Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!

Fall 2023 CLAS Speaker Series!

For virtual participation, please register here: https://pitt.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0kf-uqqjwiGdRmIQ-4nJkNjXRcDsRbOXi5

FLTA for the 2023/2024 academic year, Benedict Kachietano, visits K-12 classrooms to engage and teach the Kiswahili language and foster an appreciation for Kenyan and African culture.

At Woodland High School, students recently attended a classroom presentation led by a Fulbright scholar from Kenya, focusing on the Swahili language and culture. During the presentation, students were introduced to the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of Swahili-speaking communities in East Africa. The scholar provided insights into the origins and significance of the Swahili language and its role as a lingua franca across various East African countries. Additionally, students had the opportunity to learn about key aspects of Swahili culture, including traditions, customs, music, and cuisine. Through engaging activities and interactive discussions, the presentation not only deepened students' understanding of Swahili language and culture but also fostered an appreciation for the diversity and interconnectedness of global communities.

Babak Jalali | 2023 | 91 minutes | USA

Beautiful and troubled 20-something Donya, an Afghan translator who used to work with the U.S. government, has trouble sleeping. She lives by herself in Fremont, California, in a building with other Afghan immigrants and often dines alone at a local restaurant watching soap operas. Her routine changes when she’s promoted to writing the fortunes at her job at a fortune cookie factory in the city. As her fortunes are read by strangers throughout the Bay, Donya’s smoldering longing drives her to send a message out to the world, unsure where it will lead.

Tickets are free with a PITT id, regular tickets $10, Non-Pitt students $5 with ID.

For more information about the film festival, click here

il Messaggero (The Messenger) tells the story of an Italian man from a small village in Italy and his idea to bring messages of hope and joy to the United States as an immigrant in 1966. In doing so, he unknowingly immortalizes a generation of Italians through rare audio recordings and more than 50 years later we see its impact on the next generation living in the U.S. The film explores the amazing true history of one man's mission and his unique way of capturing the stories of those left behind in Italy. It revisits turbulent times in recent world history as well as local history, including the rise of the HJ Heinz company, a Pittsburgh area Italian DJ, and the migration of Italians to the Pittsburgh area.

Director Pete Ferrar will be present for Q&A

All films are sponsored by the History Center's Italian American program and the University of Pittsburgh's European Studies Center and Italian Nationality Room (part of the Nationality Rooms & Intercultural Exchange Programs). Film screenings are free to the public and will take place in the Frick Fine Arts Auditorium on the University of Pittsburgh campus.

Kenneth Dagatan | 2023 | 97 minutes | Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan

As World War II in 1945 Philippines is coming to an end, a wealthy family is trapped in their country mansion and terrorized by Japanese soldiers who are losing control of the island. The family's patriarch, Aldo, is rumored to have stolen Japanese gold and hidden it nearby. Knowing that his family will be killed if the gold is found, Aldo leaves to seek help from the Americans. His absence causes the family to fear that he will never return, while the mother's health deteriorates. Desperate for help, the family's young daughter Tala turns to a deceitful and flesh-eating fairy, who plans to devour them all.

Tickets are free with a PITT id, regular tickets $10, Non-Pitt students $5 with ID.

For more information about the film festival, click here