Free screening of 2024 Japanese horror film Missing Child Videotape (ミッシング・チャイルド・ビデオテープ), September 23, part of SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival.

SCREENSHOT: Asia will present a free screening of the 2024 Japanese horror film Missing Child Videotape (ミッシング・チャイルド・ビデオテープ) on September 23, part of this year's SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival around the city of Pittsburgh.

In the feature film debut of director Kondo Ryota, winner of the Grand Prize at the Japan Horror Film Competition, and produced by legendary J-Horror director, Shimizu Takashi, this film’s quiet horror allows viewers to experience slow-burning dread trapped in the coarse image of a VHS tape. One day, Keita (Rairu Sugita) unexpectedly receives an old videotape from his mother. As the tape plays, the grainy images reveal the moment of his brother’s mysterious disappearance years earlier forcing Keita to reckon with a past he has long tried to forget. As unforgettable and ghastly as this revelation might be, Keita decides to confront the incident once more and retrace the past, heading to the ruins of a mountain that should never have existed.

Tickets are free but registration is required. The 7:00 pm screening will be held at Kelly Strayhorn Theater's Alloy Studios in East Liberty (map).

Concert film BTS 2016 Live The Most Beautiful Moment in Life On Stage: Epilogue Remastered in Pittsburgh, September 24 and 28, part of BTS film series.

The concert film BTS 2016 Live The Most Beautiful Moment in Life On Stage: Epilogue Remastered will play in Pittsburgh on September 24 and 28, the first in a series of BTS concert films playing in Pittsburgh-area theater this fall.

The grand finale of “The Most Beautiful Moment in Life” series by BTS, where the story of youth shines brightest— it’s . From the lingering tenderness of “Autumn Leaves” and “Butterfly” to the explosive performances of “FIRE,” “Save ME,” and “EPILOGUE: Young Forever,” the story of youth that defined BTS as we know today, is vividly brought to life on screen!

It is scheduled to play locally at the Cinemark theaters in McCandless, Monroeville, and Robinson, and tickets are available online.

4K remaster of 2005 Japanese film Linda Linda Linda (リンダ リンダ リンダ) in Pittsburgh, September 27.

The 2005 Japanese film Linda Linda Linda (リンダ リンダ リンダ) will play in PIttsburgh on September 27, part of the Harris Theater's International Art House Classics series.

A cult favorite and a hidden gem of Japanese cinema, Linda Linda Linda returns in a stunning 4K remaster to celebrate its 20th anniversary!

In a quiet provincial town, a high school festival is just days away when an unexpected setback threatens a student rock band’s performance. The group’s guitarist suffers a finger injury, and tensions within the band lead to their vocalist quitting. Left in disarray, the remaining three members—Kei (Yu Kashii), Kyoko (Aki Maeda), and Nozomi (Shiori Sekine)—find themselves at a crossroads. On a whim, they invite Son (Bae Doona), a Korean exchange student with little musical experience, to take on the role of lead singer. Together, they form a makeshift cover band dedicated to performing Linda Linda by The Blue Hearts. As they rehearse tirelessly in the days leading up to the festival’s grand finale, their journey becomes one of unexpected friendships, quiet perseverance, and the exhilarating spirit of youth. Featuring music by James Iha (The Smashing Pumpkins).

Tickets for the 2:00 pm show are available online. The Harris Theater is located at 809 Liberty Ave. in downtown's Cultural District (map).

Pom Poko (平成狸合戦ぽんぽこ), Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓), Only Yesterday (おもひでぽろぽろ), and The Tale of Princess Kaguya (かぐや姫の物語) at Row House Cinema for Takahata Week, from September 26.

The Row House Cinema in Lawrenceville will present four Japanese animated films in "a celebration of Isao Takahata – one of Japan’s greatest directors/screenwriters" from September 26 through October 2. Pom Poko (平成狸合戦ぽんぽこ), Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓), Only Yesterday (おもひでぽろぽろ), and The Tale of Princess Kaguya (かぐや姫の物語) will comprise this fall's Takahata Week. Special evens for this week consist of "Tissues with Grave of the Fireflies on September 27th and a one-evening-only showing of The Tale of Princess Kaguya on October 2. Tickets are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler St. (map).

“Against the Odds: The Professional Struggles of U.S. K–12 Chinese Teachers in a Constrained System," September 24 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures will host “Against the Odds: The Professional Struggles of U.S. K–12 Chinese Teachers in a Constrained System” on September 24 as its first colloquium of the year.

