Thursday, January 31, 2019

2018 Japanese movie I Want To Eat Your Pancreas (君の膵臓をたべたい) in Pittsburgh, February 7 and 10.



The 2018 Japanese animated movie I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (君の膵臓をたべたい) will play in Pittsburgh on February 7 and 10.
A high school boy stumbles across a secret journal in a hospital one day. He soon finds out the diary belongs to his classmate, a girl named Sakura Yamauchi, who is revealed to be suffering from a terminal illness in her pancreas and only has a few months left to live. A secret they share that brings their hearts closer together.
Tickets are available online. It will play at the Southside Works Cinema, located at 425 Cinema Drive in the Southside, one block from the Hot Metal Bridge (map).

Lunar New Year / Tết / Seol-Nal Community Celebration, February 5 in Homewood.



Everyday Cafe will host a Lunar New Year / Tết / Seol-Nal Community Celebration on February 5.
Everyday Café has joined up with some amazing Pittsburgh community members to bring you:
Lunar New Year / Tết / 설날 (Seol-Nal) Community Celebration!

Join us for music, various Asian cuisines from your favorite local restaurants, Tai-Chi, a Lion Dance performance, raffle prizes and more!

Tickets are $10 for adults, free for kids. Payment must be made by card at the door - 70% of proceeds will go to Fondo Solidario (Pittsburgh Solidarity Fund), a local bail fund to support people in immigration detention in PA.

Put on some RED and GOLD (for good luck), and come celebrate!
The food line-up includes Umami, Banh Mi & Ti, Ineffable CA Phe, Bae Bae's Kitchen, The Hungry Cao, and Yummyholic. It runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, and the cafe is located at 532 N. Homewood Ave. (map).

"Sounds of China" in Pittsburgh, February 8.



Sounds of China will perform in Pittsburgh on February 8 as part of an American tour in 2019.
Sounds of China Guzheng Music Promotion Center was founded by Carol Chang (aka yukina) in 2005. With a group of guzheng-loving friends, Carol also founded Sound of China Guzheng Ensemble. The group promotes the music of guzheng, also known as Chinese zither, and the guzheng instrument itself. They work closely with guzheng instrument makers and musicians to bring most updated guzheng music and instruments on tour.
Tickets for the 7:30 pm show at the Byham Theater are available online from $25.

Lunar New Year Celebration: Year of the Pig at Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, February 3.



The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh will hold "Chinese New Year Celebration: Year of the Pig" on Sunday, February 3.
In ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on the Lunar New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. Come kick off the Lunar year 4717, the year of the Pig, with live music, dance, art making, and more!

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Encore presentation of BTS Concert film BTS World Tour Love Yourself In Seoul, February 9.



Two local Cinemark theaters will show an encore presentation of the BTS Concert film BTS World Tour Love Yourself In Seoul on February 9. The distributor provides a synopsis to the movie that first played in Pittsburgh on January 26:
Shot at the Olympic Stadium in Seoul during the BTS WORLD TOUR ‘LOVE YOURSELF’, an exclusive screening of the most sought-after concert of 2018 hits movie theaters nationwide for a one-day only event. This event will bring fans together to celebrate the seven members of the global boyband and their unprecedented international phenomenon.
The movie will play at 11:00 am and 7:00 pm at the Cinemark Theaters in Monroeville and the North Hills. Tickets are available online.

Friday, January 25, 2019

Took Took 98 Thai Street Food opens in Squirrel Hill.



Took Took 98 Thai Street Food has opened in Squirrel Hill at 2018 Murray Ave. (map), in what was most recently Naya. Local mailings advertised Thursday's grand opening.

Korean film Burning (버닝), Japanese film Shoplifters (万引き家族) back in Pittsburgh in February.



The acclaimed 2018 films Burning (버닝) and Shoplifters (万引き家族) will play again in Pittsburgh in February at the Parkway Theater in McKees Rocks. Burning will play February 8 through 14, and Shoplifters February 22 through 28.

