Refractions: Tishan Hsu & Ryan Inouye, November 3 at Carnegie Museum of Art.

The Carnegie Museum of Art will host a discussion with artist Tishan Hsu and Carnegie International associate curator Ryan Inouye on November 3. The event runs from 6:30 to 7:30 pm and is free and open to the public, though registration is required.

Join us for a series of in-person conversation-based readings, artist talks, and performances that position artists in the 58th Carnegie International in conversation with people across disciplines, practice, and geography. Designed to expand the context and experience of the exhibition, these live conversations will ignite the imagination with language, music, histories, cultural reflection, personal narratives, and more. Free, museum admission not required. Registration is encouraged, please register below.

2022 Park Chan-wook film Decision to Leave (헤어질 결심) at Harris Theater, October 28 through November 10.

The 2022 Park Chan-wook film Decision to Leave (헤어질 결심) will play in Pittsburgh from October 28 through November 10.

After gracing us with his presence six years ago with his sumptuous and sexually-charged period thriller, THE HANDMAIDEN, master filmmaker Park Chan-wook returns with one of his most dizzying and riveting cinematic concoctions yet. During its rapturous reception at the Cannes Film Festival this year, where it netted Park the Best Director Award, the film was likened to VERTIGO and BASIC INSTINCT. While neither of those tantalizing comparisons is completely off the mark, they shortchange a work of furious vision and invention that finds one of the world’s greatest filmmakers operating at the top of his powers. Hotshot Busan detective Hae-jun’s latest case finds him staring deep into the eyes of a dead hiker and then up at the vertiginous cliff from which he fell. Was this an accident or was foul play involved? This is the riddle he must unravel when he interrogates the man’s Chinese wife, Seo-rae, a caretaker who doesn’t seem particularly heartbroken by the tragedy. Hae-jun dives headfirst into the case, but as he looks deep into Seo-rae’s eyes for answers, a different truth is beginning to build within him.

It plays locally at the Harris Theater in downtown's Cultural District (map), and tickets are available online. It plays in Korean and Mandarin with English subtitles. It will then play at the Row House Cinema from November 11 through 17.

"John Bingham's Diplomatic Career in Japan," October 25 at Mt. Lebanon Public Library (and online).

The Mt. Lebanon Public Library will host historian Sam Kidder on October 25 to discuss his book Of One Blood All Nations: John Bingham: Ohio Congressman's Diplomatic Career in Meiji Japan (1873-1885) on October 25.

Join us for a lecture and book signing with local historian and linguist Sam Kidder. In his book, Of One Blood All Nations: John Bingham: Ohio Congressman's Diplomatic Career in Meiji Japan (1873-1885), Kidder brings a wealth of experience in Japan to bear on exploring the lesser-known role of Ohio Congressman John Bingham. Best known as the father of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees fundamental rights to all Americans, including those who were formerly enslaved, Bingham was also a key figure in forming the foundational, bilateral ties between the United States and Japan. Though his service occurred from 1873-1885, Bingham remains the longest-serving U.S. chief diplomat in Japan. Kidder’s detailed account of Bingham’s foreign service will be of interest to anyone wanting to know more about early diplomatic and cultural relations between the United States and Japan. Bingham was born and grew up in Mercer, PA and Kidder will discuss his connections to this region. Kidder's book will be available for purchase and signing at the event.

After graduating from Beloit, Kidder served as a Korean linguist in the U.S. Army, then earned his master’s degree in East Asian Studies from Harvard. He did advanced study in Asian history at the University of Washington and as a Fulbright grantee at Yonsei University, Seoul. As a foreign service officer, he had posts in Seoul, Tokyo, and New Delhi, and later served as executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan for eight years. Sam Kidder resides in Mt. Lebanon in Mission Hills.

The event runs from 1:30 to 2:30 pm in Meeting Room A at the Mt. Lebanon Public Library (map); it will also run simultaneously on Zoom. Registration is required and can be completed online.

Soju tasting with Korean film Midnight (미드나이트), November 14 at Row House Cinema.

As part of the upcoming Modern Korean Cinema series, Row House Cinema will host a soju tasting to accompany the November 14 screening of Midnight (미드나이트).

Wi Ha-Jun (star of Squid Game) stars as a brutal serial killer who ruthlessly hunts down a deaf woman through the streets of South Korea after she witnesses his brutal crime in a new thriller that will keep you guessing and leave you breathless.

. . .

