Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Free Chinese, Japanese, Korean classes in Pittsburgh in August.


via @japangov

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will continue to offer free Chinese, Japanese, and Korean classes at some of its branches this August. Check out the class information below in addition to its language resources on the shelves and online.

As the library notes: these classes are free; registration is not required; no materials are needed and nothing needs to be bought; new participants are welcome at any time; classes are for adults (unless otherwise noted) but well-behaved young people are welcome to join as well.

Stray Kids' "Miroh" at next K-pop Dance Class, August 3.



The weekly K-pop Dance Class at Yanlai Dance Academy will do Stray Kids' "Miroh" for its ninth meeting on August 3. The class is held each Saturday from 4:00 to 5:00 pm, and the cost is $18 for a drop-in session. Yanlai Dance Academy is located at 2260 Babcock Blvd. in the North Hills (map).

New restoration of 2002 Satoshi Kon film Millennium Actress (千年女優) in Pittsburgh, August 13 and 19.



The 2002 Satoshi Kon film Millennium Actress (千年女優) will play in Pittsburgh on August 13 and August 19. The distributor provides a synopsis:
Experience the gorgeous new restoration of what many believe to be Satoshi Kon’s (Perfect Blue, Paprika) greatest work, MILLENNIUM ACTRESS.

When the legendary Ginei Studios shuts down, filmmaker Genya Tachibana and his assistant are tasked with interviewing its reclusive star, Chiyoko Fujiwara, who had retired from the spotlight 30 years prior. As she recounts her career, Genya and his crew are literally pulled into her memories where they witness her chance encounter with a mysterious man on the run from the police. Despite never knowing his name or his face, Chiyoko relentlessly pursues that man in a seamless blend of reality and memory that only Satoshi Kon could deliver. Boasting countless awards, including the Grand Prize in the Japan Agency of Cultural Affairs Media Arts Festival, which it shared with Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away, MILLENNIUM ACTRESS is a must-see for anime fans of all ages.
The August 13 shows will be in Japanese with English subtitles and the August 19 shows will be dubbed in English. The Japanese-language version will play locally at the Southside Works Cinema and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville, the North Hills and Robinson, while the dubbed version will play at the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville, North Hills, Pittsburgh Mills, and Robinson. Tickets are available online.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

The Farewell opens August 1 in Pittsburgh.



The Farewell, the new movie starring Awkwafina and Tzi Ma, will play in Pittsburgh from August 1. From the distributor:
In this funny, uplifting tale based on an actual lie, Chinese-born, U.S.-raised Billi (Awkwafina) reluctantly returns to Changchun to find that, although the whole family knows their beloved matriarch, Nai-Nai, has been given mere weeks to live, everyone has decided not to tell Nai Nai herself. To assure her happiness, they gather under the joyful guise of an expedited wedding, uniting family members scattered among new homes abroad. As Billi navigates a minefield of family expectations and proprieties, she finds there’s a lot to celebrate: a chance to rediscover the country she left as a child, her grandmother’s wondrous spirit, and the ties that keep on binding even when so much goes unspoken. With The Farewell, writer/director Lulu Wang has created a heartfelt celebration of both the way we perform family and the way we live it, masterfully interweaving a gently humorous depiction of the good lie in action with a richly moving story of how family can unite and strengthen us, often in spite of ourselves.
It will play at the AMC Loews Waterfront from August 1 and at the Squirrel Hill Manor from August 2, and tickets are available online. The AMC Loews Waterfront 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. The Squirrel Hill Manor Theater is located at 1729 Murray Ave. (map).

Japan Association of Greater Pittsburgh fall picnic, September 7.

The Japan Association of Greater Pittsburgh (ピッツバーグ日本協会) will hold its annual fall picnic on September 7 in O'Hara Township. Details and registration information are available on the JAGP's website.

Reading and discussion with R.O. Kwon, August 4.


via ro-kwon.com / Smeeta Mahanti.

City of Asylum will host a reading and discussion with R.O. Kwon on August 4. Kwon provides a synopsis of her latest novel, The Incendiaries:
A powerful, darkly glittering novel about violence, love, faith, and loss, as a young Korean American woman at an elite American university is drawn into acts of domestic terrorism by a cult tied to North Korea.

Phoebe Lin and Will Kendall meet their first month at prestigious Edwards University. Phoebe is a glamorous girl who doesn’t tell anyone she blames herself for her mother’s recent death. Will is a misfit scholarship boy who transfers to Edwards from Bible college, waiting tables to get by. What he knows for sure is that he loves Phoebe.

