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In 2004, a group of Minneapolis punks combined their passion for feminism and aptitude for brilliant acronyms to organize the inaugural C.L.I.T. Fest (“Combatting Latent Inequality Together”). Through live performances and hands-on workshops, the festival aimed to celebrate women’s contributions to punk and DIY culture and to start conversations about sexism, homophobia, and transphobia within the scene. As C.L.I.T. Fest has traveled throughout the country over the past seven summers, it’s grown into a venerable DIY institution. This year marks its first stop in D.C., and all proceeds will go toward the D.C. non-profit organization H.I.P.S. (Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive). C.L.I.T. Fest’s main attraction is still the music: More than 20 bands will be performing over its three-night run, including Philly punk titans Trophy Wife, noise-poppers Shellshag, and local acts The Ambulars and Hot Mess. But attendees can also listen to a panel on combating dominant masculinity, learn how to screenprint, work on a zine, or if it all gets to be too much of a sensory overload, unwind at the knitting and crocheting workshop. (Lindsay Zoladz) C.L.I.T. Fest takes place tonight and Saturday at 6 p.m. at St. Stephen’s Church, 1525 Newton St. NW, and Sunday at 3 p.m. at Black Cat Backstage, 1811 14th St. NW. $10 per show, $25 for a festival pass. clitfestdc.tumblr.com.
MUSIC
The young, sophisticated jazz mezzo Lena Seikaly performs with her quartet at the Empress Lounge. Catch her tonight if you missed her last night at Jazz on Jackson Place. 8 p.m. Free.
It’s an all-local show at Red Palace tonight: Pop band Dance for the Dying plays an EP release show alongside Loose Lips and Hiding Places. 9:30 p.m. $8.
FILM
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff opens tonight at West End Cinema. In her City Paper review, Tricia Olszewski says it “isn’t so much a biography as a valentine to the visual artistry of film.” Stunning visuals and Cardiff’s own modesty make this “a biography that never buckles under excessive fawning.”
The 16th annual Made in Hong Kong Film Festival starts tonight at the Freer Gallery. The kickoff film is Bodyguards and Assassins, Teddy Chen’s martial arts flick set in 1905 Hong Kong. Action hero Donnie Yen stars. It also features an HOUR-LONG battle scene. 7 p.m. Free.
COMEDY
Full disclosure: A couple City Paper folks are involved in tonight’s edition of You, Me, Them, Everybody Live! at Wonderland. The talk show/comedy night is hosted by Arts Desk contributor Brandon Wetherbee, and WCP employee Keli Anaya is tonight’s special guest. But there will also be stand-up by Tyler Richardson, a live performance by The Dustys, and more music from Ian Walters and Nathan Jurgenson. 7:30 p.m. Free, donations accepted. 21+.
FOR THOSE WHO DON’T TAKE DANCE MUSIC TOO SERIOUSLY
Thugfucker DJs Red Fridays at U Street Music Hall tonight. The duo got some attention in late 2010 for “Disco Gnome,” the Naughty By Nature-sampling track that at first sounded dumb, then shaped up to be more lighthearted than dumb. 10 p.m. Free before 11 p.m. $10 after (or $8 with advance purchase). 21+.