’re looking to get fit in time for spring, start the day with a road race around Cambridge’s Fresh Pond at 10 a.m. Challenge yourself with a timed 2.5-mile loop or two. Held every week regardless of snow, sleet, or holidays, this is more of a training run than a race and it’s free. 250 Fresh Pond Pkwy, Cambridge.

For afternoon entertainment, there’s Dance Theatre Group’s spring dance concert, VISIONS 2008. The production showcases a wide variety of works by student, alumni, and faculty choreographers and dancers. Catch one of two shows, at 4 p.m. or 8 p.m., at the Fitness and Recreation Center’s Dance Theatre, 915 Commonwealth Ave. (enter via Buick Street). Admission is $5 for BU students, faculty, and staff, $10 for the general public.

Saturday night offers music from all sorts of BU talent. If a cappella is your speed, you’re in luck: the all-female group Aural Fixation’s spring concert is at 7 p.m. at the Photonics Center, 8 St. Mary’s St., Room 206. Admission is $7. Looking for rock ’n’ roll? Local band Hallelujah the Hills celebrates the release of its new EP, Prepare to Qualify, by playing two Saturday shows down the street at Great Scott. At 3 p.m., DJ Michael Savant and the BU band You Could Be a Wesley open; at 9 p.m. you can catch another BU band, Pretty & Nice, along with Ho-Ag, Thunderhole, and DJ Mark Pearson. Great Scott is at 1222 Commonwealth Ave., Allston; call 617-734-4502 for details.

Sunday: If you’re a fan of comics — or just want to get in on the graphic novel trend — don’t miss the Boston Comic Book Spectacular, held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel, 200 Stuart St., Boston. There will be 130 tables of books, art, and toys, along with a media room showcasing CDs, records, and DVDs. Admission is $6; for more information, call 978-462-2788 or click here.

This weekend’s can’t-miss event is the band Hypernova, playing at BU Central on Sunday night. The indie-rock band from Tehran recorded their debut album in secret, since Western music is prohibited in their home country. After several failed attempts to get visas, they’ve started touring with their Strokes- and Arctic Monkeys-influenced indie rock. The band will participate in a Q&A and play at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Kimberly Cornuelle can be reached at kcornuel@bu.edu.