Operation Mekong (湄公河行动) at Pitt, September 22.

Pitt's Chinese Language & Culture Club will show the 2016 movie Operation Mekong (湄公河行动) on September 22.

Mother (마더), Okja, and The Host (괴물) at Row House Cinema's Bong Joon-ho film series in November.

The Row House Cinema presents its first film series by a Korean filmmaker, with 2009's Mother (마더), the 2017 Netflix release Okja, and 2006's hit The Host (괴물) comprising a Bong Joon-ho film series from November 3 through 9. Tickets and showtime information have not yet been announced. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

"Mandarin Chat Time: What's Your Name" at Carnegie Library West End branch, September 22.

The West End branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will hold three "Mandarin Chat Time" Chinese language and culture lessons on three consecutive Fridays starting September 22. The first lesson is "What's Your Name":

We hope you can join us for the first of three Chinese cultural programs at CLP-West End! Our first event will introduce patrons to basic, everyday Chinese greetings and we will learn the meanings of people’s Chinese names. Each attendee will learn what their name is in Chinese based, of course, on their original name.

2016 Hong Kong movie Sisterhood (骨妹) at ReelQ Pittsburgh LGBT Film Festival, October 19.

The 2016 Hong Kong movie Sisterhood (骨妹) will play in Pittsburgh at the 32nd annual ReelQ Pittsburgh LGBT Film Festival on October 19. A South China Morning Post review summarizes the film:

Fifteen years after she moved to Taiwan to marry a hostel owner, Macau-raised orphan Sei (Gigi Leung Wing-kei) remains haunted by her abrupt breakup with best friend Ling around the turn of the millennium. When news of Ling’s death arrives, Sei, now a chronic alcoholic, finally decides to travel back to her hometown and piece together their intimate past together in the late 1990s.

The movie will play at 7:30 pm at the Harris Theater in the downtown Cultural District (map). Tickets are available online at $9 for adults and $6 for students.

Silk Screen Festival selections from Taiwan, Japan, China free at University of Pittsburgh for Pitt students, September 17 - 23.

Pitt students with a valid student ID card can watch several of the Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival selections for free when they screen at the Frick Fine Arts Building in Oakland (map). These include:

• Taipei Story (青梅竹馬) - September 17, 2:00 pm
• Himeanole (ヒメアノ～ル) - September 19, 8:00 pm
• Harmonium (淵に立つ) - September 21, 8:00 pm
• Close-Knit (彼らが本気で編むときは) - September 22, 8:00 pm
• Old Stone (老石) - September 23, 7:00 pm

Selections from India, Iran, and Pakistan are also playing at Frick Fine Arts and are free to Pitt students.

Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise (王立宇宙軍 オネアミスの翼), Boy and the Beast (バケモノの子) to round out Row House CInema's next anime series.

In August the Row House Cinema announced Tokyo Godfathers (東京ゴッドファーザーズ) and 2017's Napping Princess (ひるね姫 〜知らないワタシの物語〜 ) as two films in its upcoming anime series; it recently announced the final two: 1987's The Wings of Honnêamise (王立宇宙軍 オネアミスの翼) and 2015's Boy and the Beast (バケモノの子). The series will run from September 29 through October 5, though tickets and showtime information is not yet available. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

Pittsburgh Pirates interested in Japanese star Shohei Otani.

Via Japan Times.

The latest reports have Japanese pitcher Shohei Otani (大谷 翔平) leaving Japan after this season and joining a Major League team in 2018, with Pittsburgh able to offer him one of the largest initial signing bonuses. Pittsburgh was one of 13 teams scouting Otani in August, according to Ken Rosenthal.

Pittsburgh has had three Japanese players on its roster before---39-year-old pitcher Masumi Kuwata in 2007, infielder Akinori Iwamura in 2010, and relief pitcher Hisanori Takahashi in 2012---but has never signed a young Japanese player in the peak of his career.

Real estate company hiring Chinese-speaking site manager.

Aishel Real Estate is hiring a Mandarin-speaking site manager.