Thursday, January 24, 2019

2018 Japanese animated film Okko's Inn (若おかみは小学生) in Pittsburgh, April 22 and 23.



The 2018 Japanese animated film Okko's Inn (若おかみは小学生) will play in the Pittsburgh area on April 22 and 23. The distributor provides a summary:
After losing her parents in a car accident, Okko goes to live in the countryside with her grandmother, who runs a traditional Japanese inn built on top of an ancient spring said to have healing waters. While she goes about her chores and prepares to become the inn’s next caretaker, Okko discovers there are spirits who live there that only she can see – not scary ones, but welcoming ghosts who keep her company, play games and help her navigate her new environment. The inn’s motto is that it welcomes all and will reject none, and this is soon put to the test as a string of new guests challenge Okko’s ability to be a gracious host. But ultimately Okko discovers that dedicating herself to others becomes the key to taking care of herself.

The latest feature from famed anime studio Madhouse and director Kitaro Kosaka, who was a key animator on numerous classic films at the venerable Studio Ghibli, seamlessly blends immersive, idyllic landscapes with the storybook charm of Okko’s beloved ghosts. Okko’s Inn delivers a rare ghost story that –despite several floating characters – is firmly grounded in the trials and joys of humanity.
It will play locally at the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville, North Hills, and Robinson. The April 22 screenings are dubbed in English while the April 23 screenings are in Japanese with English subtitles. Tickets are now available online.

Chinese American Student Association's annual Night Market, February 1 at Pitt.



The University of Pittsburgh's Chinese American Student Association is holding its annual Night Market on February 1.
It's that time of year again, because CASA is proud to once again bring you our annual Night Market! Come to the WPU Lower Lounge on Friday, Feb 1st at 10pm to enjoy a night of fun activities, free food, and BUBBLE TEA from Chick'n Bubbly!
It runs from 10:00 pm to midnight in the William Pitt Union (map).

Singer JR Aquino at Pitt, January 26.



Pitt's Filipino Student Association will host singer JR Aquino on January 26.
FSA proudly welcomes JR Aquino: talented pop singer who appeared on American Idol and the Voice!
The show starts at 6:00 in Nordy's Place in the lower level of the William Pitt Union (map). Tickets are available online.

SAP Ariba hiring for bilingual Mandarin-English overnight operations support specialist positions.



SAP Ariba, "the world’s business commerce network," is again hiring for bilingual Mandarin-English Operations Support Specialist positions in Pittsburgh.

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Japanese animated movie A Silent Voice (聲の形) in Pittsburgh, January 28 and 31.



The 2016 anime film A Silent Voice (聲の形) will return to Pittsburgh on January 28 and 31. A synopsis of the film from the distributor:
The story begins with a deaf elementary school girl named Shoko Nishimiya, who transfers to a new school and meets a boy named Shoya Ishida. Shoya, who is not deaf, leads the school in bullying Shoko over her disability. The bullying escalates, and so Shoko transfers to another school. Immediately, the class and even Shoya's closest friends, bully him for having bullied Shoko. Shoya loses contact with Shoko, and for years he suffers the consequences of his guilt. Upon entering high school, Shoya finally decides he must find Shoko, determined to make amends for what he did in elementary school and to become Shoko's friend. Along the way, he meets new and old faces, and struggles with many complicated relationships and feelings.
It will play in Japanese with English subtitles on the 28th at Southside Works Cinema and the Monroeville Mall Cinemark, and dubbed in English on the 31st in Monroeville. Tickets are now available online.

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

English-dubbed Dragon Ball Super: Broly (ドラゴンボール超ブロリー) continues n Pittsburgh, through January 30.



The English dub of Dragon Ball Super: Broly (ドラゴンボール超ブロリー), which opened in Pittsburgh on January 16, will continue in the area through the 30th. The distributor provides a summary:
A planet destroyed, a powerful race reduced to nothing. After the devastation of Planet Vegeta, three Saiyans were scattered among the stars, destined for different fates. While two found a home on Earth, the third was raised with a burning desire for vengeance and developed an unbelievable power. And the time for revenge has come. Destinies collide in a battle that will shake the universe to its very core!

