SPECIAL SCREENINGS (use scrollbar as necessary)
(Updated every Thursday)

FILMS SHOWING IN LOCAL THEATERS

	American Doctor		From Oscar®-nominated and Emmy® Award-winning filmmaker Poh Si Teng, American Doctor follows three American physicians— Palestinian, Jewish, and Zoroastrian—united by a single oath to save lives. After volunteering in besieged hospitals in Gaza, they return home determined to fight for the patients and colleagues they left behind, taking their battle from the front lines of war to the halls of Congress.
	Akira		Clandestine army activities threaten the war torn city of Neo-Tokyo when a mysterious being with powerful psychic abilities escapes his prison and inadvertently draws a violent motorcycle gang into a heinous web of experimentation. As a result, a biker with a twisted mind embarks on a path of war, seeking revenge against a society what once called him weak.
	Bethlehem Kudumba Unit		After his return, Ashley's life is disrupted by the politics of a Catholic parish committee. Meanwhile, he falls for a younger woman but their relationship sparks a chaotic resistance from the elders.
	Cocoon		During the chaos of wartime on a Japanese island, two students from an all-girls school are pressed into service as nurses within a hidden military hospital.
	Colony		Trapped inside a sealed building during a deadly bioterrorist attack, a desperate group of survivors must navigate growing panic and betrayal as they fight to stay alive.
	Dear You		A young man travels to Thailand to track down his estranged grandfather, only to uncover a hidden past rooted in the 1950s Chinese diaspora community, centered on a woman whose correspondence holds the key to the truth.
	Filipiñana		Amid stifling heat and pervasive drought, Isabel (Jorrybell Agoto), a 17-year-old Ilokana from the rural north, works at a posh country club outside Manila, lining up golf balls for powerful men to drive into the verdant horizon. New to the job, she wanders the immaculate grounds sampling its luxuries as members, including an industrialist and his expatriate niece, the club president and his pampered wife, and a slew of Chinese tourists, engage in a complex dance with the club’s doting and subservient staff. But something is rotting beneath the pristine fairways of the elite resort, as Isabel discovers when she tries to return a mislaid golf club to its patriarchal director, Dr. Palanca (Teroy Guzman). The deeper she journeys into its most exclusive corners, the closer she gets to the violent truths of the club, her native Philippines, and her own past.
	Hope		n the remote South Korean village of Hope Harbor, police chief Bum-seok and officer Sung-ae are called to investigate a mysterious creature wreaking havoc on the community. But all is not as it seems, and perceptions can be misleading. What begins as ignorance plants the seed of disaster, escalating through human conflict into a tragedy of cosmic proportions.
	Hot Spot		In a near-future society ruled by sentient AI, a private eye who's investigating a murder case encounters a rebel group that's capable of undermining the digital overlord.
	Irumudi		Follows an alcohol-addicted father with a violent past who lives peacefully with his daughter beside a waterfall and decides to take Ayyappa Deeksha at her request.
	Juan Gabriel: Mi Primer Bellas Artes		Mexico's most iconic concert comes to U.S. theaters on September 15th, celebrating Mexican Independence Day and commemorating the 10th anniversary of Juan Gabriel's passing. Experience his legendary first performance at Mexico City's "Palacio de Bellas Artes" in 1990--a landmark event that forever transformed Mexican music. More than three decades later, this historic concert returns in a special theatrical release with newly restored picture and sound, plus an exclusive new opening featuring never-before-seen rehearsal footage from Juan Gabriel's personal archive that offers a unique glimpse into the making of this unforgettable night. Every song, every standing ovation, and every iconic moment has been revitalized, allowing longtime fans and new audiences to experience this extraordinary performance like never before.
	Memory of Princess Mumbi		In 2093, filmmaker Kuve travels to Umata to document the aftermath of a war that revived ancient kingdoms. There, he meets Mumbi, who challenges him to make his film without the use of AI. As Kuve searches for his own voice, he begins to realize that even in a broken world, beauty can be found in the small human moments we often overlook. A visually stunning Afrofuturist film, MEMORY OF PRINCESS MUMBI is, as the Zurich jury put it, “both intimate in its focus on characters and monumental in the breadth of its imagined landscapes.” Variety calls it “a playful, bittersweet meta-fiction that is part love story, part mockumentary.”
	Mirzapur		Old enemies resurface and new contenders emerge in a brutal war for Mirzapur's throne, where blood debts are settled and power-hungry rivals fight to control the underworld.
	Moana		Leaving her island for the first time, young Moana embarks on an epic seafaring adventure to restore prosperity to her people.
	NCT 127 - Neo City: Seoul - The Redline		NCT 127 5TH TOUR 'NEO CITY : SEOUL - THE REDLINE' in CINEMAS brings the explosive opening of NCT 127's long-awaited return to the big screen through a special live viewing event in theaters around the world. Marking the group's first tour in a year and eight months, this event captures the scale, energy, and electrifying performances of NCT 127 as they kick off a new chapter of NEO CITY in Seoul.
	The Odyssey		Odysseus embarks on a dangerous voyage back to Ithaca following the Trojan War, encountering treacherous creatures like the Cyclops Polyphemus and Sirens.
	The Samurai and the Prisoner		When Lord Murashige (Masahiro Motoki) rises up against the tyrannical Oda (Bando Shingo), he finds himself besieged within the walls of his own castle. Isolated, he is confronted with a series of mysterious crimes that shatter the fragile order of his court, plunging the fortress into fear and suspicion. With Oda’s army closing in and a traitor hiding among his ranks, Murashige is forced into an uneasy alliance with Kanbei Kuroda (Masaki Suda), a brilliant yet dangerous strategist held prisoner in the dungeon. Helped by his wife Chiyoho (Yuriko Yoshitaka) and his most loyal generals, Murashige must uncover the truth before the castle falls.
	Toxic (Ends 9/3)		Set in bygone era, this gripping tale unfolds in the coastal paradise of Goa, where a powerful drug cartel pulls the strings behind a facade of sun-soaked beaches and vibrant culture.