Grieving and guilt-ridden, Phoebe is increasingly drawn into a religious group—a secretive extremist cult—founded by a charismatic former student, John Leal. He has an enigmatic past that involves North Korea and Phoebe’s Korean American family. Meanwhile, Will struggles to confront the fundamentalism he’s tried to escape, and the obsession consuming the one he loves. When the group bombs several buildings in the name of faith, killing five people, Phoebe disappears. Will devotes himself to finding her, tilting into obsession himself, seeking answers to what happened to Phoebe and if she could have been responsible for this violent act.

The Incendiaries is a fractured love story and a brilliant examination of the minds of extremist terrorists, and of what can happen to people who lose what they love most.
The event runs from 5:00 to 6:30 pm. It is free and open to the public, though RSVP is required (coming soon). The City of Asylum's Alphabet City venue is located at 40 N. West Ave. on the North Side (map).

Sunday, July 28, 2019

GlobalPittsburgh happy hour with visitors from South Korea and China, August 1.

The next GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays happy hour on August 1 will welcome visiting English teachers from Korea National University of Education and students from China.
The 43 teachers of English from the Korea National University of Education will participate in the Intensive English Teacher Training Program, a 4-week program that is run through the English Language Institute at the University of Pittsburgh. The 28 students from China are coming for an experiential summer camp organized by Chatham University.

Meet globally-minded people from Pittsburgh and all over the world to make new friends and learn more about different cultures at our GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays monthly happy hour. Bring your friends, family, and colleagues or come alone - we are a very friendly group!
The happy hour runs from 5:30 to 8:00 pm at Roland's Seafood Grill in the Strip District (map). Tickets are required and prices range from free to $10.

Friday, July 26, 2019

Korean performers from Brush Theatre to present Doodle POP! in Pittsburgh in May 2020.


via @brushtheatre.

Korean performers from Seoul-based Brush Theatre will perform Doodle POP! in Pittsburgh as part of the 2020 Pittsburgh Children's Theater festival.
The mischievous Doodle POP! duo invites you into the delightful doodling world! Join as they experience an exciting adventure in an ocean world they imagine and create while on stage. What will happen to them in this beautiful but scary watery world, as will they try to return a turtle doodle to the sea safely?

With live sound effects, stunning animation, and an abundance of theatrical imagination, this is a touching and exciting screen show for anyone ages 3+
The performance is scheduled for May 16, 2020, at 2:00 pm. Group tickets are available now but individual tickets will not be available until next spring. It will be held at the Byham Theater in the Cultural District (map).

Night Market Gourmet to replace TOP Shabu Shabu in Oakland.



Night Market Gourmet will replace TOP Shabu Shabu on Atwood Street this fall. Signage went up in June announcing the temporary two-month closure, and a banner is up announcing that Night Market Gourmet is coming soon.

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Somi's "Birthday" at next K-pop Dance Class, July 27.



The weekly K-pop Dance Class at Yanlai Dance Academy will do Somi's "Birthday" for its eighth meeting on July 27. The class is held each Saturday from 4:00 to 5:00 pm, and the cost is $18 for a drop-in session. Yanlai Dance Academy is located at 2260 Babcock Blvd. in the North Hills (map).

킹캉.



Teacher trainees from Korea National University of Education (한국교원대학교) in Cheongju attended the July 23 Pittsburgh Pirates game and met infielder Jung-ho Kang during warm-ups. The cohort of 43 teachers attending a month-long training program at the University of Pittsburgh's English Language Institute this summer.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Library orientations for new Chinese, Japanese, Korean students at Pitt: August 14 - 16.



The University of Pittsburgh's Hillman Library will host library orientations for new Chinese, Japanese, and Korean students from August 14 - 16.
Would you like to know...
  • A librarian who speaks your native language?
  • The difference between academic libraries in the U.S. and libraries in your home country?
  • The many wonderful services that the library offers to help your area of study and research at Pitt?
  • If so, please come to attend one of the library orientation sessions.
Chinese sessions:
Japanese session
Korean session

Sessions are free but seating is limited and registration is required (and can be completed online).

Studio Ghibli film Kiki's Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便) in Pittsburgh, July 28, 29, 31.



The 1989 Hayao Miyazaki film Kiki's Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便) will play at several theaters in western Pennsylvania on July 28, 29, and 31, as this month's installment of the GKIDS Studio Ghibli Fest 2019. A synopsis from the distributor:
Celebrate the 30th anniversary of this beloved coming-of-age story from the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away, and Academy Award®-winning director Hayao Miyazaki, about a resourceful young witch who uses her broom to create a delivery service, only to lose her gift of flight in a moment of self-doubt.