Goku is back to training hard so he can face the most powerful foes the universes have to offer, and Vegeta is keeping up right beside him. But when they suddenly find themselves against an unknown Saiyan, they discover a terrible, destructive force.
Dragon Ball Super: Broly was the top movie in Japan the weekend it was released. It is playing locally at Southside Works, the Hollywood Theater, AMC Loews Waterfront, AMC Loews South Hills Village, and the Cinemark Theaters in McCandless, Monroeville, Pittsburgh Mills, and Robinson, but will only be available at South Hills Village from the 27th. Tickets are available online.

Monday, January 21, 2019

BTS Concert film BTS World Tour Love Yourself In Seoul in Pittsburgh, January 26.



The BTS Concert movie BTS World Tour Love Yourself In Seoul will play around the country, and in Pittsburgh, on January 26.
Shot at the Olympic Stadium in Seoul during the BTS WORLD TOUR ‘LOVE YOURSELF’, an exclusive screening of the most sought-after concert of 2018 hits movie theaters nationwide for a one-day only event. This event will bring fans together to celebrate the seven members of the global boyband and their unprecedented international phenomenon.
Tickets for the 11:00 am and 2:00 pm shows are available online.

Sunday, January 20, 2019

Chinese documentary Three Sisters (三姊妹) at Carnegie Museum of Art, January 26.



As part of the Cinematheque series throughout the Carnegie International exhibition, the Carnegie Museum of Art will show the 2012 Chinese documentary Three Sisters (三姊妹) on January 26. From a 2013 New York Times review:
Not for the faint of heart or weak of bladder, Wang Bing’s two-and-a-half-hour “Three Sisters” documents extreme poverty in rural China with the compassionate eye and inexhaustible patience of a director whose curiosity about his country’s unfortunates never seems to wane.

Filming for six months in a remote hillside village in 2010, Mr. Wang follows the spirit-crushing lives of a short-tempered peasant and his three little daughters. Their mother ran off long ago, and now Yingying, 10; 6-year-old Zhenzhen; and Fenfen, 4 — all so malnourished that they look years younger — spend their days doing chores and herding sheep. But when their father leaves for a job in the city, taking the two youngest girls with him, Yingying is left alone. A grandfather and an aunt live close by, but the girl’s isolation and sadness suggest a poignant hopelessness, as though she has reached the age at which she has begun to notice a future. And it’s not pretty.
The movie plays from 4:00 to 6:30 pm. The museum is located at 4400 Forbes Ave. in Oakland (map), accessible by buses 28X, 58, 61A, 61B, 61C, 61D, 67, 69, 71B, 71D, 75, and P3.

Saturday, January 19, 2019

Tzu Chi Lunar New Year Blessing Ceremony, January 27 in Oakland.



Pittsburgh's Tzu Chi Academy will host a Lunar New Year Blessing Ceremony on January 27. The event starts at 2:15 pm at the Alumni Hall Ballroom on the University of Pittsburgh's campus in Oakland (map).

The mission of the Tzu Chi Academy, says its website
is to provide the local children from kindergarten to high school with quality program not only aimed at student’s language learning but also character building. The school will implement Still Thought’s education method to weave compassion, relief, honesty, and integrity into teaching. We will nurture the children in a loving and calm environment; motivate them to learn the Chinese language and culture in today’s diversified world. A creative still thoughts humanity and moral-principle course will be added to the curriculum to foster the children with virtue teamwork, great love, respect, calm, and thanksgiving.

Friday, January 18, 2019

University of Pittsburgh's Eastern Asian Calligraphy Club to meet on Wednesdays.



The University of Pittsburgh's Eastern Asian Calligraphy Club will resume meetings on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 8:30 pm in the William Pitt Union.
Come and practice your calligraphy skills at the Eastern Asian Calligraphy Club! Write Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or even English calligraphy to your heart's content. The club environment is open and friendly; we will be glad to help anyone in need! Writing materials, paper, and snacks are provided.

WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) hiring bilingual Mandarin-English computer science tutors with background in Haskell.



Pittsburgh-based Chinese education and consulting company WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) has announced openings for bilingual Mandarin-English computer science tutors with knowledge of Haskell.

Crazy Rich Asians at Carnegie Library downtown branch, January 22.



