Celebrating its 30th year, the festival is one of the most eagerly awaited events in Pittsburgh, featuring independent American cinema, new documentaries and critically-acclaimed international films. There are visiting filmmakers, informal discussions, live music, parties and more. The venues are the Harris Theater, the Melwood Screening Room, and the Regent Square Theater.

On November 4 three films open at three separate locations, with a birthday party to follow at Pittsburgh Filmmakers' Oakland location, 477 Melwood Ave.

This year there are four Asia-related films: Bhopali, about the 1984 industrial disaster in Bhopal, India; Outrage, a Japanese yakuza film; Love in Space, a light-hearted Chinese romance; and Quill, the Life of a Seeing Eye Dog, a film in the style of a documentary about a Japanese seeing eye dog. Also showing is the film Urbanized, about cities and city growth around the world.