A magical mystery marathon, King Hu’s “Legend of the Mountain” takes place (maybe, as the narrator waggishly says) in the 11th century during the Song dynasty. It tells of a cheerful, underemployed scholar, Ho Yunqing (Shih Chun), who makes a meager living as a copyist. Soon after the movie opens, he is entrusted to copy a Buddhist sutra (a dialogue or sermon) that can liberate souls stuck in limbo. Ho isn’t a believer, but he needs the money and so enthusiastically heads out on a seemingly simple mission, one that eventually leads to an isolated outpost where curious and curiouser things occur.All shows start at 6:00 pm at the Regent Square Theater (map), and tickets are only available for purchase at the door.
Filled with lovely natural landscapes that have been meticulously framed and photographed, “Legend of the Mountain” is often a visual ravishment. (It was shot in the South Korean countryside.) There’s a mesmerizing appeal to many of its panoramas, with their variegated colors, dense vegetation and drifting, swirling white mist. And while King Hu certainly likes to move the camera — it sweeps, swoops and sometime breaks into a near-run — he also likes to linger on images as if encouraging you to admire their compositional harmony. You can get lost in these pictorial reveries as you trace the rays of light piercing the trees, brightening the dark waters and the reality-softening haze.
a former punk-turned-Buddhist-priest in Japan, has made a career out of helping suicidal people find reasons to live. But this work has come increasingly at the cost of his own family and health, as he refuses to draw lines between his patients and himself. The Departure captures Nemoto at a crossroads, when his growing self-destructive tendencies lead him to confront the same question his patients ask him: what makes life worth living?Tickets for the March 30 screening of The Departure are now available online. It will play at McConomy Auditorium (map) from 7:00 pm, and the evening also includes a discussion panel.
The debut feature from Taiwanese documentarian Huang Hsin-yao is an acerbic satire of small-town corruption that has earned awards attention, including 10 nominations (one for best picture) at this month’s Golden Horse Awards. The Great Buddha+ follows a pair of frustrated labourers who find themselves surrounded by businessmen and local officials throwing around more money than they could accumulate in a lifetime.Showtimes are available online, though tickets are only available for purchase at the door. The Regent Square Theater is located at 1035 S. Braddock Ave. (map) in the neighborhood of the same name.
Pickle (Cres Chuang I-tseng) is a middle-aged security guard at a factory that makes bronze Buddha statues. Living with his ailing mother, his only pleasure comes from best friend Belly Button (Bamboo Chen Chu-sheng), a recycler who brings him leftover food each night and, if he’s lucky, an old porno magazine to help wile away the small hours.
One night, they decide to watch footage from the dash-cam in the Mercedes of Pickle’s wealthy boss, Kevin (Leon Dai Li-ren). In among numerous steamy encounters and grovelling phone calls, they uncover a dark secret that could change all of their lives.
Whether you are traveling to Japan for business or pleasure, you will be fascinated by the beauty and culture of this ancient country. This presentation will explore the delectable cuisine, breathtaking landscapes, and unique business etiquette of one of the most influential places in the world. Join Japan native Kana Komaki as she shares original stories as well as insights and recommendations that are not found online or in a standard travel guide.The event runs from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. The library is located at 300 Cumberland Road in the North Hills (map).
Registration is required for this adult program. Everyone attending will have access to two free Japanese language lessons with local language center T&L Global.
Registration is required for this adult program and begins on February 1st. You may register online, in person at the adult reference desk or by calling 412-366-8100, extension 113.
The way children travel to school structures daily life for families around the world—but differs dramatically. In Japan, 98 percent of children walk to school every day, unaccompanied by a parent. In the United States, just 13 percent of children walk or bike to school, and most are driven to school by a parent.
Join us for a reading with Viet Thanh Nguyen presented in partnership with Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures and the Carnegie Nexus: Becoming Migrant series.Nguyen will give a lecture at Carnegie Music Hall that evening, and will participate in a discussion with University of Pittsburgh students and faculty on April 5.
“A major writer with firsthand knowledge of the human rights drama exploding on the international stage—and the talent to give us inroads toward understanding it.”—THE WASHINGTON POST
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen can’t remember a time when he wasn’t a refugee. When he was four, in 1975, his family joined the masses of South Vietnamese fleeing the Viet Cong. His first reliable memories began when his family arrived at a Pennsylvania resettlement camp and was temporarily split up.
Join Nguyen, author of The Refugees and The Sympathizer, Divya Heffley of Carnegie Museum of Art, and Patrick McShea of Carnegie Museum of Natural History for a live reading and discussion, followed by a hands-on workshop that layers passages of text with memories of what we perceive to be home.
