Japan
Japanese film festival

The Japanese Embassy invites movie fans to savor a screening of eight films from its domestic studios at the end of this month.
From classics by renowned directors Akira Kurosawa and Yasujiro Ozu to new recent productions starring Yu Aoi and Jin Akanishi, the range of genres offers something for everyone.

On screen will be: “The Quite Duel” directed by Akira Kurosawa, May 17; “A Hen In The Wind” by Yasujiro Ozu, May 21; “47 Samurai” by Hiroshi Inagaki, May 22; “Dolphin Blue” by Tetsu Maeda, May 23; “Patisserie Coin De Rue” by Yoshihiro Fukagawa, May 24; “Female” by Ryuichi Hiroki, Suzuki Matsuo, Miwa Nishikawa, Tetsuo Shinohara and Shinya Tsukamoto, May 25; “Bandage” by Takeshi Kobayashi, May 29, and “Dive!” by Naoto Kumazawa, May 16, 31.

The venue is the Japanese Public Information and Cultural Center near Anguk station on Subway line 3 in downtown Seoul.

Movies begin at 2:30 p.m., except on May 22, when screening starts at 2:00 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call (02) 765-3011, or visit the website: http://www.kr.emb-japan.go.jp/cult/cul—guide—hist.htm

Poland

Polish national day: Polish Ambassador to Korea Krzysztof Majka, center, cuts a cake with guests during a reception to celebrate Poland’s national day at the Millennium Seoul Hilton, Wednesday. From left are Wieslaw Rozanski, board deputy of the Polish Union of Producers and Employers of the Meat Industry; Marek Sawicki, minister for Polish agriculture and rural development; Majka; Lee Sang-kil, vice minister for Korean Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; and Vitali Fen, the Uzbek ambassador to Korea. / Korea Times photo by Lee Ji-eun

Sri Lanka

Happy birthday!: Two elephants donated from Sri Lanka attend a party at Seoul Zoo to celebrate their eighth birthday with eight candles on top of the box tower at the zoo on the southern outskirts of Seoul on May 4, the eve of Children’s Day. Sri Lankan Ambassador to Korea Tissa Wijeratne and dozens of visitors attended the party. The Southeast Asian country presented the animals to Seoul City in September 2010, at the request of the city. / Courtesy of Sri Lankan Embassy