It is a tradition for all young witches to leave their families on the night of a full moon and fly off into the wide world to learn their craft. When that night comes for Kiki, she embarks on her new journey with her sarcastic black cat, Jiji, landing the next morning in a seaside village, where her unique skills make her an instant sensation.
The movie will play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville, North Hills, Pittsburgh Mills, and Robinson. The July 28 and 31 shows will be in Japanese with English subtitles and the July 29 shows will be dubbed in English. Tickets are available online.

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

2019 Chinese movie Dancing Elephant (跳舞吧!大象) in Pittsburgh, from July 26.



The new Chinese movie Dancing Elephant (跳舞吧!大象) will open nationwide, and in Pittsburgh, on July 26. From the distributor:
Li Chunxia, the leader of the "four little swan" dance class of the Children's Palace, is unconscious for 15 years in a car accident. After waking up miraculously, she finds that she changes from "Little Swan" to an "Elephant" weighing two hundred pounds and loses her life for the past fifteen years. Chunxia decides to pick up her life and attend a dancing contest which is organized by her dancing teacher. She finds back her childhood partners and a weird dancing teacher. Five of them, whom are considered as loser by others, restore the courage and passion to life together.
The movie will play in Pittsburgh from July 26 through 31, and tickets are available online. It is presented in Mandarin Chinese with English subtitles. 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.

July 24 screening scrapped, but The Farewell still to play in Pittsburgh August 2 through 8.



A screening of The Farewell originally scheduled for July 24 has been removed, but the film starring Awkwafina and Tzi Ma will still play in Squirrel Hill from August 2 through 8. From the distributor:
In this funny, uplifting tale based on an actual lie, Chinese-born, U.S.-raised Billi (Awkwafina) reluctantly returns to Changchun to find that, although the whole family knows their beloved matriarch, Nai-Nai, has been given mere weeks to live, everyone has decided not to tell Nai Nai herself. To assure her happiness, they gather under the joyful guise of an expedited wedding, uniting family members scattered among new homes abroad. As Billi navigates a minefield of family expectations and proprieties, she finds there’s a lot to celebrate: a chance to rediscover the country she left as a child, her grandmother’s wondrous spirit, and the ties that keep on binding even when so much goes unspoken. With The Farewell, writer/director Lulu Wang has created a heartfelt celebration of both the way we perform family and the way we live it, masterfully interweaving a gently humorous depiction of the good lie in action with a richly moving story of how family can unite and strengthen us, often in spite of ourselves.
Tickets for the Squirrel Hill Manor shows are available online.

Secret Speakeasy: Qixi Festival in Pittsburgh, August 7.



The Pittsburgh chapter of the Organization of Chinese Americans and Secret Speakeasy will host a Qixi Festival on August 7.
Legend tells of a love story between the weaver girl, Zhinu (the star of Vega) and the cowherd, Niulang (the star of Altair). Their love was forbidden and they were banished to opposite sides of the Silver River (the Milky Way). Once a year, on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, a flock of magpies forms a bridge to reunite these star crossed lovers for just one day...

On this day we celebrate the Qixi Festival, or the Double Seventh Festival: Chinese Valentine's Day:

The evening will recreate a romantic Qixi Festival indoors - filled with close-up magic and readings, craft stations from renowned experts such as Chinese calligraphy and Chinese knot art, performances of silk and iron fan dance, performances from a world master of the pipa - the Chinese lute - who studied with Yo Yo Ma, immersive art installations, and more.

Seoul's Cafeteria Pittsburgh.


via naraeng2g.

Earlier this year a cafe called Cafeteria Pittsburgh opened in Seoul's Jongno-gu, in the basement of the Gran Seoul building that opened in 2014. Judging by a few blog entries that have photographed it (here and here), it's local in name only and specializes in coffees, juices, and bakery items. The address is 서울 종로구 종로 33 그랑서울 지하1층 (우)03159 (map).

Monday, July 22, 2019

Mongolian heavy metal band The Hu in Pittsburgh, November 18.



Mongolian heavy metal band The Hu will play at Mr. Smalls on November 18. From the band's official site:
The HU is a band from Mongolia that blends heavy metal and traditional Mongolian throat singing. Their first two videos (“Yuve Yuve Yu” and “Wolf Totem”) immediately went viral garnering the band over 18 million views. The explosive reaction to The HU resulted in a number of features about the band in international media such as NPR, ET India Times, Playboy Mexico, Jack Canal+Fr, Hong Kong 01, DW News Germany and others.

