Japanese-American film Oh Lucy! in Pittsburgh, from June 15.

Pittsburgh Filmmakers announced today that the 2017 Japanese-American film Oh Lucy! will play in Pittsburgh from June 15 through July 5. A Variety review summarizes the film, starring Shinobu Terajima and Josh Hartnett.

Set in some of the least picturesque corners of Tokyo, “Oh Lucy!” is a character study about a character rarely seen on film: a quietly miserable, single, middle-aged Japanese wage-slave. Setsuko (Shinobu Terajima) is a woman with few obvious qualities, and even fewer opportunities, friends, lovers, or interests. A withdrawn, chain-smoking loner in an office culture built on forced displays of camaraderie, her workday begins when she witnesses a suicide on the subway, and continues as she watches an aging employee on the verge of retirement soak up the condescending affection of her coworkers, all of whom are quick to make fun of her once she leaves the room. The subway jumper, the lonely old pensioner – it’s clear that Setsuko sees these as her two most likely options.

Masaaki Yuasa animated film Lu Over The Wall (夜明け告げるルーのうた) in Pittsburgh, May 11.

The 2017 Japanese animated movie Lu Over The Wall (夜明け告げるルーのうた) will open across the US on May 11, and will play locally throughout the week at the AMC Loews Waterfront. The distributor provides a summary of the Masaaaki Yuasa film:

From visionary anime auteur Masaaki Yuasa comes a joyously hallucinogenic but family-friendly take on the classic fairy tale about a little mermaid who comes ashore to join a middle-school rock band and propel them to fame. Kai is talented but adrift, spending his days sulking in a small fishing village after his family moves from Tokyo. His only joy is uploading songs he writes to the internet. When his classmates invite him to play keyboard in their band, their practice sessions bring an unexpected guest: Lu, a young mermaid whose fins turn to feet when she hears the beats, and whose singing causes humans to compulsively dance – whether they want to or not.

As Kai spends more time with Lu, he finds he is able to tell her what he is really thinking, and a bond begins to form. But since ancient times, the people in the village have believed that mermaids bring disaster and soon there is trouble between Lu and the townspeople, putting the town in grave danger. Winner of the Grand Prize at the prestigious Annecy Animation Festival and an official selection of Sundance 2018, Lu Over the Wall is a toe-tapping, feel-good demonstration of Yuasa’s genre-mixing mastery that will leave you humming long after you leave the theater.

The film opened in Japan on May 19, 2017. Tickets are available online via Fandango. The theater is located at 300 West Waterfront Dr. in the Waterfront shopping complex in Homestead (map), across the Monongahela River from Greenfield, Squirrel Hill, and the rest of Pittsburgh.

Bilingual Korean-English interpreter and driver needed for "VIP client" (knowledge of baseball a plus).

via MLB.com.

An interesting opening for a bilingual Korean-English interpreter for a "VIP client."

Bilingual personal assistant/driver to a VIP client.

Fluent in both Korean and English.

Knowledge in baseball is a plus.

Able to travel with VIP client.

Job Type: Full-time

As was reported last week, Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Jung-ho Kang was recently granted a US visa and is set to return to the team.

2018 film A or B (幕后玩家) in Pittsburgh, from May 4.

The new Chinese movie A or B (幕后玩家) will play at the AMC Loews Waterfront from May 4. The distributor provides a summary:

A young business elite Xiaonian Zhong, was imprisoned in a house! Everyday, a mysterious man will reveal one of his darkest secrets to the world. At the same time, his wife, friends and business partners were all been dragged into this incident one after another. Being imprisoned, how will Zhong combat this challenging situation? How will he escape from the house and fight the mysterious man and complete the salvation?

The movie opened in China on April 28. Tickets are available online via Fandango. The theater is located at 300 West Waterfront Dr. in the Waterfront shopping complex in Homestead (map), across the Monongahela River from Greenfield, Squirrel Hill, and the rest of Pittsburgh.

Sushi Fuku coming soon to UPMC Presby.

