Gregory Ruzzin, Associate Professor of Production, is currently completing a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship in Tokyo, Japan for his project “SMALL WORLD THIS: Cycling, Climate Change, and Japan”, which explores the relationships between energy, cycling, and the natural environment.

During this event, Ruzzin will outline his fellowship experience and its connection to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Joining Ruzzin is Kyle McCloskey, a young US filmmaker living in Japan. Both presenters will highlight their experiences with cultural exchange, including the benefits and challenges of living in a foreign country.

Ruzzin will also discuss the short films he's made while in Japan, culminating in the premiere of his latest video postcard!

The Zoom event will conclude with a moderated Q&A led by Dr. Marki Jones, Program Management Director for LMU’s Center for International Business Education and Center for Asian Business. 

All students, faculty, and staff are welcome.

About the Author

Gregory Ruzzin is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker and educator who believes that telling stories (and listening carefully to them) is how we learn about ourselves, about other people, and about the world around us.

Ruzzin teaches courses in documentary and fiction film directing as an Associate Professor at the Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television. He earned his MFA from the USC School of Cinematic Arts and his Bachelor of General Studies degree from the University of Michigan. Ruzzin first fell in love with the movies while sitting in the dark listening to Jean-Michel Jarre on his Walkman and watching the silent Russian classics in one of his first film classes. Helping his younger sister Alyssa, who lives with epilepsy and a developmental disability, tell her story in their documentary feature film “Lost Child?” marked a turning point in his career, luring him from fiction into non-fiction and interactive storytelling explorations. A committed cyclist and bike commuter in a city known for its car-centric culture, he can often be found with his camera and his bike, meditating over the miles.

About the Co-Presenter

Kyle McCloskey, born in America and raised around the world, has spent his life using film as a means for powerful and intimate storytelling, whether fictional or documentary. While attending Haverford College for his undergraduate degree, he wrote and directed an H.P. Lovecraft-inspired silent horror film that was accepted to international film festivals, garnering him his first IMDb credit.

In the time since, he has worked primarily as a bilingual Tokyo-based videographer, editor, and digital imaging technician/data loader. His work has ranged from big budget Hollywood films to PR videos for small businesses and entrepreneurial individuals looking to make their mark in Japan. He has coached Japanese documentary directors for English language fundraising pitches, written grants for international producers, edited short films and music videos, sourced archival photos and video, and even directed and shot the pilot episode of an NHK World documentary series.

At present, he is developing a Japanese language feature film.

About Global-Local Affairs

The office of Global-Local Affairs facilitates collaborations and professional relationships among LMU faculty, staff, alumni, and other institutions on efforts related to comprehensive internalization (global) and strategic community engagement (local). Our office provides ways to engage your "global imaginations" to intentionally incorporate global and local learning experiences into your teaching, research, and service. For more information, visit the Global-Local Affairs webpage.