The Story of Qiu Ju: Zhang Yimou’s...

The Story of Qiu Ju: Zhang Yimou’s 1992 Chinese film focuses on a farm woman who is determined to gain an apology from a village chief after he beats up her husband. PG.

* Screens today at 7 p.m. at Chapman University’s Argyros Forum, Room 208, 333 N. Glassell St., Orange. Free. (714) 997-6765.

Floating Clouds: Mikio Naruse’s obscure 1955 film is set in post-World War II Japan and centers on a young woman who is betrayed by her married lover. NR.

* Screens Friday at 7 and 9 p.m. at UC Irvine’s Student Center Crystal Cove Auditorium near the corner of Bridge Road and Pereira Drive. $2-$4. (714) 824-5588.

Before the Rain: Saddleback College’s foreign film series concludes with this 1994 release examining recent strife in Yugoslavia through the eyes of a photojournalist and the woman with whom he’s involved. NR.

* Screens Friday at 7 p.m at Saddleback College’s Science/Math building, room 313, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo. Free. (714) 582-4788.

It Started With Eve: In this 1941 comedy, Deanna Durbin stars as a woman who pretends she’s getting married to please her dying father, played by Charles Laughton. NR.

* Screens Friday at 12:45 p.m. at the Cypress Senior Citizen Center, 9031 Grindlay St. Free. (714) 229-6776.

The Avantgarde and Animated: Six unusual short films, all animated. They include Jane Aaron’s “Traveling Light,” which is composed of scenes using torn pieces of paper, and “Mothlight,” Stan Brackhage’s short that incorporates moth bodies and other natural elements on screen. NR.

* Screens Tuesday at 7 p.m. as part of the Chapman Film Classics series at Chapman University’s Argyros Forum, Room 208. Free. (714) 744-7018.