"From Animation to Martial Arts: Toward the Transcendence of False Movements," February 21 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Pittsburgh Film and Media Colloquium will present Dr. Jinying Li and her talk "From Animation to Martial Arts: Toward the Transcendence of False Movements" on February 21.

"Where Goes The Neighborhood? Japan and the Rise of Asia" March 5 downtown.

The World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh and Japan America Society of Pennsylvania will present "Where Goes The Neighborhood? Japan and the Rise of Asia" on March 5.

Join us for a lively discussion with two well-known experts on the evolving Japan-US alliance and its impact on security and trade in Asia.
The US-Japan alliance has provided one of the foundations for decades of security and freedom in Asia. But, the neighborhood is changing: Japan is experiencing significant strategic and diplomatic challenges from China, faces increasingly aggressive North Korean weapons development and testing, and has an uncertain relationship with South Korea.

While the U.S. continues to be Japan’s main partner and ally, it has withdrawn from the major Pacific free trade pact, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), after completing negotiations with Japan. As uncertainty in the region abounds, Japan considers how to work effectively with the U.S. but also how to chart its course as a leader and a balancer in Asia.

The event is free but registration is required and can be done online; breakfast is required. It runs from 8:00 to 9:30 am at the Rivers Club on Grant Street (map).

NextPittsburgh: "Family pho-ever: Two Sisters Vietnamese Kitchen opens in East Liberty."

For some local restaurateurs, food is a family affair.

Siblings Trinh Phan and Trang Somphomaphakdy opened Two Sisters Vietnamese Kitchen in East Liberty this week. The new spot — located on N. Highland Avenue right next door to the new barbecue joint Porked — specializes in traditional dishes, such as pho — a soup made with rice noodles, onion, scallion, cilantro and either beef, chicken, seafood or veggies.

Read more via NextPittsburgh.com.

Pitt hiring part time Japanese Language Instructors for Summer 2019.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures is hiring part-time Japanese Language Instructors for Summer 2019.

EALL anticipates an opening for a part-time instructor in the Japanese language program beginning in the summer of 2019. Candidates must have native language proficiency, hold at least a college degree, and be authorized to work for the University. Prior experience in teaching foreign languages and familiarity with language pedagogy or linguistics is highly preferred, but not required. If interested, please send your CV and a cover letter explaining your interest in the position to Stephen Luft (luft@pitt.edu) by February 28, 2019. Candidates with desirable qualifications will be contacted for interviews.

WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) hiring bilingual Mandarin-English astronomy tutors.

Pittsburgh-based Chinese education and consulting company WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) has announced openings for bilingual Mandarin-English astronomy tutors.

Discussions with Japanese Pitt alumni on international trade, entrepreneurship, March 5.

The University of Pittsburgh's International Business Center will host two talks on March 5 with Japanese alumni on the topics of international trade and entrepreneurship in Japan.

Hiromi Iriyama (GPSIA, 2005) will speak from 3:00 to 4:00 on International Trade and Development:

Please join us for a conversation with Ms. Hiromi Iriyama on her work with the Japan International Cooperation Agency, Tokyo, Japan. In her current role, Ms. Iriyama consults on procurement supervision for projects funded by Japanese Official Development Assistance Loans. Ms. Iriyama also has significant financial experience in corporate and investment banking, including with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Ms. Iriyama will share insights from her current work as well as her international career path, which has taken her to the United States, Vietnam, Kenya, Malaysia, Philippines, France, Germany, and beyond.

This event is co-sponsored by the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and made possible with support from the International Business Center, the MBA Office, the University of Pittsburgh Japan Studies Speaker Series, and the Asian Studies Center.

The talk will be held in 4130 Posvar Hall (map).



From 5:00 to 7:00 pm, Dr. Akie Iriyama (Katz, 2008) will speak on Entrepreneurship in Japan.

Please join us for a conversation on Entrepreneurship in Japan and the U.S. with Dr. Akie Iriyama, Associate Professor at Waseda University, Graduate School of Business and Finance, Tokyo, Japan. Dr. Iriyama has worked as a business consultant and industry economist including building corporate, market, and global strategies for Japanese automotive manufactures. Clients have included Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan.

