New Chinese movie Kill Mobile (来电狂响) in Pittsburgh through January 2.

The new Chinese movie Kill Mobile (来电狂响), which opened in the US on December 28, will continue in Pittsburgh at least through January 2. The distributor provides a summary:

Seven friends get together for dinner, and decided to play a game where they must share all messages and calls of their cell phones. Throughout the evening, wechat messages, phone calls and APP notifications are coming out continuously.

The movie plays at the AMC Loews Waterfront theater and tickets are 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.

Progress on Two Sisters Vietnamese Kitchen, coming soon to East Liberty.

Two Sisters Vietnamese Kitchen looks just about done, with new signage up and considerable work done to the interior. It has been coming soon to 216 N. Highland Ave. since April, and initially had a Summer 2018 target open date.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette had a profile on the restaurant and its ownership in May.

A pair of Pittsburgh newcomers are in the process of opening Two Sisters Vietnamese Kitchen, on track to debut late summer at 216 N. Highland Ave. in East Liberty. It will be a casual, sit-down BYOB Vietnamese restaurant serving pho, rice bowls and Vietnamese-style vermicelli dishes.

Vietnamese native Trinh Phan and partner Trang Somphonphakdy moved from a city that’s a Vietnamese hub, Atlantic City, N.J., where Mr. Somphonphakdy was longtime restaurant employee.

The pair were convinced to relocate by Ben Wong and his wife, Kellie Truong: Ms. Truong is a partner of Banh Mi and Ti in Lawrenceville with her sister, Tuyen Truong, a restaurant that opened in in 2016 with a menu focused on variations of banh mi sandwiches, summer rolls and rice bowls.

New Korean movie Burning (버닝) in Pittsburgh from December 21.

The acclaimed 2018 Korean film Burning (버닝) will play in Pittsburgh from December 21. The official site provides a synopsis of the 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.

Showtime information is now available online, though tickets must be purchased at the theater. The Harris Theater is located at 809 Liberty Ave. in downtown's Cultural District (map).

"Beyond Haiku: Japanese Poetry in Time and Art," January 17 at City of Asylum.

Bashō's Hermitage on Camellia Hill beside the Aqueduct at Sekiguchi (せき口上水端はせを庵椿やま), by Hiroshige.

The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania and City of Asylum will present Pitt's Dr. Elizabeth Oyler and her talk "Beyond Haiku: Japanese Poetry in Time and Art" on January 17.

Join us for a lively discussion with Elizabeth Oyler, presented in partnership with The Japan- America Society of Pennsylvania and as part of our Honor Roll Lecture Series.

Haiku, arguably Japan’s most recognized form of poetry, developed into the poetic form we know and love today through hundreds of years of evolution. Inseparably integrated with Japanese history, Haiku has a notable influence on Japanese poetry, art, and society.

Join the JASP for this free evening. Light hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be provided.

The event runs from 7:00 to 8:30 pm at City of Asylum's Alphabet City on the North Side (map). It's free, but RSVP is required and can be completed online.

New Taiwanese bento, noodle place TW Kitchen (台味廚坊) coming to North Oakland.

Signage went up in North Oakland for TW Kitchen (台味廚坊), offering "Taiwanese style bentos, noodles, soup, and more." It will be located at 192 N. Craig St. (map), in what was most recently Millennial Cupcake and Parfait Bar,.

BTS Concert film BTS World Tour Love Yourself In Seoul in Pittsburgh, January 26.

The BTS Concert movie BTS World Tour Love Yourself In Seoul will play around the country, and 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.

Tickets for the 11:00 am and 2:00 pm shows are now available online.

Japanese movie Shoplifters (万引き家族), in Pittsburgh from December 21.

The 2018 Japanese movie and Palme d'Or winner Shoplifters (万引き家族) will play at the Regent Square Theater in Pittsburgh from December 21.

After one of their shoplifting sessions, Osamu and his son come across a little girl in the freezing cold.

At first reluctant to shelter the girl, Osamu’s wife agrees to take care of her after learning of the hardships she faces.

Although the family is poor, barely making enough money to survive through petty crime, they seem to live happily together until an unforeseen incident reveals hidden secrets, testing the bonds that unite them...

