UCLA PRESENTS THE BEST in arts and culture, community events, sports and entertainment. From film screenings to art exhibits, explore the unique and interesting experiences November has to offer. For more UCLA events, visit community.ucla.edu.
NOVEMBER 1–NOVEMBER 5
Voters in Los Angeles County can cast their ballot in person at participating vote centers this election season — and there are plenty of locations in and around UCLA for you to do it. Vote centers provide modern features that make voting secure, easy and convenient. They also have vote-by-mail drop boxes, so you don’t need to wait — you can just drop off your finished ballot. UCLA has three vote centers on campus: Ackerman Union, on the second floor in the Bruin Reception Room; in the Hammer Museum at UCLA’s Bay-Nimoy Studio; and in De Neve Plaza, in Rooms A and B. The De Neve vote center is open now, while the Hammer and Ackerman vote centers on the UCLA campus will be open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day beginning November 2. November 5 will have longer hours, with all locations open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information on voting in Los Angeles and at UCLA, click here.
NOVEMBER 1–17
A Film Series for You: Celebrating Giant Robot’s 30th Anniversary
Eric Nakamura ’93 and Martin Wong ’90 didn’t think that their shared love of punk music, Asian pop culture and indie print magazines would net anything big, but they named their magazine Giant Robot anyway. Giant Robot began on UCLA’s campus in 1994, when Nakamura and Wong started writing about stuff they liked — art, music, film, food, technology, toys, skateboarding, alternative culture. After writing about sumo wrestling, Hello Kitty, Pizzicato Five and Southern California’s widespread Cambodian-run doughnut shops, Giant Robot amassed a like-minded readership that appreciated the cool before it was ever really cool.
To celebrate 30 years of Giant Robot, the UCLA Film & Television Archive presents a Film Series for You at the Hammer Museum’s Billy Wilder Theater. The series begins on November 1 with a screening of PBS SoCal’s Emmy Award–winning episode “Giant Robot: Asian Pop Culture and Beyond” from their “Artbound” series. The episode will be paired with a screening of comedy-drama Chungking Express (1994), Wong Kar-wai’s 1994 Hong Kong New Wave masterpiece that inspired Nakamura and Wong to create Giant Robot. The rest of the series takes place on November 2, 7, 8, 10, 16 and 17. As always, no tickets or reservations are required; simply show up to the theater and enjoy.
NOVEMBER 6–DECEMBER 15
The Geffen Playhouse couldn’t just bring Samuel Beckett’s classic tragicomedy play back to the stage this fall — they had to add a star-studded cast, too. Waiting for Godot characters Vladimir and Estragon, and their endless wait for the elusive Godot’s arrival, have captivated audiences for decades and changed the course of contemporary drama. As Vladimir and Estragon wait, they have a number of encounters and conversations, discussing both nothing and everything in an ever-layered, timeless conversation. The cast features Conor Lovett, a globally renowned Beckett phenom; Aasif Mandvi, a jack-of-all-trades performer and 11-year correspondent on The Daily Show; and the always hilarious Rainn Wilson, a three-time Emmy nominee known for his antics on The Office. Purchase your tickets here and check the schedule for accessible show days (like an ASL-interpreted show on December 1) and for Talkback show days, where audiences can have deeper discussions about the play with the actors and Geffen artistic staff (November 20, December 4 and December 11).
NOVEMBER 10–MARCH 30
Taming the Desert: Resilience, Religion and Ancestors in Ancient Peru
Fantastic creatures, powerful ancestors and mythological beings — just another exhibition at the Fowler, of course. Taming the Desert features 34 Moche and Nasca ceramics and textiles from the collections of LACMA and the Fowler Museum at UCLA. This exhibition illustrates the meteoric rise of ancient Andean societies, and how they looked for spiritual and numinous meaning in a challenging world. Despite the harsh and unforgiving conditions of the Peruvian desert coast, these growing societies used religion and ritual to develop early urbanism, dense settlements, extensive trade networks, large-scale irrigation, agriculture and craft technologies.
Come by the Fowler to see these rare, pre-Hispanic modes of artistic expression; no reservation or purchase necessary. Interested in learning even more about the exhibition? Come to the Fowler Museum’s special event, Wine with the Curator, where exhibition curator, anthropological archaeologist and postdoctoral scientist Luis Muro will walk you through the intricacies of Taming the Desert and its depictions. RSVP to join Muro on November 10, the day of the exhibition’s opening, at 6 p.m.
NOVEMBER 12 | 7:30 P.M.
Get stoked! The Hammer Museum is bringing another free program as part of its Breath(e) series, exploring climate and social justice around the world and in our own backyard. In the Impact Zone starts with a simple — and tubular — fact: more than 75% of the world’s best surfing waves break over highly biodiverse ecosystems. But unsustainable development, habitat destruction, pollution and climate change threaten the coral reefs, coastal forests and mangroves that create the world’s best waves. Breath(e) artist Michael Joo — known for combining scientific language, perception and physical structure in cross-disciplinary art — joins forces with Scott Atkinson, founder of Conservation International’s Surf Conservation program, Chad Nelson, CEO of Surfrider Foundation, and Breath(e) co-curator Glenn Kaino. Together, the panel will foster a discussion about how the surf community’s deep connection with the ocean is essential to developing new approaches to ocean — and surf — conservation. Like all Breath(e) programs, this event is free, with no reservation required.