Dr. Iriyama has previously presented to students during the 2018 Japan Global Research Practicum. We are delighted to welcome him to campus to further our global programming.

This event is made possible with support from the International Business Center, the MBA Office, the University of Pittsburgh Japan Studies Speaker Series, and the Asian Studies Center.

Dr. Iriyami's talk will be held in Conference Room A of the University Club (map). Those interested in attending are encouraged to RSVP to jsaslawski at katz.pitt.edu.

"Bao," "One Small Step" among Oscar-nominated Animated Shorts playing in Pittsburgh, February 8 - 14.

The Regent Square Theater will present all five of the nominees in the Oscar Shorts: Animation category from February 8 through 14; among them, the hit "Bao" and the Chinese-American production "One Small Step." Pixar provides a synopsis of "Bao":

In “Bao,” an aging Chinese mom suffering from empty nest syndrome gets another chance at motherhood when one of her dumplings springs to life as a lively, giggly dumpling boy. Mom excitedly welcomes this new bundle of joy into her life, but Dumpling starts growing up fast, and Mom must come to the bittersweet revelation that nothing stays cute and small forever. This short film from Pixar Animation Studios and director Domee Shi explores the ups and downs of the parent-child relationship through the colorful, rich, and tasty lens of the Chinese immigrant community in Canada.

And TAIKO animation studio summarizes "One Small Step":

An ambitious young girl aspires to be an astronaut with the support of her humble father.

Showtime information is available online, though tickets are only available at the door. The theater is located at 1035 S. Braddock Ave. in Regent Square (map), accessible by buses 61B, 71, and P71.

New Hong Kong film Integrity (廉政風雲 煙幕) in Pittsburgh, from February 8.

The new Hong Kong film Integrity (廉政風雲 煙幕) will play in Pittsburgh from February 8. The distributor summarizes the film, which stars Sean Lau, Nick Cheung, and Karina Lam:

The multi-year ICAC investigation into the Lida Conglomerate is on the brink of collapse after the CEO’s disappearance and the whistleblower’s flight to England. To salvage the case, a top ICAC agent teams with a fellow investigator (who happens to be his estranged wife) and risks their lives to bring the witness back to Hong Kong.

The movie will play at the AMC Loews Waterfront. 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.

Tickets and showtimes are available online via Fandango. The theater is also showing two Chinese films that were released to coincide with the Lunar New Year: big budget space movie The Wandering Earth (流浪地球) and Han Han's Pegasus (飞驰人生)

Mirai (未来のミライ), Shoplifters (万引き家族), The Night is Short, Walk On Girl (夜は短し歩けよ乙女), Okko's Inn (若おかみは小学生), and many more to comprise 2019 Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival, March 29 through April 11.

Some information about this year's Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival, running from March 29 through April 11 at the Row House Cinema in Lawrenceville, was announced yesterday morning. The line-up so far includes:

• Animated films Mirai (未来のミライ), Okko's Inn (若おかみは小学生), The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl (夜は短し歩けよ乙女), and Modest Heroes (ちいさな英雄－カニとタマゴと透明人間－)
• The acclaimed 2018 film Shoplifters (万引き家族)
• The zombie comedy One Cut of the Dead (カメラを止めるな!)
• Classics Lady Snowblood (修羅雪姫) and Tokyo Story (東京物語)
• Documentaries Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki (終わらない人 宮崎駿) and Day of the Western Sunrise.

Tickets and showtime information will be available later. Now in its fifth year, the Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival will play at the single-screen Row House Cinema at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

Encore presentation of BTS Concert film BTS World Tour Love Yourself In Seoul, February 9 and 10.

Several Pittsburgh-area theaters will show an encore presentation of the BTS Concert film BTS World Tour Love Yourself In Seoul on February 9 and 10. The distributor provides a synopsis to the movie that first played in Pittsburgh on January 26:

Shot at the Olympic Stadium in Seoul during the BTS WORLD TOUR ‘LOVE YOURSELF’, an exclusive screening of the most sought-after concert of 2018 hits movie theaters nationwide for a one-day only event. This event will bring fans together to celebrate the seven members of the global boyband and their unprecedented international phenomenon.