The band’s name The HU, is the Mongolian root word for human being. They call their style “Hunnu Rock”…inspired by the Hunnu, an ancient Mongolian empire, known as The Huns in western culture. Some of the band’s lyrics include old Mongolian war cries and poetry.

McKeesport-based Trillium Flow Technologies hiring bilingual Mandarin-English International Projects Administrator.



McKeesport-based Trillium Flow Technologies is hiring a bilingual Mandarin-English International Projects Administrator. The company was known as Weir Group through June 30, and was hiring for the same position last month.
Ideal candidate will have the following:
  • Fluency in both Chinese Mandarin and English Languages.
  • Experience in communicating technically with international customers, primarily Chinese.
  • Previous experience in the commercial nuclear power industry, ideally in a third tier supplier environment.
  • Present a professional demeanor which will reflect positively on Hiller and our company image.
  • Objectives & Measurement - Key Responsibilities
Essential/Critical Functions (not prioritized):
  • Establish project documentation and correspondence system, based upon engineering department practices and requirements.
  • Assist engineering team in logging and tracking project correspondence
  • Assist engineering team to assure timely response to technical queries and deviation requests.
  • Assist engineering team to take and distribute minutes from customer and project meetings with international customer
  • Provide translation services for critical documents
  • Coordinate international (primarily Chinese) meetings both remotely and on-site
  • Support direct customer visits for both active and future opportunities, with translation and administrative support.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

2019 Japanese movie Kingdom (キングダム) in Pittsburgh from August 16.



Tickets recently on sale for the 2019 Japanese movie Kingdom (キングダム), a live-action adaptation of the Japanese manga that will play in Pittsburgh from August 16 through 21.
Orphaned by war, a young boy and his friend dream of changing their fate and becoming the world’s greatest generals. And after his friend sacrifices himself to protect
the future emperor, the young boy’s path to greatness is set in motion.

Helping the King reclaim the throne puts the boy’s blade to the ultimate test as they go against deadly assassins, large armies, and the dangerous mountain clan.

In a country torn apart by war, only they can fight to unite the warring states!
Released in Japan on April 19, it's the second highest-grossing domestic movie of the year there. The movie will play locally 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.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

2019 move Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?: Arrow of the Orion ダンジョンに出会いを求めるのは間違っているだろうか in Pittsburgh, July 23.



Tickets were just announced for Pittsburgh screenings of the 2019 movie Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?: Arrow of the Orion ダンジョンに出会いを求めるのは間違っているだろうか, based on the manga and anime series. The distributor provides a synopsis:
Far from the dungeon beneath Oraria rises a new threat, one the beautiful goddess Artemis has sworn to destroy with the help of her chosen warrior. But this fighter isn’t the renowned Ais Wallenstein or another stor ied hero of Orario legend. Instead the fate of Artemis’ quest falls upon the shoulders of Bell Cranell, who must partner with the goddess and stand against the menace lurking in the remains of a distant, ancient city. Although Bell is the ordained champion of Artemis and a member of the goddess Hestia’s familia, their adventure will test every skill and take every ounce of courage that Bell has — and perhaps, along the way, turn him into the hero he has always aspired to be.
The movie is in Japanese with English subtitles, and will play at the Southside Works Cinema and the Cinemark theater in Robinson. Tickets are available online.

Kimchi potato chips are here.



Kimchi Lays potato chips just turned up at Squirrel Hill's Panda Supermarket. They're among the more interesting flavors offered by Lays China; other locally-available varieties include Wasabi, Lime, Cucumber, Roasted Chicken Wing, and Texas Grilled BBQ Flavor, among others.

Friday, July 19, 2019

The Farewell, starring Awkwafina and Tzi Ma, in Pittsburgh on July 24 and from August 2 through August 8.



Tickets went on sale today for Pittsburgh screenings of The Farewell, which opens nationwide today.
In this funny, uplifting tale based on an actual lie, Chinese-born, U.S.-raised Billi (Awkwafina) reluctantly returns to Changchun to find that, although the whole family knows their beloved matriarch, Nai-Nai, has been given mere weeks to live, everyone has decided not to tell Nai Nai herself. To assure her happiness, they gather under the joyful guise of an expedited wedding, uniting family members scattered among new homes abroad. As Billi navigates a minefield of family expectations and proprieties, she finds there’s a lot to celebrate: a chance to rediscover the country she left as a child, her grandmother’s wondrous spirit, and the ties that keep on binding even when so much goes unspoken. With The Farewell, writer/director Lulu Wang has created a heartfelt celebration of both the way we perform family and the way we live it, masterfully interweaving a gently humorous depiction of the good lie in action with a richly moving story of how family can unite and strengthen us, often in spite of ourselves.
It will play at the AMC Loews Waterfront on July 24 and at the Manor Theater in Squirrel Hill from August 2 through 8. Tickets are available online.