When Shoplifters was relased in Japan in June it was the country's highest-grossing movie its first three weekends. It opens on December 21 in Regent Square, and showtime information is now available online (tickets must be purchased at the theater door). The Manor Theater in Squirrel Hill has cancelled its planned screenings.

Chinese documentary Three Sisters (三姊妹) at Carnegie Museum of Art, January 26.

As part of the Cinematheque series throughout the Carnegie International exhibition, the Carnegie Museum of Art will show the 2012 Chinese documentary Three Sisters (三姊妹) on January 26. From a 2013 New York Times review:

Not for the faint of heart or weak of bladder, Wang Bing’s two-and-a-half-hour “Three Sisters” documents extreme poverty in rural China with the compassionate eye and inexhaustible patience of a director whose curiosity about his country’s unfortunates never seems to wane.

Filming for six months in a remote hillside village in 2010, Mr. Wang follows the spirit-crushing lives of a short-tempered peasant and his three little daughters. Their mother ran off long ago, and now Yingying, 10; 6-year-old Zhenzhen; and Fenfen, 4 — all so malnourished that they look years younger — spend their days doing chores and herding sheep. But when their father leaves for a job in the city, taking the two youngest girls with him, Yingying is left alone. A grandfather and an aunt live close by, but the girl’s isolation and sadness suggest a poignant hopelessness, as though she has reached the age at which she has begun to notice a future. And it’s not pretty.

The movie plays from 4:00 to 6:30 pm. 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.

Pittsburgh Japanese School recruiting teachers and volunteers.

The Pittsburgh Japanese School, which holds classes in Japanese for grades K-12 on Sundays in Fox Chapel, is looking for Japanese-fluent teachers and volunteers.

国際社会の未来を担う子供達を育てる、やりがいのある仕事です。
全職種共通の応募条件
1. 米国内での就労資格を持っていること。
就業可能なビザ（E、Lビザ保持者の配偶者であるE2、L2を含む）、グリーンカードまたはアメリカ国籍を有している方（詳しい条件等はお問い合わせください）。
本校としてビザの労働許可申請及び発給業務並びに経費負担はしておりません。また、本校を雇用先としたビザやグリーンカードの発給等には、本校は関わりませんのでご了承ください。
2. 原則として短大卒以上で、日本語の指導が可能であること（教員免許が無くても可）。
3. 出勤日は日曜日です。

New Korean movie Burning (버닝) in Pittsburgh from December 21.

The acclaimed 2018 Korean film Burning (버닝) will play in Pittsburgh from December 21. The official site provides a synopsis of the 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.

Showtime information has not yet been made available. The Harris Theater is located at 809 Liberty Ave. in downtown's Cultural District (map).

Japanese animated movie A Silent Voice (聲の形) returns to Pittsburgh, January 28 and 31.

Tickets went on sale today for the 2016 anime film A Silent Voice (聲の形), which will return to Pittsburgh on January 28 and 31. A synopsis of the film from the distributor:

The story begins with a deaf elementary school girl named Shoko Nishimiya, who transfers to a new school and meets a boy named Shoya Ishida. Shoya, who is not deaf, leads the school in bullying Shoko over her disability. The bullying escalates, and so Shoko transfers to another school. Immediately, the class and even Shoya's closest friends, bully him for having bullied Shoko. Shoya loses contact with Shoko, and for years he suffers the consequences of his guilt. Upon entering high school, Shoya finally decides he must find Shoko, determined to make amends for what he did in elementary school and to become Shoko's friend. Along the way, he meets new and old faces, and struggles with many complicated relationships and feelings.

It will play in Japanese with English subtitles on the 28th at Southside Works Cinema and the Monroeville Mall Cinemark, and dubbed in English on the 31st in Monroeville. Tickets are now available online.

Chinese movie A Cool Fish (无名之辈) continues in Pittsburgh through December 15.

The new Chinese movie A Cool Fish (无名之辈), which opened in Pittsburgh on November 30, will continue to play at AMC Loews in the Waterfront through at least December 15. The movie, which premiered in China on November 16, was its number one film the its first two weekends. The distributor summarizes:

A low-end robber, a roguish security guard, a potty-mouthed but disable hellcat, and a group of nobodies, their life paths start intersecting one day because of a lost gun and a heist, which leads to a series of comical accidents.

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.

2019 Lunar New Year festivities begin in Pittsburgh February 2.

via Squirrel Hill Magazine.

