The proliferation of cheap video cameras has transformed a once costly and esoteric medium into an affordable, cutting-edge creative outlet. In 1992, the National Poetry Video Festival first showcased work that synthesized the two forms, and though the Guild Complex has moved its fest into fancier digs at the Museum of Contemporary Art, the fest hasn’t forsaken its street-level roots. Friday’s program is a selection of shorts that includes archival clips from San Francisco’s 21-year old Cin(E)-Poetry Fest, followed by a performance by local fave Cheryl Trykv. Saturday’s lineup features the premiere of “SlamNation,” a feature-length documentary on the National Poetry Slam. Excerpts from “Slam,” a gritty drama about one man’s salvation through street poetry, will be shown both nights, and its stars Saul Williams and Sonja Sohn will also speak. Shows start at 8 p.m. at the MCA Theater, 220 E. Chicago Ave. Call 312-397-4010 or 773-296-1268.
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