Job Description

- Manage all aspects of the leasing process including marketing, establishing initial contact with prospective tenants, scheduling appointments, processing applications, ensuring accurate preparation and completion of closing documents including lease agreements, ensuring move-in procedures are followed including collection of security deposits and first month’s rent.

- Responsible for ongoing resident relations, including addressing current resident requests, handling notices, collections, court filings, evictions.

WholeRen (美国厚仁教育集团) hiring Chinese-speaking video editor.

Pittsburgh-based Chinese education consulting and placement firm WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) is hiring a Chinese-speaking video editor for a part-time position.

"Camp Konnichiwa" at Carnegie Library in Oakland, September 16, 23, and 30.

"Camp Konnichiwa" will return to the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's Oakland branch this month for the next three Saturdays.

Konnichiwa is a popular greeting in Japanese. Children will learn some words and songs in the Japanese language during this three-week program.

Each free session is thirty minutes long, from 11:30 am to 12:00 noon. It is presented by Miki Inokuchi of Japanese language assistant teacher at Shaler Area High school, Jayme Whaley of Japanese program volunteer facilitator at the Carnegie library East Liberty branch and many volunteers. The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh-Main is located at 4400 Forbes Ave. in Oakland.

Each session meets in the Children's room and is free and open to the public. The library is located at 4400 Forbes Ave. in Oakland (map) and is accessible by buses 28X, 54, 61C, 61D, 67, 69, 71A, 71B, 71C, 71D, and 93.

Taolu For Tots fundraiser for Children's Hospital, September 30 and October 1 at Pitt.

The Pitt Wushu club will host Taolu For Tots, a fundraiser for Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, on September 30 and October 1 at the University of Pittsburgh's William Pitt Union.

Have you always wanted to try wushu, but never seemed to have the time? Afraid that your inflexibility will keep you from being a Kung fu master? Want to do something fun for the whole club?

Never fear! Pitt Wushu is hosting TAOLU FOR TOTS, a joint charity workshop for which the entry "fee" is a donation to the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh: a new, unused stuffed animal or children's toy. The team that brings the most donations wins a special prize!

Bring your student organization for a fun day of Chinese martial arts, team-bonding, and all for a great cause.

Workshops include taichi, Drunken Fist, and other super fun things! Come for Saturday morning, afternoon, or Sunday-- or come for as many as you can make!

The required registration is done online.

City of Pittsburgh to engage and inform Chinese-speaking residents (among others) through new Multicultural Liaison Unit.

The City of Pittsburgh announced Monday it will launch a Multicultural Liaison Unit

to help build trustworthy and sustainable relationships between Department of Public Safety workers and members of the city's immigrant and refugee communities.

The unit will translate police, fire and medic materials into several foreign languages, hold educational events for immigrant communities, and provide multicultural training for Public Safety recruits.

One of the five foreign languages identified is Chinese. The new unit will focus on three areas: Communication and Language Access, Outreach and Education, and Multicultural Trainings.

The full press release is available at the City of Pittsburgh's website.

2017 Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival, September 16 through 24.

The 2017 Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival will run from September 16 through 24 at several Pittsburgh-area theaters. This year's iteration includes selections from Japan, Korea, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, and Philippines.

2016 Japanese animated movie A Silent Voice (聲の形) in Pittsburgh, October 22.

The 2016 Japanese animated movie A Silent Voice (聲の形) will play at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont on October 22. A synopsis of the film, opening in the US on October 20, from the distributor:

A deaf elementary school girl, Shoko Nishimiya, upon transferring, meets a boy named Shoya Ishida in her new class. Shoya, who is not deaf, leads the class in bullying Shoko, because she is deaf. As the bullying continues, the class starts to bully Shoya for bullying Shoko. After graduating from elementary school, Shoko and Shoya do not speak to each other… until later, when Shoya, tormented over his past, decides he must see Shoko once more. Shoya wants to make amends for what he did in elementary school and be Shoko’s friend.