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Last Updated: 03 September 2026

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• West Sumatran Dendeng Kariang (Recipe of the Month)
• The Participant Observer Cookbook
• World Map Showing All Our Recipes!
• Taste Atlas (outside link)
  Cool site with lots of dishes from around the world.

ETHNIC & INTERNATIONAL MARKETS

• African Food Markets
• Asian Food Markets
• European Food Markets
• Latin American and Caribbean Food Markets
• Middle Eastern and Western Asian Food Markets

ETHNIC & INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANTS

• San Diego Area African Restaurants
• San Diego Area Asian Restaurants
• San Diego Area European Restaurants
• San Diego Area Latin American & Caribbean Restaurants
• San Diego Middle Eastern & Western Asian Restaurants

COOKING WORKSHOPS

• Hipcooks
  Located in Northpark, Hipcooks offers cooking classes using organic and local foods.
• Sur La Table
  Sur La Table's cooking classes specialize in international cuisine, with three locations in San Diego County.

Sur La Table Carlsbad

Sur La Table San Diego

Sur La Table La Jolla

• Cozymeal
  With Cozymeal's cooking classes, you have the option of learning how to cook dishes from around the world, right in the comfort of your own home!
• Cocusocial.com

• Little Italy Mercato Tour and Cooking Class
Cook alongside a real Italian-raised chef. First you'll pick authentic ingredients at the vibrant Little Italy Mercato Farmers Market. You'll then whip up a 4-course Italian feast in the home of your chef-guide!

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Last Updated: 13 August 2026

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The San Diego Participant Observer is a publication of The Worldview Project, a 501(c)3 educational non-profit dedicated to promoting greater cross-cultural awareness, understanding and engagement. The Worldview Press was founded in 2001 by anthropologist Thomas Johnston-O'Neill, Ph.D., who serves as the executive director. In 2009 the organization was officially renamed the Worldview Project. Our efforts are t has benefited and continues to benefit from extremely generous and energetic help from a large number of interns and volunteers who hail from diverse walks of life and from many countries. In addition to publishing The San Diego Participant Observer, the Worldview Project also develops and deploys online resources, print publications and events that encourage greater cross-cultural interest and knowledge.

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Last Updated: 01 April 2021

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Promote Greater Cross-Cultural Awareness, Understanding and Engagement


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Last Updated: 15 February 2024

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