Sushi Fuku will open its third location in UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Oakland. According to the Allegheny County Health Department, the new Sushi Fuku was newly-permitted in April, and the sign outside the new location says "Coming in 2 Weeks." It will open on the 11th floor next to the cafeteria.

Yeek at Smiling Moose, June 20.

via @imyeek.

Rapper/musician/artist Yeek will play at Smiling Moose on June 20th as part of this year's tour. He describes his music to Konbini:

I would probably describe my style as 'imaginative'. My main influences come from cartoon style illustrations, funk music, & the 90s hip-hop culture & 90s hardcore American punk culture. I would have to say the major difference between LA & Florida is that the people are meaner in Florida & that helped me grow as person. I was born in Jersey City, raised in Florida."

And talks to Vice of being pigeon-holed as an Asian or Asian-American artist:

I feel like we've grown as a creative community to not base things off skin color or ethnicity but to base things off the work. It's rare that someone says to me, "Oh, you're like an Asian singer" or "You're like an Asian rapper." They are like, "Oh, he's a dope artist." I feel like with rapping and singing those are just other instruments like the drums or keyboard that I know how to play. Yeah, it is true that Asians are often behind the scenes of the mainstream but I feel like now is the time to change that perception.

Tickets are $10 - $12 and doors open at 6:00 pm. Smiling Moose is located at 1306 E. Carson St. in the Southside (map).

Crash Course: The Arts and Culture of Japan, at the Carnegie Museum of Art in June.

Nihonbashi (日本橋)

The Carnegie Museum of Art will hold weekly "Crash Course: The Arts and Culture of Japan" lessons in June to coincide with the Hiroshige’s Tōkaidō Road exhibition.

Celebrate the rare showing of Hiroshige's Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido Road with a deep dive into the development and pervasive influence of Japanese art.

The arts of Japan have long captivated artists, designers, architects, and other creative thinkers and makers around the world and over time. People from all walks of life have enjoyed Japanese-inspired objects and motifs throughout their homes.

But why are the arts from Japan so compelling and why do they continue to fascinate us today? Starting with the woodblock prints of master printmaker Utagawa (Andō) Hiroshige, travel backwards and forwards to more fully understand the development of art forms considered to be unique to Japan. Explore China’s early influences on aesthetics and styles, Japan’s interest in harmony and nature, and the impact of trade with the West in the 19th century.

The class meets on the four Wednesdays in June; morning and evening sessions are available. The cost is $48 for students, $72 for museum members, and $88 for non-members. 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.

WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) hiring Chinese-speaking sales consultant (销售顾问).

Pittsburgh-based Chinese education consulting and placement firm WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) has announced an opening for a Chinese-speaking sales consultant (销售顾问).

公司简介: 美国厚仁教育集团是总部在匹兹堡的全美综合性留学成功的服务机构,主营业务集美国初/高中留学申请和转学、美国寄宿家庭服务、美国本科/研究生申请和转学、前50 美国名校保录、紧急学术应对、学术辅导、微留学、360°后续成长支持、背景提升和职业规划 等于一体。从 2010 年创立以来,发展迅速,拥有AIRC,CSIET 认证,在北京,洛杉矶,旧金山,西雅图,东兰辛有办公室。受到学生,家长,美国主流教育界,主流媒体的 认可和尊重,多次被 CCTV1,华尔街时报,中国青年报,南方周末,CNN,禁用词语等主流媒体报道。欢迎你的加入! 岗位:销售助理

WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) hiring Chinese-speaking Student Management Services Advisor.

Pittsburgh-based Chinese education consulting and placement firm WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) has announced an opening for a Chinese-speaking Student Management Services Advisor.

Candidate will play a crucial role in shaping the global leaders of tomorrow while working to collaborate with a team at AHS to deliver exceptional American Chinese exchange programs. The Student Services Management Coordinator works closely with Chinese applicants and natural parents throughout their program to ensure that they have completed application materials and are well prepared to succeed while on the program. The coordinator is expected to cooperate with the AHS Team to develop new processes to achieve efficiencies and provide superior customer service to our students and their parents.