NOVEMBER 15–16
Fear, power, identity, freedom, loss and love — how do you begin to explain the complicated relationship between Americans and guns? The UCLA Center for the Art of Performance presents Arms Around America, a constellation of short plays based on real families whose lives have been shaped by firearms. Drawing on true narratives from South Florida, Montana and Southern California, Arms Around America stages the plays as a radio theater troupe’s live broadcast rather than as a traditional play. Conceptualized by Dan Froot & Company and accompanied by sound effects artists and a live band, Arms Around America rallies dozens of voices together to foster dialogue about the role of guns in the U.S. See the show at the UCLA Nimoy Theater on Friday, November 15, or Saturday, November 16.
NOVEMBER 23–24
Transfigurations: A Weekend With David Lebrun
The UCLA Film & Television Archive presents another fantastic program, this time spanning six decades and over 100 films from UCLA alumnus David Lebrun. Famous for his multidisciplinary approach merging animation, documentary and experimental filmmaking, Lebrun’s films are specific, interconnected and inquisitive. In a single weekend, the archive will host a premiere of the Academy Film Archive’s new restoration of Sanctus (1966), where Lebrun will walk audience members through his unique production technique. The archive will also be showing a special selection of works for his latest museum installation Transfigurations, a project using digital animation to explore the evolution of Middle Age art forms. No reservation required.
NOVEMBER 4 | 7:30 P.M.
Pauley Pavilion missed you! It’s time to return for the first UCLA men’s basketball game of the year. Dust off your blue-and-gold gear for the start of the regular season as the No. 22–ranked Bruins take on the Rider University Broncs. Get your tickets here, and get ready for another thrilling season at Pauley.
NOVEMBER 8 | 6 P.M.
What’s better than seeing the Bruins at the Rose Bowl? Bringing your family to join, of course. Bruin Family Weekend is finally here; celebrate it with this Big Ten matchup against the University of Iowa Hawkeyes. Whether you have a current Bruin enrolled or whether your undergrad days are (ever so slightly) in the past, UCLA has a great day planned. BruinFest kicks off at 1:30 p.m. and, as always, will be chock-full of performances from groups like the Bruin Dance team, UCLA Bruinettes, the UCLA Bruin Marching Band and more. Get your tickets here.
NOVEMBER 10 | 2 P.M.
Women’s Basketball vs. Colgate
It’s the home opener for UCLA women’s hoops, right in Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins have been consistently ranked in the top 5 NCAA teams in preseason polls. Celebrate our awesome student-athletes as they battle against the Colgate Raiders, and get ready for another stellar season of Bruins women’s basketball. Tickets available here.
NOVEMBER 16 | 1 P.M.
The rivals you love to loathe. Right on campus. For free. UCLA men’s water polo takes on the University of Southern California Trojans at Spieker Aquatics Center in one of the most competitive matches of the season. Both teams have occupied the No. 1 and No. 2 national rankings all season, but now it’s time for the Bruins to decisively take charge in their last regular season match. Don’t miss another Trojan smackdown (did we mention it’s completely free?) and make a splash with your support.
NOVEMBER 23 | TBA
You wait all year for this. Now it’s time to Blue Out the Rose Bowl and beat the Trojans. As always, the Rose Bowl has plenty of activities for you prior to the game; come 4 1/2 hours prior to kickoff to play fun games, eat great food, see live performances and meet fellow Bruin fanatics at BruinFest in the Area H Fan Zone. Get your tickets here to see one of the best rivalries in college football.
THROUGH NOVEMBER
Celebrate game day at Bruin Bash, the official pregame party for UCLA Alumni before all UCLA sporting events! UCLA Bruin Bash events are designed for alumni, fans and friends to gather and celebrate the Bruin spirit before entering the Rose Bowl. Bruin Bash is family-friendly, nostalgic and exciting for all ages. From first-time Bruin fans to life-long supporters, everyone is welcome to the Bruin Bash before each game. Sign up for a fun way to beat the traffic by arriving early and enjoying a pregame meal!
THROUGH NOVEMBER
Don't miss the fun of UCLA watch parties. Connect with other Bruin faithful at bars, restaurants and other locations featuring watch parties for Bruin games and sports events. Visit the Bruin watch party page to find a gathering near you and come root for your favorite team along with other Bruin fans.
NOVEMBER 20 | 5:30 P.M.
The Beat ’SC Rally, one of the largest outdoor gatherings on campus, embodies the tremendous spirit and loyalty of UCLA students, fans and alumni. Come cheer our Bruins onto victory against the Trojans this year at a raucous rally on campus at Wilson Plaza.
NOVEMBER 29 | 1:30 P.M.
Alumni Association Appreciation Day: Women’s Volleyball vs. Oregon
UCLA Athletics and the UCLA Alumni Association are proud to invite all alumni to this Alumni Association Appreciation Day. Visit the ticket window at Pauley Pavilion and receive four free admissions to women’s volleyball vs. Oregon (time TBA). A quick note: Alumni must bring their UCLA Alumni Association member ID for entry.
