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.