The Downtown & Business branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will present Crazy Rich Asians as its next installment in its Page to Screen series on January 22.
A native New Yorker accompanies her longtime boyfriend to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. Excited about visiting Asia for the first time but nervous about meeting her boyfriend’s family, she is unprepared to learn that he has neglected to mention a few key details about his life. It turns out that he is not only the heir of one of the country’s wealthiest families, but also one of its most sought-after bachelors. Based on the novel by Kevin Kwan.
The film was the 16th highest grossing film in the US in 2018 and was the top film in the country for three weeks in August. It runs on the 22nd from 12:15 to 2:15. The library is located at 612 Smithfield St. (map).

Thursday, January 17, 2019

Digital Humanities and East Asia, January 25 at Pitt.



The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Dr. Molly des Jardins and her talk "Digital Humanities and East Asia" on January 25.
We will be welcoming to Pitt Dr. Molly Des Jardin, a Japanese Studies Librarian at Penn to learn about methods, strategies, and experiences in East Asian Digital Humanities. She has designed and taught the very first graduate-level seminar on East Asian Digital Humanities in the English-Speaking world. She is also an expert on text analysis in Japanese.

Join us on Friday January 25 at 3 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall for a presentation, chance to ask questions, and light refreshments!
It runs from 3:00 to 5:00 pm and is free and open to the public.

Japanese zombie comedy film One Cut of the Dead カメラを止めるな! ) in Pittsburgh, from January 18.



The 2017 Japanese zombie comedy film One Cut of the Dead (カメラを止めるな! ) will play in Pittsburgh from January 18. A 2018 Variety review says:
Viewers get three films for the price of one in “One Cut for the Dead,” a terrific Japanese horror-comedy that proves there’s somewhere the zombie apocalypse movie hasn’t yet gone. Writer-director-editor Shinichiro Ueda’s cleverly conceived and executed debut feature opens with an unbroken 37-minute shot of monster mayhem before hitting the reset button and turning into a funny satire of low-budget genre filmmaking — and eventually becoming a charming family comedy-drama. Packed with witty nods to classic horror movies, “One Cut” is a natural for genre fests and has such a warm and winning heart it could also fit into mainstream festival programs.
The movie runs from the 18th through 24th at the Harris Theater downtown (map). Showtimes are available online, though tickets are only available at the door. The Harris Theater is located at 809 Liberty Ave. in downtown's Cultural District (map).

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Steven Lim at Pitt, January 29.



The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Students Alliance will host Steven Lim on January 29.
Steven Lim is a Chinese Malaysian American producer from Ohio, best known for creating and co-hosting the YouTube series, Worth It. In the show, he and his crew try three different foods at three drastically different price points: affordable, middle-tier, and high-end. Check out one of his most popular videos below!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTXP2FzQS94&t=246s
It runs from 8:30 to 11:00 pm on the 29th in the William Pitt Union Assembly Room (map). Tickets will be available from January 17 and are free for Pitt students with valid student IDs and $5 for the general public.

The Host (괴물) with Pitt's Korean Student Association, January 24.



Pitt's Korean Student Association will present the 2006 monster movie The Host (괴물) on January 24. The Korean Film Council provides a summary:
Gang-du is a dim-witted man working at his father's tiny snack bar near the Han River. One day, Gang-du's one and only daughter Hyun-seo comes back from school irritated. She is angry at her uncle, Nam-il, who visited her school as her guardian shamelessly drunk. Ignoring her father's excuses for Nam-il, Hyun-seo is soon engrossed in her aunt Nam-joo's archery tournament on TV. Meanwhile, outside of the snack bar, people are fascinated by an unidentified object hanging onto a bridge. In an instant, the object reveals itself as a terrifying creature turning the riverbank into a gruesome sea of blood¡| Amid the chaos, Hyun-seo is helplessly snatched up by the creature right before Gang-du's eyes. These unforeseen circumstances render the government powerless to act. But receiving a call of help from Hyun-seo, the once-ordinary citizen Gang-du and his family are thrust into a battle with the monster to rescue their beloved Hyun-seo.
It starts at 9:15 pm in 106 Lawrence Hall (map) and is open to Pitt students.

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Korean film Burning (버닝), Japanese film Shoplifters (万引き家族) to continue in Pittsburgh through January 24.