2018 Korean Food Bazaar (제23회 선교바자회), May 5 in Shadyside.

Look for the 2018 Korean Central Church of Pittsburgh Korean Food Bazaar (제23회 선교바자회) on Saturday, May 5, from 10:30 to 4:00 pm. The highly-anticipated annual Korean food festival is in its 23rd year, and is held at 821 S. Aiken Ave. in Shadyside (map).

Children's Day (こどもの日) at Carnegie Museum of Art, May 5.

"Children's Day Japan" (Creative Commons).

The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania will host a Children's Day (こどもの日,kodomo-no hi celebration on Saturday, May 5 at the Carnegie Museum of Art.

Celebrate the children in your life by attending Kodomo no hi—Children’s Day—at CMOA!

The art and culture of Japan awaits your entire family inspired by this Japanese national holiday and our exhibition Hiroshige’s Tōkaidō Road. Learn about the traditions associated with celebrating the strength, happiness, and good fortune of children on this special day. Make flags decorated with spirited koi fish (carp), listen to Japanese folk tales and stories, see and touch a Samurai helmet, and try a traditional rice Mochi cake. View the prints and touch a woodblock in the exhibition and create your own prints that tell about a favorite journey. The powerful rumbling sounds of Pittsburgh Taiko drummers round out this fun-filled afternoon.

Kang Jung-ho has US visa, expected to return to Pirates soon.

Via Newsen.

Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Kang Jung-ho has a US visa and is expected to return to the team soon, according to reports on Thursday. Kang, who exceeded expectations in his two years with the Pirates, has been away from the team for over two years following a March 2017 DUI conviction in Seoul.

Japanese garage-rock band The Molice in Pittsburgh, May 18.

via @molice.music

Japanese band The Molice will play in Pittsburgh on May 18 as part of their US tour. The band describes itself:

While many Japanese bands are the product of management hired producers and stylists, Molice are the band’s own unique brew of rock. Drawing inspiration from 70’s punk’s DIY spirit, 80’s new wave stylish power pop and 90’s unchained indies guitar rock, the band has hammered out their own sound. Their name draws on a number of musical inspirations as well- the Police, and the “mo” of Jim Morrison, Mo Tucker, and Morissey.
The band cites the Pixies, Police, and Doors as their main inspirations, but incorporate elements of goth, classical, dance, shoegaze,and post-hardcore as well. Listening to the range of music on albums challenges fans to completely define their style.

The Molice is joined by Y La Bamba, Garter Shake, and Boiled Denim. The show starts at 9:00; Howlers is located at 4509 Liberty Ave. in Bloomfield (map).

Artist Candy Chang in Pittsburgh, May 10.

Artist Candy Chang will speak at the Elsie H. Hillman Auditorium in the Hill District on May 10 as part of the Green Building Alliance Inspire Speaker Series.

We are thrilled to welcome internationally renowned artist Candy Chang for a discussion at the intersection of public space, emotional health, and community. A leader in participatory public art, Chang engages residents in a reflective process to physically create the fabric of their cities. Her Before I Die piece has captivated citizens in more than 70 countries, including Iraq, China, Brazil, Kazakhstan, and South Africa, with other works featured in the Tate Modern and the Renwick Galleries. The evening’s MC Majestic Lane will also moderate an interactive discussion with local artists John Peña and Edith Abeyta.

Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple (文豪ストレイドッグス Dead Apple) in Pittsburgh, from May 2.

The 2018 adaptation of the movie and anime series Bungo Stray Dogs will play at the Southside Works Cinema on May 2, May 5, and May 6. The theater provides a synopsis of Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple (文豪ストレイドッグス Dead Apple):

Visa Info Mini Fair, April 27 at Pitt.

The Asian Pacific American Law Student Association, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, and the Pitt Graduate Student Organizing Committee will host a Visa Info Mini Fair on April 27 at the University of Pittsburgh. The session will information on immigrant workers' rights, changing from a student to an H1-B visa, and issues of relevance to the dependents of H1-B visa holders. It runs from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm in room 407 of the Cathedral of Learning (map) and is open to the Pitt community.

Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich Asians at Book Ends Book Club, May 10 at Carnegie Library - West End.

via @KevinKwanBooks

The monthly Book Ends Book Club at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's West End branch will feature Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich Asians on May 10.

When Rachel agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nick, what she doesn’t know is that he’s the heir to one of the most massive fortunes in Asia. Thrust into a world of splendor, Rachel meets Nick’s formidable mother, who has strong feelings about who her son should and should not marry. Filled with humor and jaw-dropping opulence, Crazy Rich Asians is an insider’s look at the Asian JetSet; a depiction of the clash between Overseas Chinese and Mainland Chinese; and a story about what it means to be young, in love, and crazily rich.

Buddhist Society of Pittsburgh's Vesak 2018, April 28.

The Buddhist Society of Pittsburgh will present Vesak 2018 on April 28.

Hundreds of Buddhists from many traditions, and the public as well, will join in Pittsburgh's 10th Annual Vesak, a worldwide celebration which honors the life of Shakyamuni Buddha, the Enlightened One. Over the past 9 years, our gathering has grown to be a joyous occasion, filled with colorful flowers and the beautiful teachings and practices shared by many traditions in a collective Sangha ceremony.

This year's theme - Walking Peace Together - expresses the commitment shared by our various traditions to be peace, together, grounded in our Buddha Nature, especially in this time of great division in our country. Peace is the Path we walk in mindfulness.

Participants can help bathe the Baby Buddha, offering their prayers for peace within the water, which will later be processed to the Allegheny River. A shared service, held within the Allegheny Unitarian Church, will feature prayers, chants, Dharma teachings and practices from each of the local Buddhist traditions. The program includes a wonderful interactive song and mindfulness practice for children.

A festive procession to the river will follow, as we Walk Peace Together. Light refreshments will also be available for attendees. The entire program is free and open to the public.

The event runs from 3:00 to 5:00 pm, beginning at the Allegheny Unitarian Universalist Church on the Northside (map).

PrideStaff hiring for bilingual Chinese-English warehouse position in Pittsburgh.

PrideStaff has a new posting for a bilingual Chinese-English warehouse position in Pittsburgh.

Job Duties:

• Print shipping orders
• Pick orders from warehouse
• Pack orders for shipping
• Ship packages using computer and appropriate shipper
• Communicate with customers in China

Calgon Carbon Corp. hiring Bilingual Japanese-English Senior Administrative Assistant.

Calgon Carbon Corp., headquartered n Moon Township, is hiring a Bilingual Japanese-English Senior Administrative Assistant.

Calgon Carbon Corporation, the world’s leading manufacturer and marketer of granular activated carbon is seeking a skilled and qualified Senior Administrative Assistant who is fluent in Japanese and English.

Position Summary: The senior administrative assistant provides high-level administrative support to company executives by managing appointments, preparing written reports and presentation materials, handling information requests and performing clerical functions such as preparing correspondence, arranging travel, receiving visitors, arranging conference calls and scheduling meetings for executives. The experienced assistant is expected to interact with individuals in the U.S., internationally, and at all levels of the organization. The highest level of confidentiality and discretion is required.

Pittsburgh's 311 response line can now take calls in Chinese, Vietnamese, Burmese, and 13 other languages.

Pittsburgh's 311 response line can now take calls in Chinese, Vietnamese, Burmese, and 12 other languages in addition to English as part of the city's Language Access Plan, according to a press release by the Mayor's office on Monday.

The 311 Response Center is the City of Pittsburgh Non-Emergency call center that allows residents and non-residents to report varying neighborhood problems (potholes, traffic problems, graffiti, litter abandoned buildings and cars, etc.) and to provide city information to residents (City office contact information, hours, upcoming events or meetings, volunteer opportunities, etc.).

This plan is a transformational step to ensuring all Pittsburgh residents have access to the wealth of information and opportunities our city has to offer. With the increase in diversity in our city, being able to assist all residents and to provide access to all resources is a top priority.