Taiwanese Film Festival 2014 at CMU, November 12 and 13.

Carnegie Mellon University will host a Taiwanese Film Festival on November 12 and 13, presented by the Taiwanese Scholars Society and featuring the movies Winds of September (九降風), Monga (艋舺), and Kano: Soul of Baseball. Tickets for Winds of September and Monga are $5 a piece, and comprise the "Taiwan Classical Movies" set on the 12th. LoveHKFilm.com summarizes Winds of September:

Tang is one of seven friends of varying high school years. Collectively, the group is known as a bunch of troublemakers, though some of the gang are worse than others. The charismatic assumed leader is Yen , a handsome playboy whose prim girlfriend Yun has to put up with incessant stories of his infidelity. The problem reaches a tipping point when Yen sleeps with another girl and her angry boyfriend comes calling. Tang is mistaken for Yen and assaulted in his place, and the incident ultimately drives a minor wedge in the group. The situation is exacerbated by the other boys' individual conflicts and issues, and Yen and Tang nearly have a falling out. The two do seem to patch things up, but the cracks in the group's camaraderie begin to worsen. Some boys are pressured to drop the group, while others continue to misbehave, ignoring the damage it may have on their future. Ultimately, the boys' aimlessness results in a tragedy that further drives them apart, revealing the anger, cowardice, fear, jealousy, and helplessness that lives within them.

A South China Morning Post review says of Monga:

Set in Taipei’s once notorious Monga (known officially as Wanhua) neighbourhood in 1986-87, the narrative is part history lesson and part mob tale, but primarily an exploration of the ties that bind a group of sworn brothers.

Tickets for Kano: Soul of Baseball are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. The screening of Kona on the 13th will be accompanied by director Umin Boya. The TSS summarizes the 2014 film:

This movie based on an inspiring Taiwanese history in 1931 when Taiwan was ruled by Japan. A high school in southern Taiwan overcame all the odds and obstacles to form a baseball team. The team presented Taiwan to compete at Japanese High School Baseball Championship at Koshien Stadium. The underdog team advanced to the championship game in the tournament beyond all expectation.

The movies on the 12th will be shown in Doherty Hall 2210 from 6:00 pm, and Kano in University Center McConomy Auditorium from 6 (campus map). Tickets may be purchased in advance online with Paypal; to purchase tickets or to read more about the film festival, visit the event's website.

Pittsburgh Sakura Project Fall Planting Day, November 8.

The Pittsburgh Sakura Project will hold its 5th annual Fall Planting Day on Saturday, November 8, at North Park. As the flyer says, the group plans to plant an additional 12 trees near the Boathouse (map) from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Those interested in participating should RSVP by emailing PittsburghSakuraProject at gmail.com. Equipment will be provided, but work clothes and gloves are recommended.

The Pittsburgh Sakura Project has been planting cherry blossom trees, and other foliage, since 2009:

We plan to plant 250 ornamental cherry trees around the greater Pittsburgh region over a 10-year period, in honor of the 250th anniversary of the founding of Pittsburgh in 1758. Our aim is for lovers of cherry blossoms to enjoy beautiful, mature cherry trees in the Pittsburgh region. The PSP will enable visitors to Allegheny County parks to enjoy the unique scenery of Sakura and strengthen bonds within the local Japanese community by creating a focal point for cultural and personal exchange. By adding the new element of Sakura to existing park scenery, we create a new aesthetic while preserving the woodland scenery, an example of cultural harmony and environmental sustainability for future generations.

"Hidden History: Asians and Pacific Islanders and the Civil War" at IUP, November 3.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania will host author Ruthanne Lum McCunn and her lecture "Hidden History: Asians and Pacific Islanders and the Civil War” on November 3.

She will be talking about her research and writing on Asian American history and, in particular, her recent book Chinese Yankee, which deals with Thomas Sylvanus (Ah Yee Way), a Chinese-American Civil War veteran and Indiana County resident.

The lecture begins at 7:00 pm in room 201 Stapleton Library (map), and is free and open to the public. McCunn will also be giving a talk on this topic Historical and Genealogical Society of Indiana County on November 1 at 1:00 pm.

"The Memory Project and New Voices in Chinese Documentary" at Pitt, October 31 and November 1.