The movie will play at 2:00 pm and tickets are currently available online. The theater is located at 1449 Potomac Ave. in Dormont (map), and is accessible by Pittsburgh's subway/LRT at a block south of Potomac Station.

Pitt still hiring Assistant Instructor of Korean.

The University of Pittsburgh reposted for a second time its job ad for an Assistant Instructor of Korean.

English/Korean Language Social Hour September 13 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center and the English Language Institute will present an English/Korean Language Social Hour on September 13, as a way to bring together Korean ESL students and Pitt students learning Korean. It runs from 12:00 to 1:00 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map), and will feature ELI students from Chosun University (조선대학교) in Gwangju, South Korea. Refreshments will be provided, and the Social Hour is free and open to the public.

"A Covert History of Communications in the Sino-Japanese War, 1894-1895", September 15 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Dr. Jenny Huangfu Day and her talk "A Covert History of Communications in the Sino-Japanese War, 1894-1895" on September 15.

This paper is part of a larger project aimed at re-examining the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 from the perspectives of cultural history and the history of communication. It looks at how the war itself enabled new patterns of mobilization and socialization around new information technology, political discourse and provincial agents.

The talk starts at 3:00 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map) and is free and open to the public.

Zen's Noodle House opens in Oakland after three years of construction.

After three years of construction and delays, Zen's Noodle House has finally opened at 3531 Forbes Ave. in Oakland (map).

"Coming Soon" signage for Asian Noodle Bar first went up in November 2014. Last last month a "Japanese Ramen" sign replaced the "Hand Drawn Noodle" one atop what was most recently Pittsburgh Pretzel Sandwich Shop, but what was for over five decades a Chinese restaurant (and a favorite hangout of Dr. Jonas Salk).


November 2016 and November 2014.

1979 Hayao Miyazaki film Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (ルパン三世 カリオストロの城) in Pittsburgh area, September 14 and 19.

Hayao Miyazaki's 1979 directoral debut, Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (ルパン三世 カリオストロの城), will play at Pittsburgh area Cinemark theaters on September 14 and 19. A synopsis, from the distributor:

Hayao Miyazaki’s directorial debut film, LUPIN THE 3RD: THE CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO is coming to U.S. cinemas nationwide for the first time ever this September for a special two-day event. Lupin and Jigen successfully rob a casino of millions, but only to find that the money is counterfeit. Lupin notices how well the money is forged and decides to make his next target the possible source of the forgery, Cagliostro. They enter the country and run into a car chase between a group of men after a girl in a wedding dress. Lupin, who loves girls, decides to abruptly make a detour to assist the bride in her escape. They successfully outrun the men but have an accident. Lupin goes unconscious but wakes up to find a ring with the royal crest of Cagliostro in a white glove from the bride.

This exciting two-night event also features never before seen special footage with creator comments.

The movie is set to play at the Cinemark theaters in Monaca, Monroeville, North Hills, and Pittsburgh Mills. Tickets for the September 14 English-dubbed shows are available online, as are tickets for the September 19 English-subtitled screenings (to find times and tickets be sure to enter the theater's location or zip code in the top-right corner).

Chinese woman in Pittsburgh since 1996 fears deportation: "I don’t think I’m one of the priorities they should be looking to deport."

WTAE ran a story yesterday on Fan Ding, a Chinese woman who has lived in Pittsburgh since 1996 but now fears deportation due to the impending repeal of Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Ding came to Pittsburgh at age 12 for medical treatment at UPMC, graduated from Scheneley High School in 2003 and earned an MBA from Duquesne University in 2014.

“I was having complications. I had a bone infection. I was literally dying. So the only way for my parents to save me was to try to contact the UPMC doctor here," Ding said.

After her story was featured in a newspaper article that caught the attention of then President Bill Clinton, he wrote her a letter of support.

That letter combined with an invitation to Pittsburgh from a doctor at UPMC allowed Ding and her father to obtain B2 visitor visas from the embassy.

Duolingo launches Korean for English Speakers course today.

Pittsburgh-based Duolingo has launched a Korean for English Speakers course today, according to its website.