The movie will play on the 9th at 11:00 am the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark Theaters in Monroeville and the North Hills. It will play at 11:00 am on the 10th at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark Theaters in Monaca and Pittsburgh Mills. Tickets are available online.

Korean film Burning (버닝) at Parkway Theater, February 8 - 14.

The 2018 Korean movie Burning (버닝 will play at the Parkway Theater in McKees Rocks from February 8 - 14. Burning's official site provides a synopsis of the Korean film based on a Haruki Marukami short story:

BURNING is the searing examination of an alienated young man, Jongsu (Ah-in Yoo), a frustrated introvert whose already difficult life is complicated by the appearance of two people into his orbit: first, Haemi (newcomer Jong-seo Jun), a spirited woman who offers romantic possibility, and then, Ben (Steven Yeun, THE WALKING DEAD, SORRY TO BOTHER YOU), a wealthy and sophisticated young man she returns from a trip with. When Jongsu learns of Ben’s mysterious hobby and Haemi suddenly disappears, his confusion and obsessions begin to mount, culminating in a stunning finale.

Burning was the top domestic film in Korea during its first weekend in theaters.

The theater is located at 644 Broadway Ave. in McKees Rocks (map). Showtime infomration is available online.

Chinese New Year Celebration at Ross Park Mall, February 9.

Ross Park Mall in the North Hills will hold a Chinese New Year Celebration on February 9.

Two new Chinese films, big budget space movie The Wandering Earth (流浪地球) and Han Han's Pegasus (飞驰人生), open in Pittsburgh for the Lunar New Year.

As is tradition, new Chinese films will open in Pittsburgh for the Lunar New Year. In 2019, it's new films The Wandering Earth (流浪地球) and Pegasus (飞驰人生) premiering across North America, and playing locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront.

The South China Morning Post summarizes The Wandering Earth, considered China's first big-budget science fiction film.

The film portrays how a group of intrepid Chinese astronauts save the world from the brink of annihilation due to the imminent destruction of the sun. Like Hollywood space movies where Americans are portrayed as the only ones capable of saving humanity, here Chinese astronauts are the sole adventurers among the global space community determined to complete the arduous task of fending off the apocalypse.

In spite of such overt patriotism, the film is spectacular for its ceaseless stream of hair-raising close-shave encounters and apocalyptic landscapes oozing desolation and despair. There is also a touching subplot involving family bonds at the centre of the mission to save the earth.

Wikipedia has a summary of Pegasus, the directoral debut of social media icon---and race car driver---Han Han.

Zhang Chi (Shen Teng) dreams of his former life in the racing world while tending to his fried rice stall. He sees a smug younger generation of drivers racing and decides to return to driving. The drama of the plot pivots on Zhang Chi having no car, money or teammates while has driver's license pends re-examination

Tickets and showtime information for The Wandering Earth and Pegasus 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.

"Peppa Pig Celebrates Chinese New Year," February 5 and 6 in Pittsburgh.

The AMC Loews Waterfront theater will show "Peppa Pig Celebrates Chinese New Year" on February 5 and 6. USA Today summarizes the episode, which will air on Nickelodeon this morning:

In the Chinese Lunar New Year, 2019 is the Year of the Pig.

In a new episode of "Peppa Pig," the namesake character is learning a lot about the holiday as Madame Gazelle teaches everyone in her playgroup about the traditions.

The show features Peppa's group making a dragon costume, Chinese lanterns and fireworks. Two new characters also are introduced, Peggi and Pandora, who are the twin daughters of Police Officer Panda.

Showtimes and ticket information---there are six screenings in all---is available online. 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.

Yeonmi Park: A North Korean Girl’s Journey to Freedom, March 20 at Kelly Strayhorn Theater.

North Korean defector, author, and activist Yeonmi Park will speak at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater in East Liberty on March 20. Registration information is not yet available.

Made in Abyss: Journey's Dawn (劇場版総集編【前編】メイドインアビス 旅立ちの夜明け) in theaters in March.