The acclaimed 2018 films Burning (버닝) and Shoplifters (万引き家族), which opened in Pittsburgh on December 21, will remain in town through January 24.

Monday, January 14, 2019

Lunar New Year Celebration: Year of the Pig at Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, February 3.



The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh will hold "Chinese New Year Celebration: Year of the Pig" on Sunday, February 3.
In ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on the Lunar New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. Come kick off the Lunar year 4717, the year of the Pig, with live music, dance, art making, and more!
A complete schedule of events is available on the museum's website. The celebration runs from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm and is free with museum admission ($16 for adults, $14 for kids aged 2 through 18, and free for infants under 2). The museum is located at 10 Children's Way on the Northside (map).

Fate/Stay Night [Heaven's Feel] II. Lost Butterfly in Pittsburgh, March 14.



The next installment of the Fate/Stay Night [Heaven's Feel] trilogy will play in Pittsburgh on March 14. It will play locally at Southside Works Cinema, but tickets and showtime information is not yet available.

Yanlai Dance Academy spring performance "Drifting Feathers," March 2.



Yanlai Dance Academy will present this spring's performance "Drifting Feathers" on March 2.
This year, our dances range from classical Chinese dance of Hang Dynasty of 2 thousands of years ago - to ethnic folk dances of Xin Jiang, Mongol, Tibet, and Dai dance, where our audience will see the world of enthusiasm and passion. We hope our audience will enjoy the colorful, beautiful costumes, and the joyful and deep music.
The performance starts at 6:00 pm at the August Wilson Center in the Cultural District (map) and tickets are available online.

Greater Pittsburgh Chinese New Year Gala, February 2 in the North Hills.



The Chinese Association for Science and Technology - Pittsburgh Chapter will present the Greater Pittsburgh Chinese New Year Gala on February 2 at Marshall Middle School in Wexford.
Dear friends in Greater Pittsburgh, the 2019 Chinese New Year Gala is just around the corner on February 2nd!

Chinese New Year, also called Spring Festival, is the biggest festival in China. 2019 is the Year of the Pig, which represents luck, fortune, and prosperity.

Indonesian-Singaporean film Buffalo Boys at Parkway Theater, from January 18.



The 2018 Indonesian-Singaporean film Buffalo Boys will play at the Parkway Theater in McKees Rocks from January 18. An A.V. Club review provides a summary:
Set in the late 19th century, Buffalo Boys stars Ario Bayu and Yoshi Sudarso as brothers Jamar and Suwo, who return to their Javanese ancestral village after decades of exile to avenge their father’s murder at the hands of sadistic colonial administrator Van Trach (Reinout Bussemaker). They bring with them not only an arsenal of heavy-duty firepower, but also a certain gunslinger swagger[.]
Showtime information is available online. The theater is located at 644 Broadway Ave. in McKees Rocks (map).

"The Art of Noh: Woodblock Prints by Tsukioka Kōgyo," through April 26 at Pitt's Hillman Library.



The University of Pittsburgh's University Library System will continue to host an exhibit of woodblock prints by Tsukioka Kōgyo through April 26.
Noh, a theater form that originated in the fourteenth century, was associated historically with the ruling warrior class, who made up about 5% of Japan’s pre-modern population in the late feudal period between 1600 and 1868. Kōgyo’s paintings and prints are more than reproductions of what he saw and sketched in the noh theater. He tried to capture what he saw as the essence of a play, which led him to make additions, subtractions, and various other changes to the actual performance in his prints. He even went so far as to put his ideas of the real-life facial expressions of the characters he depicted on the masks the actors in his prints wore. And he added to his prints scenes and texts from the stories of the play that were not portrayed in the play on stage. In one print he showed the play’s primary character performing under water, even though he obviously did not do so on stage. Kōgyo was not a camera; he was an artist.
The exhibit is located on the ground floor of Hillman Library (map) and is open to the public during the library's hours.

Braddock's Superior Motors to host guest chef Simone Tong of New York’s Little Tong Noodle Shop, February 5.


via @littletongnyc

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has details about the first installment of the 2019 Dinner Series with guest chef Simone Tong of New York’s Little Tong Noodle Shop. Tickets for the February 5 event are available online.