The University of Pittsburgh will host "The Memory Project and New Voices in Chinese Documentary" on October 31 and November 1. The Film Studies Program provides a summary of the touring documentary exhibition:

WU Wenguang, one of the founding figures in Chinese independent documentary, brings three young filmmakers from China to present their collective work, “the Memory Project.” The project is based at Coachangdi Workstation in Beijing. From there, young filmmakers fanned out to return to family villages and their own pasts, real and imagined, to inquire about The Great Famine of 1959-61 — a disaster of whose memories have been actively abandoned by the state. Aiming to create a “folk memory archive,” the project, which combines documentary films, oral history records, and live performances, presents an alternative narrative of Chinese history than the one written in official textbooks. As these young filmmakers search for the distant memory from an old generation that is still living in rural poverty, their encounter with the past reveals as much about the wish for memory as of memory itself and of the interesting role of film in such projects of retrieval.

The Department of English has a schedule for the two-day event. On October 31, two documentaries by Zhang Mengqi will be shown from 7:00 pm: Self-Portrait and Three Women and Self-Portrait: At 47 KM. On November 1, from 1:00 pm: Huamulin, Boy Xiaoqiang and Children's Village. A discussion with the filmmakers and with Pitt faculty members will begin at 4:10. All events will be held in 224 Langley Hall (map), and all are free and open to the public.

Korean Buddhist monk's tour stops in Pittsburgh, October 27.

The Buddhist monk Beop-ryun Sunim (법륜스님) is on another speaking tour of the world, and will be in Pittsburgh on October 27. The Korean-language talk begins at 7:00 pm in the Korean Community Church Rectory at 623 High Street in Sharpsburg (map).

Hot pot place moving into to old Pizza Sola location in Oakland.

Temporary signage just went up at 114 Atwood Street (map) for TOP Shabu-Shabu & Lounge. Until July, the space was home to Pizza Sola.

Four Japanese movies, one Taiwanese, part of 2014 Three Rivers Film Festival in November.

The Three Rivers Film Festival, which runs in Pittsburgh from November 7 through November 22 at nine local theaters, announced its schedule of films today, a lineup that includes five Asian movies, four of which are Japanese: the Hiyao Miyazaki classic Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し); the animated Welcome to the Space Show (宇宙ショーへようこそ) ; the adult comedy R100; and a documentary on Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness (夢と狂気の王国). The Taiwanese-French drama Stray Dogs (郊遊) is included among the roster of foreign-language movies .Schedules are currently available online, and there will be more detailed posts on the movies in the next two weeks.

Angry Asian Man blogger Phil Yu at Pitt, October 25.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Student Alliance will host Phil Yu, the blogger behind Angry Asian Man, on Saturday, October 25. A 2010 KoreAm profile described the site as

the whirling core of the networked Asian American community, the hyperconnected hub where tens of thousands of people dock each day—sometimes hourly—to find out what’s happening in the cultural, media and political landscape of the nation’s most dynamic emerging population.

The event starts at 7:00 pm and is held in the William Pitt Union Ballroom (campus map).

Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania Student Halloween Mixer and movie Dark Water (仄暗い水の底から), October 24.

The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania is hosting a Student Halloween Mixer on Friday, October 24, at Point Park University. The event includes free candy, an introduction to local Japanese-related student groups, a presentation on yōkai, and a screening of the 2002 film Dark Water (仄暗い水の底から)).

The evening runs from 6:00 through 11:00 pm in Lawrence Hall's 2nd floor multipurpose room (map). More information is available on the event's Facebook page.

Documentary Last Days in Vietnam at Harris Theater, from October 24.

The 2014 documentary Last Days in Vietnam will play at the Harris Theater from October 24 through October 30. A synopsis, from the film's official site:

During the chaotic final days of the Vietnam War, the North Vietnamese Army closes in on Saigon as South Vietnamese resistance crumbles. The United States has only a skeleton crew of diplomats and military operatives still in the country. As Communist victory becomes inevitable and the U.S. readies to withdraw, some Americans begin to consider the certain imprisonment and possible death of their South Vietnamese allies, co-workers, and friends. Meanwhile, the prospect of an official evacuation of South Vietnamese becomes terminally delayed by Congressional gridlock and the inexplicably optimistic U.S. Ambassador. With the clock ticking and the city under fire, a number of heroic Americans take matters into their own hands, engaging in unsanctioned and often makeshift operations in a desperate effort to save as many South Vietnamese lives as possible.

A September 4 New York Times review says of the documentary and its filmmaker, Rory Kennedy:

Perhaps the most striking thing about “Last Days in Vietnam,” Rory Kennedy’s eye-opening documentary about the 1975 evacuation of the American Embassy in Saigon, is how calmly it surveys what was once among the angriest topics in American political life. The story is full of emotion and danger, heroism and treachery, but it is told in a mood of rueful retrospect rather than simmering partisan rage.