The Heinz History Center will host the 2019 Lunar New Year Kick Off on February 2, and the annual Lunar New Year Parade will move down Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill on February 17.

Documentary Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki (終わらない人 宮崎駿) in Pittsburgh area, December 13 and 18.

The 2016 documentary, Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki, will play locally at the Cinemark theater in Robinson on December 13 and 18 as part of its US premiere. A summary from the distributor:

In 2013, Academy Award®-winning film director and animator Hayao Miyazaki suddenly announced his retirement at the age of 72. But he can’t shake his burning desire to create. After an encounter with young CGI animators, Miyazaki embarks on a new project to utilize CGI for the first time ever. But the artist, who has been adamant about hand-drawn animation, confronts many challenges that threaten to cancel the film. Can an old master who thinks he’s past his prime shine once again? This program goes behind the scenes over two years as Miyazaki overcomes struggles to create his short film Boro the Caterpillar using CGI.

The shows are in Japanese with English subtitles, and tickets are available online.

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

Pittsburgh-based Chinese education and consulting company WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) has announced openings for part-time Mandarin-speaking finance tutors.

职位: 金融专业在线辅导老师

职位描述:
1. 为在校生提供网络辅导,根据学生现有的学习情况和辅导需求制定教学计划和内容,并实施教学;
2. 跟进学生学习情况,及时与学生、家长进行沟通;
3. 熟悉掌握专业理论,能够针对学生个体的不同需求设计出适合学生的教学方案;

Squirrel Hill's Sun Penang ordered to close by Allegheny County Health Department.

Sun Penang was ordered to close today by the Allegheny County Health Department following news of rodent infestation, maggots, dirty food surfaces, and hazardous kitchen equipment. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on the consumer alert on the 4th:

Sun Penang, an Asian restaurant in Squirrel Hill that delivers boxed lunches to nearby college campuses, was hit with a consumer alert by the Allegheny County Health Department because of numerous health code violations.

Some of the problems at the Forbes Avenue eatery included foods held at unsafe temperatures, soiled food contact surfaces, dishwasher failing to sanitize and rodent activity.

A rat’s nest, rat droppings and gnawed bags of corn starch were found, the inspection report noted.

New sushi, dumpling, and bao spot coming to East Liberty.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette shares information on Mola, coming soon to East Liberty.

At the new East Liberty restaurant, look for a menu of dumplings, bao and sushi that’s less about crazy rolls and sauces and more about simple fish and rice. Fish will be shipped in from Fulton St. Fish Market in Bronx, N.Y., among other places; and Mr. Tang is planning on using naturally brewed vinegar and nori purchased from an actual nori dealer, [owner Alex Tang] says.

It will open in January at 6018 Penn Ave. (map)

Mob Psycho 100 (モブサイコ100) Season 2 premiere, January 5.

The premiere of Mob Psycho 100 (モブサイコ100)'s Season 2 will play in Pittsburgh on January 10 January 5.

We have read your minds and we know you want more Mob Psycho 100! To get you prepared for Season 2, we will have an exclusive first look at Episode 1 from Season 2 before it premieres in Japan!

If you have not had a chance to get caught up on Mob’s story as a powerful esper, we will also show the OVA which recaps the first season from Reigen’s perspective. This premiere event will also feature an exclusive welcome from Setsuo Ito, voice of Mob.

It will play in Japanese with English subtitles at Southside Works Cinema and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville and Pittsburgh Mills. Tickets are available online.

Japanese film Mirai (未来のミライ) in Pittsburgh for one more day, December 8.

Tickets for the new Japanese animated film Mirai (未来のミライ), which opened in Pittsburgh on November 29, will continue locally on December 8. A synopsis, from the distributor:

From acclaimed director Mamoru Hosoda (Summer Wars, Wolf Children) and Japan’s Studio Chizu comes MIRAI, a daringly original story of love passed down through generations. When four-year-old Kun meets his new baby sister, his world is turned upside down. Named Mirai (meaning “future”), the baby quickly wins the hearts of Kun’s entire family. As his mother returns to work, and his father struggles to run the household, Kun becomes increasingly jealous of baby Mirai... until one day he storms off into the garden, where he encounters strange guests from the past and future – including his sister Mirai, as a teenager. Together, Kun and teenage Mirai go on a journey through time and space, uncovering their family’s incredible story. But why did Mirai come from the future?