Dr. [Yi] Xu will share insights from her study of over 200 Chinese language educators across the U.S., exploring the systemic and professional challenges they face and offering recommendations for support.

The talk runs from 12:00 to 1:00 pm in 501 Cathedral of Learning.

Took Took 98 in Squirrel Hill closed by health department after damning inspection.

Took Took 98 in Squirrel Hill has been ordered closed by the Allegheny County Health Department after an inspection that revealed damning, and disgusting, food safety and cleanliness violations. The list of violations include dead rodents in the basement; rodent droppings in rice; the phrase "too many rodent droppings to count" throughout many places and surfaces in the kitchen; cross contamination and improper holding temperatures; and, among others:

During rodent dropping clean-up, employee observed placing finger of gloved hand in mouth. Inspector observed employee cleaning up rodent dropping wearing the same gloves immediately before observing contact with mouth. Inspector ordered employee to change gloves and wash hands. Gloves not changed. Inspector ordered person-in-charge to order employee to remove gloves and wash hands

Umai Thai & Sushi to soft open today in Bellevue.

Umai Thai & Sushi will hold its soft opening today in Bellevue from 4:00 pm. It is located at 172 Lincoln Ave (map), in the spot occupied by Thai Tamarind until it relocated to 513 Lincoln Ave., a few blocks away, and rebranded as Thai Tamarind Noodle & Rice in June. A menu is available online for the restaurant, which draws its name from a Japanese word meaning delicious, and offers a variety of Thai entrees and sushi platters, plus bento boxes, soups, rolls, poke, ramen, and many other Asian dishes.

2024 film Blue Sun Palace (蓝色太阳宫) in Pittsburgh September 21, part of 2025 SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival.

The 2024 film Blue Sun Palace (蓝色太阳宫) will play in Pittsburgh on September 21 as part of the 2025 SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival.

In Blue Sun Palace’s Chinese-speaking Queens, Cheung is a migrant laborer and Didi works at a massage parlor with other Chinese immigrants. Among them is Amy (Ke-Xi Wu), a gifted cook who dreams of opening her own restaurant. When Didi is tragically killed, Cheung and Amy form an unexpected bond as they navigate their grief and search for connection. Blue Sun Palace offers a quiet, realistic portrayal of immigrant life in New York, where English is rarely spoken and interactions with non-immigrant Americans are largely commodified. While there are daily indignities foisted upon the immigrants, Blue Sun Palace is no misery showcase. Intimacy and warmth co-exist with economic anxieties and deep grief that are articulated with uncommon intelligence and understanding of how adults endure any given day. Director Constance Tsang gives us confident direction in her debut feature, bringing a fresh exploration to how American newcomers might find comfort and solace in one another in an otherwise alienating land.

Content warning: Violence, sexual scenarios

Tickets are free to everyone with a PITT ID, $5 for all other students, and $11 for General Admission. To purchase or reserve tickets, click buy now on the front page next to the film, or click here.

The movie plays in room 343 Alumni Hall on the University of Pittsburgh campus (map) from 1:30 pm and tickets are available online.

Honghong Tinn and "Island Tinkerers: Innovation and Transformation in the Making of Taiwan's Computing Industry," October 6 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Honghong Tinn and her talk "Island Tinkerers: Innovation and Transformation in the Making of Taiwan's Computing Industry" on October 6.

In this seminar, Honghong Tinn will introduce her new, open access book Island Tinkerers: Innovation and Transformation in the Making of Taiwan’s Computing Industry (MIT Press, 2025). Tinn's book tells the critical history of how hobbyists and enthusiasts in Taiwan, including engineers, technologists, technocrats, computer users, and engineers-turned-entrepreneurs, helped transform the country with their hands-on engagement with computers. It was through their creative and ingenious tinkering with computers that they were able to gain a better understanding of the technology, opening the door to future manufacturing endeavors that now include Acer, Foxconn, Asus, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).

The talk runs from 2:00 to 4:00 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map) and is free and open to the public.

Fujiya Ramen shares designs of new location coming to North Fayette.

On Sunday, Fujiya Ramen shared some renderings of its second location. As reported in July, Fujiya plans to open a new spot at 210 McHolme Dr. (map) in Robinson township, in the storefront most recently occupied by Sushi Atarashi's revolving sushi place last year.