Come watch a fantastic new Korean thriller and taste some soju — a Korean liquor made from sweet potatoes or rice. 21+

Tickets are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

1997 Wong Kar-wai film Happy Together (春光乍洩) with ReelQ and City of Asylum on October 26.

The 1997 Wong Kar-wai film Happy Together (春光乍洩), originally supposed to play last week as part of the ReelQ Film Festival, will instead play on October 26 at the City of Asylum's Alphabet City on the North Side and online.

One of the most searing romances of the 1990s, Wong Kar Wai’s emotionally raw, lushly stylized portrait of a relationship in breakdown casts Hong Kong superstars Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing as a couple traveling through Argentina and locked in a turbulent cycle of infatuation and destructive jealousy as they break up, make up, and fall apart again and again.

The show runs from 7:00 to 8:30 pm, both in person at Alphabet City (map) or online. It's free but registration is required.

Object Lesson: Wen-Ying Tsai, November 1 at University of Pittsburgh.

The University of Pittsburgh's University Art Gallery will host a discussion of a piece by Chinese-American artist Wen-Ying Tsai on November 1.

In 1971, the UAG acquired a work by Wen-Ying Tsai, an innovative Chinese-American artist best known for his cybernetic and light sculpture. The work has rarely been exhibited since that time. Join Prof. Alex Taylor and Vuk Vuković, PhD Student, as they take a closer look at Tsai’s work in the UAG collection. They will discuss Tsai’s work and discuss the special challenges of exhibiting and caring for kinetic sculpture.

The talk runs from 12:15 to 1:00 pm. Space is limited and registration is required.

Bunkasai (文化祭) with Pitt's Japanese Student Association, October 29.

The University of Pittsburgh's Japanese Student Assoication will present its annual Bunkasai (文化祭) celebration on October 29.

Pitt JSA's Bunkasai is coming!! This year's event will be on October 29th from 11am - 2pm in the WPU Assembly Room!! Come join us 👻 This year's theme is Yokai/Folklore so get ready for all the spooky things we have in store 😈 Bunkasai will be a fun filled event with booths, performances, games and FREE FOOD 🍣 You do not have to be in JSA to come, or even a Pitt student! Bunkasai will be open to the public, so bring your friends 👹

The Assembly Room is located on the first floor of the William Pitt Union (map).

Modern Korean Cinema film series coming to Row House Cinema, November 11 - 17.

Row House Cinema will present four Korean films as part of a Modern Korean Cinema film series from November 11 to 17: 2021's Midnight (미드나이트), 2016's Train to Busan (부산행), 2022's Decision to Leave (헤어질 결심), and 2022's Alienoid (외계+인 1부). Tickets are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

Slam Poetry with Asia Samson, November 15 at Pitt-Johnstown.

The University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Program Board will present Slam Poetry with Asia Samson on November 15.

Since 2009, The Asia Project has toured over 2000 colleges with an acoustic music poetry act that has amazed audiences all over the country. On the microphone is Asia Samson: writer, poet and part-time ninja. He has been seen on HBO Def Poetry Jam and has shared the stage with such artists as Janelle Monae, Jill Scott, DMX, Mos Def, Dead Prez and KRS-One. Accompanying him on the guitar is his brother-in-law Jollan who uses music to create an atmosphere that brings poetry to emotional levels you would never expect. They have been featured on HBO Def Poetry, Button Poetry, TEDx, NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest, SoFar Sounds, Story Conference, and Entrepreneur’s Organization. They have worked with companies such as the US Military, Nokia, Disney, To Write Love On Her Arms and AEvolve. They have broken college-booking records for the most booked poetry act in the college market garnering them the awards of APCA College Performer of the Year and thrice APCA Spoken Word Artist of the Year.

The event start at 8:00 pm in the Student Union at UPJ, and registration is required.

New Chinese movie Home Coming (万里归途) in Pittsburgh, from October 21.

The 2022 Chinese movie Home Coming (万里归途) will play in Pittsburgh from October 21 through 26.

War broke out in Numia, Dawei Zong (Yi ZHANG), a Chinese diplomat previously stationed in Numia, and Lang Cheng (Junkai WANG), a new attaché in the Chinese Foreign Ministry, are sent to assist in the evacuation of Chinese nationals. Upon completion of the original task, they found out that a group of stranded Chinese led by Hua Bai, the General Manager of Huaxing Company Numia Branch, was heading towards a meeting point at the border for evacuation. Zong and Cheng decided to brave the war zone. The last 100 kilometers of distance saw how these two unarmed diplomats took 125 people through gunfires and desert back home.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, in Mandarin Chinese with English subtitles, and tickets are available online.