An official selection at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, and the epic capstone of director Mamoru Hosoda’s career, Mirai is a sumptuous, magical, and emotionally soaring adventure about the ties that bring families together and make us who we are.

It will play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, the Cinemark Theaters in Monroeville and Robinson, the Regal Crown Center Stadium theater in Washington, and the AMC Classic Westmoreland in Greensburg. This day's screenings will be dubbed in English. Tickets are now available online.

Pitt's Institute for International Studies in Education hiring Mandarin-speaking Program Coordinator.

The University of Pittsburgh's Institute for International Studies in Education is hiring a Mandarin-speaking Program Coordinator for a student employee position.

The University of Pittsburgh’s Institute for International Studies in Education (IISE) is seeking a Program Coordinator. We’re looking for people who are detail-oriented, experienced in working with international people and in administrative procedure of Pitt, well-organized, and flexible, cross-culturally competent. Job duties will involve in communicating, supporting and processing paperwork for visiting scholars.

Some interest and experience in administrative area at Pitt, nationally and internationally. Mandarin speaker preferred.

Chinese movie A Cool Fish (无名之辈) remains in Pittsburgh through December 12.

The new Chinese movie A Cool Fish (无名之辈), which opened in Pittsburgh on November 30, will continue to play at AMC Loews in the Waterfront through at least December 12. The movie, which premiered in China on November 16, was its number one film the the last two weekends. The distributor summarizes:

A low-end robber, a roguish security guard, a potty-mouthed but disable hellcat, and a group of nobodies, their life paths start intersecting one day because of a lost gun and a heist, which leads to a series of comical accidents.

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.

Organization of Chinese Americans Holiday Luncheon, December 8 in Monroeville.

The Pittsburgh chapter of the Organization of Chinese Americans will hold its Holiday Luncheon on December 8 at the Fortune Star Buffet & Grill in Monroeville (map). The guest speaker is Melissa McCart of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Our Annual General Meeting and Holiday Luncheon will be held this Saturday, December 8, 2018 at 12:00pm-3:00pm at Fortune Star Buffet and Grill! Unwind from the busy holiday season and catch up with family and friends. The luncheon is open to everyone, not just members, so invite all you know! Please register online, then pay by cash or check at our luncheon. Registration is recommended so we can get a proper head count, but walk-ins are welcome. You will also have a chance to order tickets to our Lunar New Year Banquet on February 2, 2019 at Heinz History Center, so take advantage of early bird pricing!

Our guest speaker this year is Melissa McCart. She is a restaurant reporter and critic for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; She has also worked at Newsday on Long Island and as editor of Eater NY in Manhattan, and writes nationally for Saveur, The Washington Post, and other publications. She has recently been awarded a Pulitzer Center grant to report on how changes in immigration laws affect one Pittsburgh Chinese restaurant. You can reach her on Twitter @Melissa McCart on Instagram @melissamccart and at the PG: mmccart@post-gazette.com

The luncheon runs from 12:00 to 3:00 pm and is open to members and non-members alike, though registration is required.

Chinese calligraphy workshop downtown, December 8.

"Chinese calligrapher," by David Boté Estrada (Creative Commons).

The downtown branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will host a Chinese calligraphy workshop on December 8.

A Chinese calligraphy expert will show us pictures of her home in China, give background on the art of calligraphy, and lead a Chinese calligraphy workshop for all ages! No registration is necessary for these sessions. Seating for all workshops is available to 20 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. You’ll want to come early to be sure you MAKE it on time.

The event runs from 2:30 to 4:30 pm. The Downtown & Business branch is located at 612 Smithfield St. (map).

"Characters and Words in Learning and Teaching Chinese," December 7 at Pitt.

Dr. Lin Chen of the University of Pittsburgh's Learning and Research Development Center will present "Characters and Words in Learning and Teaching Chinese" on December 7.

Writing systems, the ways that orthography maps to phonology and semantics, influence word reading. In written Chinese, the character is a basic writing unit maps onto a single syllable morpheme. The morphosyllabic nature of Chinese writing system brings some challenges to Chinese learning and Chinese teaching. In this talk, I will present several empirical studies of Chinese word reading for adult Chinese learners and discuss the roles of characters and words in learning Chinese and the implications for teaching Chinese.