Showtimes haven't yet been announced. The Harris Theater is located downtown at 809 Liberty Ave. in the Cultural District (map).

1963 Japanese movie Matango (マタンゴ, Attack of the Mushroom People) at Hollywood Theater, October 28.

The Hollywood Theater in Dormont will show the 1963 Japanese movie Matango (マタンゴ) on October 28. An SFX review provides more information about the "anti-drug" tokukatsu movie:

A yachtful of seven disparate characters are stranded on a mysterious island. Making a home in a deserted wreck, they discover that food is scarce, except for the mind-altering mushrooms that cover the island. One by one, they succumb to their hunger, and turn into monsters.

. . .

In the States, Matango was retitled as Attack Of The Mushroom People. Although the “mushroom monsters” that pop up at the end are gloriously silly, that monicker doesn’t really do it justice. With its eerie environments – a fog-shrouded beach of black sand; a gangrenous ghost ship – and its cast of self-serving scumbags, this is a surprisingly bleak, disquieting B-movie.

The show starts at 7:30 pm, and tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students. There will be food and drink:

Mushroom delicacies will be served by Wild Purveyors, and Night of the Living Stout beer served by Full Pint Brewery. Doors open at 6:30pm.

The theater is located at 1449 Potomac Ave. in Dormont, and is accessible by Pittsburgh's subway/LRT at a block south of Potomac Station.

Pink Box Bakery coming to Oakland.

Someone recently told me Pink Box Bakery Café was planning on opening an Oakland location. Turns out they've been saying this since June. The Taiwanese-owned "Asian-European fusion bakery" that opened in Squirrel Hill on July 7 will open a second location at 4527 Winthrop St. in Oakland (map) later this year or early next. The new store is behind KBox, Pittsburgh's Asian karaoke / K-box / 노래방 spot.

Xinjiang Food by Northwest Chinese Pop-Up Restaurant, October 18 in Bloomfield.

The next Northwest Chinese Pop-Up Restaurant event, "Xinjiang Food", is Saturday, October 18 at Sonny's Tavern in Bloomfield (map). The person slash group Northwest Chinese Pop-Up Restaurant exists to "strive to bring Northwestern Chinese culture to Pittsburgh through its authentic food, arts, music and crafts".

Nakama voted Best Japanese, Best Sushi in Pittsburgh by City-Paper readers again.

Nakama Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar was voted by Pittsburgh City-Paper readers as both the Best Japanese and Best Sushi restaurant in the city in the 2014 "Best of Pittsburgh" poll. On its claim to the Best Japanese spot:

There is no better spot to watch the South Side careen by than from a window seat at Nakama. Add to the experience freshly prepared sushi; an extensive selection of appetizers; steak and fish entrees; and perhaps a signature martini or draft beer, and it's no wonder this spot is popular every night of the week.

Nakama was the top vote-getter in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2013 as well. Umi and Little Tokyo came in second and third place, respectively, in the Best Japanese category, and Umi and Penn Ave. Fish Company placed second and third in the Best Sushi category. Japanese restaurants popular with Japanese residents and with those who know Japanese food---Chaya, Kiku, Teppanyaki Kyoto, and the recently-closed Fukuda---did not place.

Dr. Shinil Kim and "Achievement and Issues of Korean Education" at Pitt, October 23.

University of Pittsburgh alumnus Dr. Shinil Kim will speak at Pitt's School of Education on October 23 on "Achievements and Issues of Korean Education".

Korea is recognized internationally as having made strong advancements in education. The country is often given high rankins in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), has the highest enrollment rates in secondary and tertiary education, and contributing to the overall economic development of education, among other achievements. Nonetheless, there are still difficult education issues on education that Korean society has to tackle wisely. Shinil Kim's presentation at the School of Education will review the development as well as some of these issues within Korean education.

The talk will be held in 5604 Posvar Hall from 2:10 to 3:15. Registration is required and can be done through October 20 by emailing sks at pitt.edu.

Dr. Kim, a former Korean minister of education and longtime professor at one of Korea's top universities, earned a Ph.D. from Pitt in 1978, writing his dissertation on "A Cross-National Analysis of the Determinants of Public Efforts in Education". He was awarded a University of Pittsburgh 225th Anniversary Medallion in 2013 as a distinguished alumnus.


Fourth from left, Via 동아일보.

Taiwanese film Touch of the Light at ReelAbilities Film Festival, October 26.

The Taiwanese film Touch of the Light is one of four movies comprising the ReelAbilities Film Festival this month, and will be playing at Bakery Square on October 26.