Pad Thai Noodle coming to N. Craig St. in Oakland.



Pad Thai Noodle will open a location at 256 N. Craig St. in Oakland (map), in the spot most recently occupied by Tan Lac Vien Express. Tan Lac Vien Express announced its closure on July 3 after four years in business; two other Vietnamese restaurants were previously in the spot.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

GlobalPittsburgh happy hour with visitors from South Korea and China, August 1.

The next GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays happy hour on August 1 will welcome visiting English teachers from Korea National University of Education and students from China.
The 43 teachers of English from the Korea National University of Education will participate in the Intensive English Teacher Training Program, a 4-week program that is run through the English Language Institute at the University of Pittsburgh. The 28 students from China are coming for an experiential summer camp organized by Chatham University.

Meet globally-minded people from Pittsburgh and all over the world to make new friends and learn more about different cultures at our GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays monthly happy hour. Bring your friends, family, and colleagues or come alone - we are a very friendly group!
The happy hour runs from 5:30 to 8:00 pm at Roland's Seafood Grill in the Strip District (map). Tickets are required and prices range from free to $10.

Reading and conversation with author Gina Apostol, July 23.



City of Asylum will host author Gina Apostol for a free conversation and reading on July 23. A synopsis of her latest novel, Insurrecto:
Two women, a Filipino translator and an American filmmaker, go on a road trip in Duterte’s Philippines, collaborating and clashing in the writing of a film script about a massacre during the Philippine-American War. Chiara is working on a film about an incident in Balangiga, Samar, in 1901, when Filipino revolutionaries attacked an American garrison, and in retaliation American soldiers created “a howling wilderness” of the surrounding countryside. Magsalin reads Chiara’s film script and writes her own version. Insurrecto contains within its dramatic action two rival scripts from the filmmaker and the translator—one about a white photographer, the other about a Filipino schoolteacher.
The event runs from 7:00 to 8:30 pm; it's free but online RSVP is required. The City of Asylum's Alphabet City venue is located at 40 N. West Ave. on the North Side (map).

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Curry on Murray closes, replaced by Japanese fusion restaurant Yukiyama.



Last week a Japanese fusion place Yukiyama opened at 2121 Murray Ave. (map), in the spot formerly occupied by Curry on Murray. It has a limited menu at the moment, but expects a fuller one shortly.

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Chinese calligraphy workshop downtown, August 3.


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

The downtown branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will host a Chinese calligraphy workshop on August 3.
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).

Sunday, July 14, 2019

Kusama: Infinity screening at Mattress Factory, August 15.



The Mattress Factory, which hosts two permanent installations by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, will hold a screening of the documentary Kusama: Infinity on August 15.
Get to know the artist behind the polka dots. Join us for a special screening of Kusama: Infinity, a documentary that looks at the life and work of Mattress Factory artist Yayoi Kusama, the top-selling female artist in the world.

Along with the film, you can experience Infinity Dots, Mirrored Room and Repetitive Vision, two Kusama rooms that are part of the Mattress Factory’s permanent collection, and explore photos and items – think a polka dot chair! – from Kusama’s Mattress Factory installation in 1996.
Tickets are $20 for the general public and $15 for students and Mattress Factory members. The movie runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, and the museum is located at 500 Sampsonia Way in the North Side (map).

Thursday, July 11, 2019

New Hong Kong movie The White Storm 2 - Drug Lords (掃毒2天地對決) in Pittsburgh, from July 12.



The new Hong Kong movie The White Storm 2 - Drug Lords (掃毒2天地對決), starring Andy Lau, will open in Pittsburgh on July 12.
A former triad member-turned-property tycoon (Andy Lau) offers a $100 million bounty to eliminate the number one drug dealer in Hong Kong (Louis Koo), who has recently upped his business by collaborating with Mexican drug lords. The bounty sets off a shootings frenzy and a battle of minds between the two titans.
The movie will play at the AMC Loews Waterfront, and 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.

