It's in Queens! Events from January 2nd to January 8th

It’s cold, and people are recovering from the hyper-social holiday season. Things are quieter than normal in Queens, but there are some great upcoming (and indoors) entertainment options, such as a jazz jam, Middle Eastern music, a Three Kings reenactment, fascinating documentaries and classic movies. Here’s the rundown, broken down into arts, education, and musical events.

ARTS
Jan. 3, The Lost Magic of the Shanghai Art Studios, 5 pm to 8 pm. The Noguchi Museum screens a documentary on the Shanghai Animation Studio, which was effectively halted by the Cultural Revolution in 1965. Admission is free on the first Friday of the month as part of “First Fridays,” a program that includes a guided discussion on a single work of art on view. NM, 9-01 33rd Rd., LIC, www.noguchi.org.

Jan. 3, The Grandmaster, 7 pm. Over three days, the Museum of the Moving Image presents six movies selected for its 2013 Curators’ Choice series. The Grandmaster follows the life of Bruce Lee’s mentor, Ip Man, through moments of major historical upheaval in China. MMI, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria, www.movingimage.us.

Jan. 4, Viola, 2 pm; Museum Hours, 3:30 pm. As part of the Museum of the Moving Image’s 2013 Curators’ Choice series, Argentine filmmaker Matías Piñeiro will participate in a Q&A via live video call following the screening of Viola, which tells the story of young actresses in an all-female production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Director Jen Cohen will appear in person for Museum Hours, which is about a Vienna museum guard who befriends an enigmatic visitor. MMI, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria, www.movingimage.us.

Jan. 5, Computer Chess, 2 pm; Leviathan, 5 pm; A Touch of Sin, 7 pm. The Museum of the Moving Image finishes its 2013 Curators’ Choice series with director Andrew Bujalski participating via live video call after a screening of Computer Chess, which depicts a group of chess software programmers who meet in a seedy motel for a weekend gaming tournament. Leviathan is a documentary set aboard a fishing vessel as it navigates the treacherous waves off New England, the waters that inspired Herman Melville to write Moby Dick. A Touch of Sin features vignettes dramatizing injustices experienced by the nation’s underprivileged workers (i.e. a mineworker confronts the apathy of his local politicians). MMI, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria, www.movingimage.us.

EDUCATION
Jan. 3, Networking and Socializing, 6 pm. The Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning offers “First Fridays,” events for professionals to meet in a comfortable setting with music, refreshments and art. $5 with business card/$10 without. JCAL, 161-04 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica, www.jcal.org.

MUSIC
Jan. 4, Three Kings Celebration, 2 pm. The Latin American Cultural Center of Queens, guitarist David Galvez and violinist Romulo Benavides host a re-enactment of the Three Kings, who followed a star to a Bethlehem manger to see the newborn Jesus. They brought gifts symbolizing compassion, adoration and mortification. Free. Arrow Community Center, 35-30 35th St., Astoria, 718-261-7664.

Jan. 5, Middle Eastern Music and Dance, 3 pm. The Sunday Concerts @ Central Series returns with Waleed Albakry performing classic and modern Middle Eastern music with the belly dancer Jordan. Free. Queens Central Library, 89-11 Merrick Blvd., Jamaica, www.queenslibrary.org.

Jan. 8, Monthly Jazz Clinic & Jam, 5 pm to 10 pm. At 5 pm, individuals can learn more about jazz and play with the Queens Jazz OverGround. At 7 pm, musicians are invited to jam with QJOG and anybody else who shows up. $10 for spectators, free from performers and students. Flushing Town Hall, Flushing, 137-35 Northern Blvd., www.flushingtownhall.org.

The “It’s In Queens” column is produced by the Queens Tourism Council with the hope that readers will enjoy the borough’s wonderful attractions. More info at www.itsinqueens.com.