When a young, gifted pianist who is blind, arrives from his rural village to the city to attend university, he struggles to fit in with his classmates. But, then he meets Jie, a young woman striving to realize her dreams of becoming a dancer. The two take comfort in their new-found friendship. Based on the true life story of Huang Yu-Siang, who stars as himself, Touch of the Light celebrates the triumphs of those who dare to dream.

The movie plays at the Human Engineering Research Laboratories in Bakery Square (map) and starts at 1:00 pm. Tickets are $5 for students or $10 for general admission, and are available online.

Ningbo Yong Opera Troupe at Penn State Greater Allegheny campus, October 13.

Pittsburgh's Silk Screen Arts and Cultural Organization tells us about a free performance Monday evening by the Ningbo Yong Opera Troupe at Penn State Greater Allegheny campus. From a Penn State news item:

The 27 member troupe from Ningbo Performance & Arts Group is traveling to the U.S. from Ningbo, China. The group is planning an approximately 1.5 hour performance, which will include parts from "Andi," adapted from Eugene O’Neill’s Pulitzer-winning "Anna Christie" as well as highlights from a few other plays.

The Ningbo opera originated from the countryside of Zhejiang Province. As one of the most important local operas, it is widely popular in Ningbo, Zhoushan, Taizhou and Shanghai. With a wide repertoire featuring traditional Chinese opera and interpretations of modern works, the Ningbo Yong Opera Troupe has performed in France, Germany, Saudi Arabia and the United States, among other countries.

The group’s recent performance of “The Red Dress” at New York City’s Lincoln Center won the 11th National Spiritual Civilization Five Top Project Prize and the Excellent Repertoire Award of the Seventh China Dance Lotus Award.

The show starts at 7 pm in the Wunderly Gymnasium (campus map). The Penn State branch campus is located in McKeesport, roughly 16 miles southeast of Pittsburgh (map).

"CHINA Town Hall: Local Connections, National Reflections" at Pitt, October 16.

The University of Pittsburgh will host a presentation on coal energy in China and a webcast by former President of the United States Jimmy Carter for its "CHINA Town Hall: Local Connections, National Reflections" on October 16. From the University Center for International Studies:

The National Committee on U.S.-China Relations in collaboration with The Carter Center is conducting the eighth annual CHINA Town Hall: Local Connections, National Reflections program at more than 70 locations nationwide featuring a live webcast and Q&A with former U.S. President Jimmy Carter on October 16, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. President Carter’s discussion and responses to questions submitted by the nationwide audience will be moderated by National Committee President Stephen Orlins.

In addition to the national portion of the program, each venue will have a prominent China specialist on site to address topics of interest to the local community, including economics and trade, energy and the environment, security and other issues. Pittsburgh’s China specialist will be Ailun Yang of the World Resources Institute, speaking on “Coal and Sustainability in China—What’s the Future?”

The event runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map) and is free and open to the public.

"Rubber Duck Project" in Seoul from October 14.

A familiar face will be in Seoul next week. The Florentijn Hofman installation that captivated Pittsburgh last fall will be in Seoul's Seokchon Lake, outside of Lotte World, from October 14.

Tibetan Chant Ceremony at Heinz Chapel, October 14.

Heinz Chapel will host the monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery to perform the Medicine Buddha Puja on October 14. The chant begins at 7:00 pm and there is a suggested, but not required, donation of $10.

"Split Lives: Korean-Chinese Transnational Bodies and Time" lecture at Pitt, October 17.

June Hee Kwon, the newly-arrived Korea-Japan Postdoctoral Fellow in the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Anthropology, will present "Split Lives: Korean-Chinese Transnational Bodies and Time" on October 17, as part of a regular Brown Bag Lecture Series. A summary, via the University Center for International Studies:

This talk examines the transnational temporality—back and forth—created by the combined effects of visa regulations, the characteristics of transnational labor, and transnational female working bodies. On the basis of ethnographic research on Korean Chinese migrant workers moving between China and Korea, I highlight the spatial division created by this repetitive migration: Korea is a place for making money, whereas China is a place for spending money; Korea is a place for working (productive labor), China is a place for resting (reproductive labor). Under this split in spatial practices, I argue, migrants have internalized a rhythm—a back and forth—that serves as a governing force on the laboring body, thereby making care for the body more difficult, and prolonging its exploitation in intensive labor.

Her 2013 dissertation on the topic, Mobile Ethnicity: The Formation of the Korean Chinese Transnational Migrant Class, is available online to those with access to the University of Pittsburgh Library System.

The talk runs from 12:00 to 1:00 pm in 4217 Posvar Hall (map), and is free and open to the public.