Pittsburgh Pirates sign 17-year-old Taiwanese shortstop Cheng Tsung-Che / Zheng Zong-Zhe (鄭宗哲)



On July 9 the Pittsburgh Pirates signed 17-year-old Taiwanese shortstop Cheng Tsung-Che (鄭宗哲). The contract is reported to be around US $300,000. He is the 10th Taiwanese player to sign with Pittsburgh, and the first since 2014. (Initial reports were using a different Romanization system, which provided an alternate English spelling of his name.)

Host families needed for 45 visiting Japanese Pony-league baseball players in August.



The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania shares news of a group of visiting Pony-league baseball players from Japan and the need for host families in Pittsburgh during their August 5 - 10 stay. Those interested should contact the organizers at the bottom of the flyer.

Ghost Fleet, a documentary on present-day slave fishermen of Thailand, continues in Pittsburgh through July 17.



The 2018 documentary Ghost Fleet which opened in Pittsburgh on July 5, will continue through July 17. A synopsis, via the documentary's official site:
Ghost Fleet follows a small group of activists who risk their lives on remote Indonesian islands to find justice and freedom for the enslaved fishermen who feed the world’s insatiable appetite for seafood. Bangkok-based Patima Tungpuchayakul, a Thai abolitionist, has committed her life to helping these “lost” men return home. Facing illness, death threats, corruption, and complacency, Patima’s fearless determination for justice inspires her nation and the world.
And in a Hollywood Reporter review:
During the voyage, [the filmmakers] encounter a handful of escaped slaves from Thailand, Burma and Cambodia hiding out on remote islands far from home. They all have similar stories of how they were promised jobs and then wound up imprisoned at sea, working in sordid conditions where accidents could happen at any time — one man tells the gruesome tale of his friend getting decapitated by a fishing net — and where escape was the only viable option. But even if they did manage to get free, the men were often hunted down and thrown into illegal prisons run by the fishing corporation, which was in cahoots with local police.
It will play at the Harris Theater in the Cultural District (map), and tickets are available online.

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

EXO's "Love Shot" at next K-pop Dance Class, July 13.



The weekly K-pop Dance Class at Yanlai Dance Academy will do Exo's "Love Shot" for its seventh meeting on July 13. The class is held each Saturday from 4:00 to 5:00 pm, and the cost is $18 for a drop-in session. Yanlai Dance Academy is located at 2260 Babcock Blvd. in the North Hills (map).

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

We Are Here: Asian Pacific Islander American Artists in Pittsburgh at Cultural District Gallery Crawl, July 12.



The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council will host Art on the Walls Reception - We Are Here: Asian Pacific Islander American Artists in Pittsburgh from July 12. It will open as part of that evening's Gallery Crawl through the Cultural District and will remain on display through December.
Event Details
As part of Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council's exhibition series, Art on the Walls, "We Are Here: Asian Pacific Islander American Artists in Pittsburgh" features art by April Brust, Wen Gao, Pralhad Gurung, Eriko Hattori, Sesame Kim, Huei-Hsuan Sun, Estelle Tian,Patty Tran, Marieke Van Der Maelen, Grace Wong, and Ariel Xiu. The exhibition is available on display in GPAC's Big Room from July through December 2019. You can view the exhibition during July's Gallery Crawl on Friday, July 12.

About the Exhibition:
Although Asian Pacific Islander Americans (APIA) have been present in Pittsburgh since the 1870s and represent an ever-growing community in the city and in the country at-large, APIA’s continue to struggle for representation. This exhibition aims to provide visibility for this community: for the first time in Pittsburgh’s history, every exhibiting artist in "We Are Here" identifies as APIA. While some of these artists create work directly informed by their race, family backgrounds, and socio-political history, all possess an identity created in the context of omission and discrimination.

By giving a physical space for viewers to look at and engage with these artists’ work, we hope to set a precedent for the local art scene, educate the larger public, develop dialogue, and voice that "We Are Here," we have been here, and we will continue to create.
The event is free but online RSVP is required. It runs from 5:30 to 8:00 pm on the 12th in the GPAC Big Room on the 7th floor of 810 Penn Ave. (map).

"Storytime: Japanese and English" at Carnegie Library in East Liberty, July 16.


via archdaily.org

The next installment of the monthly program "Storytime: Japanese and English" will take place on July 16 at the Carnegie Library in East Liberty.
Celebrate our city’s diverse culture as we explore new words through songs, action rhymes and stories in both English and Japanese for children and their parents or caregivers. For children age birth – 5 and their caregivers.
It runs from 11:00 to 11:30 am. The library is located at 130 S. Whitfield St. (map).