Sunday, January 13, 2019

"Beyond Haiku: Japanese Poetry in Time and Art," January 17 at City of Asylum.


Bashō's Hermitage on Camellia Hill beside the Aqueduct at Sekiguchi (せき口上水端はせを庵椿やま), by Hiroshige.

The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania and City of Asylum will present Pitt's Dr. Elizabeth Oyler and her talk "Beyond Haiku: Japanese Poetry in Time and Art" on January 17.
Join us for a lively discussion with Elizabeth Oyler, presented in partnership with The Japan- America Society of Pennsylvania and as part of our Honor Roll Lecture Series.

Haiku, arguably Japan’s most recognized form of poetry, developed into the poetic form we know and love today through hundreds of years of evolution. Inseparably integrated with Japanese history, Haiku has a notable influence on Japanese poetry, art, and society.

Join the JASP for this free evening. Light hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be provided.
The event runs from 7:00 to 8:30 pm at City of Asylum's Alphabet City on the North Side (map). It's free, but RSVP is required and can be completed online.

Saturday, January 12, 2019

Dragon Ball Super: Broly (ドラゴンボール超ブロリー) in Pittsburgh, from January 16.



The new Japanese movie Dragon Ball Super: Broly (ドラゴンボール超ブロリー) will play at several Pittsburgh theaters from January 16. The distributor provides a summary:
A planet destroyed, a powerful race reduced to nothing. After the devastation of Planet Vegeta, three Saiyans were scattered among the stars, destined for different fates. While two found a home on Earth, the third was raised with a burning desire for vengeance and developed an unbelievable power. And the time for revenge has come. Destinies collide in a battle that will shake the universe to its very core!

Goku is back to training hard so he can face the most powerful foes the universes have to offer, and Vegeta is keeping up right beside him. But when they suddenly find themselves against an unknown Saiyan, they discover a terrible, destructive force.
Dragon Ball Super: Broly was the top movie in Japan the weekend it was released. It will play locally at Southside Works, the Hollywood Theater, AMC Loews Waterfront, AMC Loews South Hills Village, and the Cinemark Theaters in McCandless, Monroeville, Pittsburgh Mills, and Robinson. Tickets are available online.

Friday, January 11, 2019

2018 Japanese animated film Penguin Highway (ペンギン・ハイウェイ) in Pittsburgh, April 21.



The 2018 Japanese animated film Penguin Highway (ペンギン・ハイウェイ) will play at Southside Works Cinema on April 21. The distributor summarizes:
Penguin Highway is the first feature film from Studio Colorido (founded by director Ishida and ex-Studio Ghibli character designer Yojiro Arai) and exciting young upcoming director, Hiroyasu Ishida.

Based on the award-winning novel by Tomihiko Morimi (The Tatami Galaxy and The Eccentric Family), Penguin Highway is an energetic animated debut and is sure to impress you with its heart, as well as its colourful and whimsical palette!

The film also was recently awarded the “Axis: The Satoshi Kon Award for Excellence in Animation” for Best Animated Feature at Montreal’s Fantasia International Film Festival and has received standing ovations around the world.
Tickets for the 7:00 pm show are now available online. Southside Works Cinema is located at 425 Cinema Drive in the Southside, one block from the Hot Metal Bridge (map).

Japanese zombie comedy film One Cut of the Dead カメラを止めるな! ) in Pittsburgh, from January 18.



The 2017 Japanese zombie comedy film One Cut of the Dead (カメラを止めるな! ) will play in Pittsburgh from January 18. A 2018 Variety review says:
Viewers get three films for the price of one in “One Cut for the Dead,” a terrific Japanese horror-comedy that proves there’s somewhere the zombie apocalypse movie hasn’t yet gone. Writer-director-editor Shinichiro Ueda’s cleverly conceived and executed debut feature opens with an unbroken 37-minute shot of monster mayhem before hitting the reset button and turning into a funny satire of low-budget genre filmmaking — and eventually becoming a charming family comedy-drama. Packed with witty nods to classic horror movies, “One Cut” is a natural for genre fests and has such a warm and winning heart it could also fit into mainstream festival programs.
The movie runs from the 18th through 24th at the Harris Theater downtown (map). Showtimes are available online, though tickets are only available at the door. The Harris Theater is located at 809 Liberty Ave. in downtown's Cultural District (map).

