MPR News Arts Reporter Marianne Combs joins Jill Riley and Sean McPherson (in for Steve Seel) to talk about a writers' conference, a film festival and a comedy about growing up as a Filipino in Minnesota.

AWP Conference — The Associated Writers & Writing Programs (AWP to its fans) is holding its conference at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Writers from all over the country are coming to Minneapolis for a series of events, including Rain Taxi's Literary Tribute to Grant Hart and Hüsker Dü; Hart's most recent album, The Argument, is based on William S. Burroughs' treatment of John Milton's Paradise Lost. You can also keep track of what's happening at AWP by following the #AWP15 hashtag on Twitter.

Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival — Beginning this week and continuing through most of April is the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival — often stylized as MSPIFF (pronounced "EM-spiff"). Tonight is the opening of the festival, with the screening of a fun Swedish comedy, The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window and Disappeared, at the St. Anthony Main Theatre in Minneapolis.

The Debutante's Ball — Staging at the History Theatre in St. Paul, this new comedy by local playwright, Eric "Pogi" Sumangil. The story is inspired by Sumangil's youth as a Filipino-Minnesotan and the traditional coming-out party for young women. "It's so sweet, and so funny," Marianne says. This weekend is the final weekend of shows for The Debutante's Ball.

Marianne Combs joins The Current's Morning Show for the Weekend Arts Roundup every Thursday at 8:30 a.m. Read all the latest arts news from MPR News.