2019 movie Sound! Euphonium: Oath's Finale (劇場版 響け!ユーフォニアム〜誓いのフィナーレ〜) in Pittsburgh, July 11 and 15.



The 2019 movie Sound! Euphonium: Oath's Finale (劇場版 響け!ユーフォニアム〜誓いのフィナーレ〜) will play in Pittsburgh on July 11 and 15. The distributor provides a summary:
From Kyoto Animation, the studio that brought you A Silent Voice, Liz and the Blue Bird, and Violet Evergarden comes the long-awaited sequel in the Sound! Euphonium franchise, Sound! Euphonium: The Movie – Our Promise: A Brand New Day.

While Liz and the Blue Bird explored the relationship of band mates Mizore and Nozomi and took on a radical new art style, Our Promise: A Brand New Day returns to Sound! Euphonium's familiar style and the story of franchise protagonist Kumiko Oumae, now in her second year of high school. Follow Kumiko as she takes on the role of mentor towards the incoming class of new band members. Series director Tatsuya Ishihara reprises his directorial role to create a film that is sure to delight diehard fans and newcomers alike.

This special event will feature an exclusive recap of Sound! Euphonium seasons 1 and 2 before the film so that fans – new and returning – can enjoy the film without missing a beat.
The first half of the story, in the form of the 2018 film Liz and the Blue Bird, did not play in Pittsburgh.

The July 11 shows are in Japanese with English subtitles and the July 15 shows are dubbed in English. The movie will play at the Southside Works Cinema and the Cinemark Theaters in Monroeville and Robinson on July 11, and at Monroeville and Robinson on the 15th. Tickets are available online.

Monday, July 8, 2019

Studio Ghibli film Kiki's Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便) in Pittsburgh, July 28, 29, 31.



The 1989 Hayao Miyazaki film Kiki's Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便) will play at several theaters in western Pennsylvania on July 28, 29, and 31, as this month's installment of the GKIDS Studio Ghibli Fest 2019. A synopsis from the distributor:
Celebrate the 30th anniversary of this beloved coming-of-age story from the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away, and Academy Award®-winning director Hayao Miyazaki, about a resourceful young witch who uses her broom to create a delivery service, only to lose her gift of flight in a moment of self-doubt.

It is a tradition for all young witches to leave their families on the night of a full moon and fly off into the wide world to learn their craft. When that night comes for Kiki, she embarks on her new journey with her sarcastic black cat, Jiji, landing the next morning in a seaside village, where her unique skills make her an instant sensation.
The movie will play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville, North Hills, Pittsburgh Mills, and Robinson. The July 28 and 31 shows will be in Japanese with English subtitles and the July 29 shows will be dubbed in English. Tickets are available online.

Homestay hosts needed for visiting Korea National University of Education students in July and August.




GlobalPittsburgh is still looking for host families this month and next for visiting students from the Korea National University of Education. A cohort of 43 English teachers will be completing language, culture, and methodology courses at Pitt's English Language Institute. Host families will be compensated $750 a month. Those interested should contact Nadya Kessler at nkessler at globalpittsburgh.org.

Sunday, July 7, 2019

2019 move Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?: Arrow of the Orion ダンジョンに出会いを求めるのは間違っているだろうか in Pittsburgh, July 23.



The 2019 movie Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?: Arrow of the Orion ダンジョンに出会いを求めるのは間違っているだろうか, based on the manga and anime series, will play in Pittsburgh on July 23. The distributor provides a synopsis:
Far from the dungeon beneath Oraria rises a new threat, one the beautiful goddess Artemis has sworn to destroy with the help of her chosen warrior. But this fighter isn’t the renowned Ais Wallenstein or another stor ied hero of Orario legend. Instead the fate of Artemis’ quest falls upon the shoulders of Bell Cranell, who must partner with the goddess and stand against the menace lurking in the remains of a distant, ancient city. Although Bell is the ordained champion of Artemis and a member of the goddess Hestia’s familia, their adventure will test every skill and take every ounce of courage that Bell has — and perhaps, along the way, turn him into the hero he has always aspired to be.
The movie is in Japanese with English subtitles, and will play at the Southside Works Cinema and the Cinemark theater in Robinson. Tickets are available online.

Thursday, July 4, 2019

Documentary Our Youth in Taiwan (我們的青春,在台灣) in Pittsburgh, July 11.