Made in Abyss: Journey's Dawn (劇場版総集編【前編】メイドインアビス 旅立ちの夜明け), a 2019 compilation film from the popular anime series, will play in US theaters in March.

"Rights Make Might: Global Human Rights and Minority Social Movements in Japan," February 18 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of Sociology will host Kiyoteru Tsutsui and his talk "Rights Make Might: Global Human Rights and Minority Social Movements in Japan" on February 18.

Since the late 1970s, the three most salient minority groups in Japan - the politically dormant Ainu, the active but unsuccessful Koreans, and the former outcaste group of Burakumin - have all expanded their activism despite the unfavorable domestic political environment. In Rights Make Might, Kiyoteru Tsutsui examines why, and finds an answer in the galvanizing effects of global human rights on local social movements. Tsutsui chronicles the transformative impact of global human rights ideas and institutions on minority activists, which changed their understandings about their standing in Japanese society and propelled them to new international venues for political claim making. The global forces also changed the public perception and political calculus in Japan over time, catalyzing substantial gains for their movements. Having benefited from global human rights, all three groups repaid their debt by contributing to the consolidation and expansion of human rights principles and instruments outside of Japan. Drawing on interviews and archival data, Rights Make Might offers a rich historical comparative analysis of the relationship between international human rights and local politics that contributes to our understanding of international norms and institutions, social movements, human rights, ethnoracial politics, and Japanese society.

The talk runs from 4:00 to 5:30 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map) and is free and open to the public.

2018 Japanese movie I Want To Eat Your Pancreas (君の膵臓をたべたい) in Pittsburgh, February 7 and 10.

The 2018 Japanese animated movie I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (君の膵臓をたべたい) will play in Pittsburgh on February 7 and 10.

A high school boy stumbles across a secret journal in a hospital one day. He soon finds out the diary belongs to his classmate, a girl named Sakura Yamauchi, who is revealed to be suffering from a terminal illness in her pancreas and only has a few months left to live. A secret they share that brings their hearts closer together.

Tickets are available online. It will play at the Southside Works Cinema, located at 425 Cinema Drive in the Southside, one block from the Hot Metal Bridge (map).

Lunar New Year / Tết / Seol-Nal Community Celebration, February 5 in Homewood.

Everyday Cafe will host a Lunar New Year / Tết / Seol-Nal Community Celebration on February 5.

Everyday Café has joined up with some amazing Pittsburgh community members to bring you:
Lunar New Year / Tết / 설날 (Seol-Nal) Community Celebration!

Join us for music, various Asian cuisines from your favorite local restaurants, Tai-Chi, a Lion Dance performance, raffle prizes and more!

Tickets are $10 for adults, free for kids. Payment must be made by card at the door - 70% of proceeds will go to Fondo Solidario (Pittsburgh Solidarity Fund), a local bail fund to support people in immigration detention in PA.

Put on some RED and GOLD (for good luck), and come celebrate!

The food line-up includes Umami, Banh Mi & Ti, Ineffable CA Phe, Bae Bae's Kitchen, The Hungry Cao, and Yummyholic. It runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, and the cafe is located at 532 N. Homewood Ave. (map).

"Sounds of China" in Pittsburgh, February 8.

Sounds of China will perform in Pittsburgh on February 8 as part of an American tour in 2019.

Sounds of China Guzheng Music Promotion Center was founded by Carol Chang (aka yukina) in 2005. With a group of guzheng-loving friends, Carol also founded Sound of China Guzheng Ensemble. The group promotes the music of guzheng, also known as Chinese zither, and the guzheng instrument itself. They work closely with guzheng instrument makers and musicians to bring most updated guzheng music and instruments on tour.

Tickets for the 7:30 pm show at the Byham Theater are available online from $25.

Lunar New Year Celebration: Year of the Pig at Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, February 3.

The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh will hold "Chinese New Year Celebration: Year of the Pig" on Sunday, February 3.

In ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on the Lunar New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. Come kick off the Lunar year 4717, the year of the Pig, with live music, dance, art making, and more!