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

2018 Japanese movie Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative [機動戦士ガンダムNT (ナラティブ)] in Pittsburgh, February 19.



The 2018 Japanese movie Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative [機動戦士ガンダムNT (ナラティブ)] will play at the Southside Works Cinema on February 19. Anime News Network has a summary:
U.C. 0097. One year since the Laplace's Box was opened. Despite the revelation of the original charter for the Universal Century, which acknowledges the existence of Newtypes and their rights, the world remains largely unchanged. After the destruction of the Neo Zeon remnant force known as the Sleeves, the event that has come to be known as the "Laplace Incident" seems to have drawn to a close. In the final battle, two Full Psycho Frame mobile suits displayed power beyond human imagination. The menace of the White Unicorn and the Black Lion were sealed away from public consciousness, and were consigned to be forgotten by history. But now sightings of the RX-0 Unicorn 03, long thought lost two years ago, are being reported. Its name is Phenex, an immortal golden bird.
Tickets and showtime information are not yet available. Southside Works Cinema is located at 425 Cinema Drive in the Southside, one block from the Hot Metal Bridge (map).

Crazy Rich Asians at Shaler North Hills Library, January 13.




The Shaler North Hills Library will play Crazy Rich Asians on January 13 as one of its "Books to Film" selections.
The story follows native New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) as she accompanies her longtime boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding), to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore.
It starts at 2:00 pm and is free and open to the public, though registration is requested. The library is located at 1822 Mt. Royal Blvd. (map).

Monday, January 7, 2019

Gourmet Chinese Tasting Dinner, January 15 in Highland Park.



Itha Cao of the Hungry Cao will present its next Gourmet Chinese Tasting Dinner on January 15.
Residência: The Hungry Cao "Gourmet Chinese Tasting Dinner"

On January 15th, Casa Brasil welcomes back chef resident Itha Cao from the Hungry Cao hosting a unique evening, "Gourmet Chinese Tasting Dinner" where 27 guests will explore a variety of flavors and dishes through a 8 course tasting meal carefully curated by chef Itha!

The menu is composed by a variety of dishes focused on fresh and regional Chinese cuisine.

When - January 15, 2019

Time - 6:30pm – 9pm

Location - Casa Brasil

Tickets- $65 includes a complimentary cocktail

Capacity - 27 guests

Chef Itha will donate portion of proceeds to a charitable effort.

The Hungry Cao

Note: This is a ticketed dinner, no walk-ins.

Join us!
Tickets are required, limited to 27, and available online. Casa Brasil is located at 5904 Bryant St. in Highland Park (map).

Saturday, January 5, 2019

Former Pirates infielder Akinori Iwamura's sushi place.



Former baseball player Akinori Iwamura is a co-owner of Sushi Emon, (すしえもん), a small chain of conveyor-belt sushi places on his home island of Shikoku. The photograph above appears outside a location in a mall in Kagawa prefecture.

The T and A in the restaurant's logo refer to the Iwamura brothers, Takashi and Akinori. Akinori Iwamura was the first Japanese position player in Pittsburgh Pirates history---and to date the only Japanese position player in Pittsburgh Pirates history---playing 54 games for the team in 2010. Two other Japanese players, both pitchers, have appeared in games with the Pirates: Masumi Kuwata in 2007 and Hisanori Takahashi for nine games in 2012.

Friday, January 4, 2019

WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) hiring bilingual Chinese-English academic tutors.



Pittsburgh-based Chinese education consulting and placement firm WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) has announced more openings for bilingual academic tutors.

Japanese Coming-of-Age Ceremony (成人の日) at Pitt for students turning 20, January 11.


Kasai does 成人の日 in 2010.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center and English Language Institute will host the second annual Coming-of-Age Ceremony (成人の日) on January 11, 2019. A large cohort of students from Yasuda Women's University is studying at Pitt's English Language Institute this fall and will miss the traditional ceremony in Hiroshima next month, so Pitt will hold its own event. Pittwire covered last year's ceremony:
About 25 students from Yasuda Women’s University in Hiroshima, who were at the University of Pittsburgh for five months learning English, were away from home in January, missing out on the annual Coming of Age ceremony, a national holiday in Japan.