Café Philo-Pittsburgh will present the documentary Our Youth in Taiwan (我們的青春,在台灣) and a question-and-answer session with the director Yue Fu on July 11 at Carnegie Mellon University.
Café Philo-Pittsburgh will hold a screening for on Thursday, July 11th, 2019. Director Fu said that her “greatest hope is for my country to be treated as a truly independent entity", in her acceptance speech at the Golden Horse film awards ceremony. Café Philo-Pittsburgh is honored to have Director Fu share her creative and film-making process with the audience after the screening. Please bring your family and invite your friends, neighbors, and colleagues to join us at the screening event in Pittsburgh!

Movie Summary: A star of the Taiwanese student movement, a celebrity Chinese student who loves Taiwan, and a Taiwanese documentary filmmaker passionate about politics. Each of them shared dreams of rebellion and building a better country. In the wake of the biggest social movement in Taiwan in recent years, they reflected on how close they came to realizing their goals, how they were let down, and whether it is still possible to continue fighting for ideals.
The movie will play in Chinese with English subtitles from 6:30 pm in the McConomy Auditorium of Cohon University Center (map). Tickets are available online, with VIP and discounted early-bird prices currently available.

Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Pittsburgh premiere of Funan, July 6 through 11 at Row House Cinema.



Row House Cinema will present the Pittsburgh premiere of Funan, a French film about a Cambodian mother's search for her child kidnapped during the Khmer Rouge coup, from July 6 through 11. From the film's official site:
In 1975 in Phnom Penh, Chou leads an enchanted life until one morning when the Khmer Rouge madness plunges Cambodia into horror. The population is deported to camps and Chou’s confronted to the pain of powerlessness. When her 4-year-old son is snatched from her by a feeling crowd, her world falls apart but she never loses hope. Funan is the incredibly powerful story of a young mother’s fight to save her son and keep her family together in a barbaric time.
The film is in French with English subtitles, and tickets are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street (map).

Tuesday, July 2, 2019

BTS's Bring the Soul: The Movie in Pittsburgh, August 7.



The latest BTS concert movie Bring the Soul will play in Pittsburgh on August 7.
On the day following the final concert of their Europe tour, on a rooftop in Paris, BTS tells their very own stories from experiencing new cities to performing in front of thousands of ARMY across the globe. A glimpse into BTS’ world away from the stage, featuring intimate group discussions alongside spectacular concert performances from the tour, this is a cinema event not to be missed.
It will play locally at the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville and Robinson, and tickets are now available online.

Community College of Allegheny County hiring adjunct Chinese instructors.

Community College of Allegheny County is hiring adjunct Chinese-language instructors.
General Summary: The primary responsibilities of the faculty are to teach and to develop the curriculum. To meet these responsibilities, faculty must remain knowledgeable about advances in their disciplines, in learning theory, and in pedagogy. Faculty portfolios will include contributions and program development and show evidence of ongoing professional development.

Requirements:

Applicants for teaching assignments are expected to have strong communication skills. Applicants are expected to have post-secondary teaching experiences; work experiences in the discipline to be taught; and knowledge of industry-related software and systems, including industry certifications, where appropriate.

Monday, July 1, 2019

EXO's "Love Shot" at next K-pop Dance Class, July 13.



The weekly K-pop Dance Class at Yanlai Dance Academy will do Exo's "Love Shot" for its seventh meeting on July 13 (the academy is closed on July 6). The class is held each Saturday from 4:00 to 5:00 pm, and the cost is $18 for a drop-in session. Yanlai Dance Academy is located at 2260 Babcock Blvd. in the North Hills (map).

SAP Ariba hiring bilingual Mandarin-English Procurement Operations Specialist for overnight call center position.

SAP Ariba is hiring a bilingual Mandarin-English Procurement Operations Specialist for an overnight position in Pittsburgh.
ROLE DESCRIPTION:

The Customer Support Associate primary function is to effectively support Ariba applications for both internal and external customers. Support includes site navigation and system troubleshooting as well as interfacing with other Ariba teams to ensure world-class service. Assistants will provide complete satisfaction for all customer interactions.


EXPECTATIONS AND TASKS:

Responsibilities
  • Provide inbound and outbound (phone, email, web form, chat, community) application/ functional support and resolution to customers (external and internal) while presenting the company in a positive and fair manner with timely updates and knowledgeable answers
  • Collaborate, coordinate, and escalate on customer issues acting as a customer advocate while working with all departments
  • Maintaining the quality of the customer support organization (release readiness, process definition, training, service audits…)
  • Document transactions in CRM system
  • Create content for knowledge base systems

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