Dr. Lin Chen is a Research Associate at Learning Research & Development Center, University of Pittsburgh. She earned her PhD in Psychology and worked as a post-doc in Applied Linguistic for two years. She was an associate professor at Sun Yat-sen, China before she moved to US. Her research focuses on universal and language-specific reading procedures across writing systems, and the writing system constraints on second language acquisition and teaching instruction.

The talk starts at 12:00 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map).

Navigating the Intergener(ASIAN)al Gap, December 5 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Students Alliance will host "Navigating the Intergener(ASIAN)al Gap" on December 5.

Asian Americans tend to face many social and cultural differences between their relatives, especially when going home for the holidays. Within immigrant families, the differences between Eastern and Western culture in conjugation with a generational gap can lead to unpredictable results.

Join us as we explore the similarities and differences between the generations of Asian American families, We hope to see you all there!

It runs from 9:00 to 10:00 pm in 107 Lawrence Hall (map).

Documentary Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki (終わらない人 宮崎駿) in Pittsburgh area, December 13 and 18.

The 2016 documentary, Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki, will play locally at the Cinemark theater in Robinson on December 13 and 18 as part of its US premiere. A summary from the distributor:

In 2013, Academy Award®-winning film director and animator Hayao Miyazaki suddenly announced his retirement at the age of 72. But he can’t shake his burning desire to create. After an encounter with young CGI animators, Miyazaki embarks on a new project to utilize CGI for the first time ever. But the artist, who has been adamant about hand-drawn animation, confronts many challenges that threaten to cancel the film. Can an old master who thinks he’s past his prime shine once again? This program goes behind the scenes over two years as Miyazaki overcomes struggles to create his short film Boro the Caterpillar using CGI.

The shows are in Japanese with English subtitles, and tickets are available online.

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters at Row House Cinema, from December 7.

The Row House Cinema will show the 1985 American biographical film Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters from December 7 through 13. From the home video distributor:

Paul Schrader’s visually stunning, collagelike portrait of the acclaimed Japanese author and playwright Yukio Mishima (played by Ken Ogata) investigates the inner turmoil and contradictions of a man who attempted the impossible task of finding harmony among self, art, and society. Taking place on the last day of Mishima’s life, when he famously committed public seppuku, the film is punctuated by extended flashbacks to the writer’s past as well as gloriously stylized evocations of his fictional works. With its rich cinematography by John Bailey, exquisite sets and costumes by Eiko Ishioka, and unforgettable, highly influential score by Philip Glass, Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters is a tribute to its subject and a bold, investigative work of art in its own right.

Tickets and showtime information is available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

"Kitsuke: The Art Of Kimono," December 4 at Pitt.

"Vivid kimono" by Raita Futo (Creative Commons).

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Evan Mason and his workshop "Kitsuke: The Art Of Kimono" on December 4.

Through this interactive workshop, learn about the intricate art of dressing in kimono with expert and Pitt alumnus Evan Mason. The workshop will begin with a lecture on the culture and history of the kimono in Japan followed by a demonstration of kitsuke and an opportunity for participants to dress in yukata and try out their new skills!

It runs from 5:30 to 6:30 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map).

"Building Peace, Security, and Diversity in Squirrel Hill and Beyond: Pittsburgh’s Asian American leaders and members meet with the United States Department of Justice," December 3 at Chatham University.

Chatham University in Shadyside will host representatives from the Department of Justice to address concerns from the Asian-American and refugee business communities regarding safety and security in culturally and politically hostile environments.

The Department of Justice is coming to Pittsburgh to address the concerns of the Asian American and Refugee communities on Monday, December 3, 2018 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm in the Mellon Board Room (MBR) in Mellon Center on Chatham University Shadyside Campus.

This meeting will cover security, safety, best practices when communities come under attack, protection of children, families and businesses. This will be very much like a Town Hall meeting where the audience has an opportunity to ask questions from these specialists.

The DOJ is making this special trip to share as much information possible and get our input, so please bring your questions and comments. We have their attention and this may be our only chance, so we need to do our best to bring as many people from our community to this meeting.

If translators are needed, please let us know.

Free parking is available and is about a 5-10 minute walk to the meeting room.

Please make your best effort to attend, we hope to see everyone there.