So, Pitt’s Asian Studies Center threw a party — kimonos included.

A banner that reads “University of Pittsburgh Coming of Age Day Ceremony” in Japanese greeted student Nika Tanimoto and other participants.

“This Coming of Age ceremony seems like the perfect confluence of the University, our Japanese students and the community to celebrate together,” said Lynn Kawaratani, the center’s acting associate director. Members of the Pittsburgh community, the Japanese Nationality Room Committee and the Japan America Society of Pennsylvania all loaned kimonos for the students to wear. The Asian Studies Center has been partnering with Pitt’s English Language Institute for about a year, developing programming for these international students as well as Pitt students.

2018 Japanese animated anthology film Modest Heroes: Ponoc Short Film Theater, Volume 1 (ちいさな英雄-カニとタマゴと透明人間-) in Pittsburgh, January 10 and 12.



A 2018 collection of three short films, titled Modest Heroes: Ponoc Short Film Theater, Volume 1 (ちいさな英雄-カニとタマゴと透明人間-), will play in Pittsburgh on January 10 and 12.
Studio Ponoc, the new animation studio founded by two-time Academy Award®-nominee Yoshiaki Nishimura (The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, When Marnie Was There) and featuring many artists from the venerable Studio Ghibli, made an immediate splash last year with its acclaimed debut film Mary and The Witch’s Flower. The studio returns this year with Modest Heroes: Ponoc Short Films Theatre Vol. 1, an ambitious collection of three thrilling tales created by some of the greatest talents working in Japanese animation today.

In Kanini & Kanino, directed by Academy Award®-nominee Hiromasa Yonebayashi (When Marnie Was There, Mary and The Witch’s Flower), two crab brothers embark on a grand underwater adventure to find their father, after an accident carries him far downstream. Depicted as tiny beings in a large and merciless natural world, the brothers must evade a series of freshwater predators if they are ever to reunite with their family again.

In Life Ain’t Gonna Lose, acclaimed animator Yoshiyuki Momose (key animator on Isao Takahata’s films at Studio Ghibli, and animation director of the video game Ni No Kuni) makes his directorial debut with a very different kind of story. Eight-year-old Shun loves baseball and to run. Only eggs defeat him. With the love of his strong-willed mother (Maggie Q), Shun faces the challenge of an everyday life threatened by a deadly allergy.

Lastly, in Invisible (the directing debut of Akihiko Yamashita, a talented key animator on many of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki’s best-known films) a man wakes up one morning and goes through his day in a world where no one can see him. But just when he seems to have reached his limit, a momentous decision gives him the chance to reclaim his humanity.

Together, the stories explore ideas of heroism large and small, and the infinite potential of the short film format allows the directors and Studio Ponoc to experiment with breathtaking, action-packed visuals, concise human drama, and gorgeous fantasy worlds, in this unforgettable short film anthology that is further demonstration of the studio’s exciting future.
It will play at the Southside Works on January 10, and at the Cinemark in Monroeville on the 10th (subtitled) and 12th (dubbed). Tickets are available online.

Thursday, January 3, 2019

Crazy Rich Asians at Carnegie Library downtown branch, January 22.



The Downtown & Business branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will present Crazy Rich Asians as its next installment in its Page to Screen series on January 22.
A native New Yorker accompanies her longtime boyfriend to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. Excited about visiting Asia for the first time but nervous about meeting her boyfriend’s family, she is unprepared to learn that he has neglected to mention a few key details about his life. It turns out that he is not only the heir of one of the country’s wealthiest families, but also one of its most sought-after bachelors. Based on the novel by Kevin Kwan.
The film was the 16th highest grossing film in the US in 2018 and was the top film in the country for three weeks in August. It runs on the 22nd from 12:15 to 2:15. The library is located at 612 Smithfield St. (map).

Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Korean film Burning (버닝), Japanese film Shoplifters (万引き家族) to continue in Pittsburgh through January 10.



The acclaimed 2018 films Burning (버닝) and Shoplifters (万引き家族), which opened in Pittsburgh on December 21, will remain in town through January 10.

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