2019 Keiichi Hara film The Wonderland (バースデー・ワンダーランド) coming to Pittsburgh, February 2.

The 2019 Japanese animated film The Wonderland (バースデー・ワンダーランド) will play in Pittsburgh on February 2. From the distributor:

On the day before her birthday, young Akane meets the mysterious alchemist Hippocrates who brings her through a basement and into a fantastical world full of magic and color. He reveals that this world is in danger, and as the "Green Goddess" it is her destiny and responsibility to save this world. The only problem? Akane just wants to go home.

It has been announced locally, so far, for the Southside Works Cinema, though tickets are not yet available.

Chinese-Australian movie The Whistleblower (吹哨人) in Pittsburgh, from December 6.

The 2019 Chinese-Australian movie The Whistleblower (吹哨人) will play in Pittsburgh from December 6.

Following a fatal accident, a Chinese expatriate working for a mining company in Australia discovers that new technology developed by the company may be a health risk, and investigates a web of conspiracies in his search for the truth.

It will play at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark in Pittsburgh Mills, and tickets are available online.

Vietnamese movie The Third Wife at Northland Public Library, December 11.

The Northland Public Library will show the 2018 Vietnamese film The Third Wife on December 11th as this month's installment of its Indie/Foreign Film Series.

May is a 14 year old girl who has just become the third wife of a wealthy landowner. She tries to navigate the hierarchal structure of the family dynamics, finding that the only way to get a head or get some power is to give birth to a son. When she becomes pregnant, things change. May starts to feel some attraction to the second wife, Xuan. On the other hand Xuan is having an affair with the first wife’s son. While May observes the unfolding tragedy of all the forbidden loves and its possible consequences, she must make a choice to either carry on in silence or forge a path towards personal freedom. This movie has minimal dialogue but it is beautifully shot with all the lush scenery. The movie takes place in the late 19th century, and is based upon family stories of the director. So come join us.

The movie will play from 1:30 pm and the library is located off of McKnight Road and Rt. 19 in McCandless Township (map). The film is free and open to the public.

Bong Joon-ho film Parasite (기생충) continues in Pittsburgh through December 12.

The acclaimed 2019 Bong Joon-ho film Parasite (기생충), which opened in Pittsburgh on November 1, will continue in Pittsburgh through at least December 12.

Bong Joon Ho brings his singular mastery home to Korea in this pitch-black modern fairytale.

Meet the Park Family: the picture of aspirational wealth. And the Kim Family, rich in street smarts but not much else. Be it chance or fate, these two houses are brought together and the Kims sense a golden opportunity. Masterminded by college-aged Ki-woo, the Kim children expediently install themselves as tutor and art therapist, to the Parks. Soon, a symbiotic relationship forms between the two families. The Kims provide “indispensable” luxury services while the Parks obliviously bankroll their entire household. When a parasitic interloper threatens the Kims’ newfound comfort, a savage, underhanded battle for dominance breaks out, threatening to destroy the fragile ecosystem between the Kims and the Parks. By turns darkly hilarious and heart-wrenching, PARASITE showcases a modern master at the top of his game.

Parasite won the Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. It continues locally at the Southside Works Cinema (map) and the Manor Theater in Squirrel Hill (map). Tickets are available online.

Breath Of The Wok - Dim Sum Brunch By Roger Li, December 8.

Chef Roger Li will host the second pop-up event in his series on dim sum and Cantonese dishes on December 8, titled "Breath Of The Wok - Dim Sum Brunch."

Chapter 二 ......

Many may mistake Roger Li's cultural background because of his culinary legacy with Pittsburgh staples like Umami, Ki Ramen (both Japanese concepts), Ki Pollo (Korean fried chicken) and some may even remember the legend of Tamari from days of old. But when you taste Roger's traditional Cantonese cooking, there's no mistaking his Hong Kong roots!

We're excited to bring you the second chapter of our pop up series by Roger Li focusing on Cantonese cooking. The second chapter continues at Ki Ramen, one of Li's well known restaurants FEATURING A NEW UPDATED MENU!

After a massively successful first event, this Cantonese brunch pop up will feature a variety of dim sum along with cantonese bbq, traditional rice dishes, and pastries.. each pop up will focus on different styles and techniques leading up to his journey of opening his brick and mortar Cantonese concept.

Stay tuned...

It will take place at Li's Ki Ramen in Lawrenceville (map) from 12 noon to 4:00 pm.

1988 film Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack (機動戦士ガンダム 逆襲のシャア) in Pittsburgh, December 5.

As part of the 40th anniversary celebration for the Gundam franchise, the 1988 movie Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack (機動戦士ガンダム 逆襲のシャア) will return to theaters on December 5. From the distributor:

Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Gundam franchise when Char's Counterattack returns to theatres!

Amuro and Char, two best mobile suit (robotic weapons) pilots who fought together against Titans after the Jion's independency war, must face each other in a fateful duel where the Neo-Jion, led by Char, attempts to drop a gigantic meteor and its nuclear weapons to Earth in order to cause Nuclear Winter to wipe out the Earth inhabitants.

Gundam fans won’t want to miss out on this exclusive one-night-only event, featuring a special interview with franchise creator Yoshiyuki Tomino!

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

Free Korean III advanced-level classes coming to Carnegie Library in January.

via the Republic of Korea's Flickr page.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, which already holds free beginner- and intermediate-level Korean classes, will offer Korean III from January 2020.

Korean III is geared toward those with an advanced understanding of Korean. This group meets 1st & 3rd Saturday of each month, from January through April, in Classroom A.

• These classes are FREE.
• You do not have to register for the classes.
• You do not need to bring anything or buy anything.
• New participants are welcome at any time.
• This class is for adults, but young people are welcome as long as they behave respectfully.

The next meetings will be January 4 and January 18 from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Carnegie Library branch in Oakland. The library is located at 4400 Forbes Ave. in Oakland (map) and is accessible by buses 28X, 54, 61C, 61D, 67, 69, 71A, 71B, 71C, 71D, and 93.

"Kitsuke: The Art Of Kimono" at Pitt, rescheduled for January 8, 2020.

"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 January 8.

Pitt alumnus Evan Mason will teach participants about the craftsmanship put into designing a kimono. The lecture will begin with a lesson on the history and significance of the kimono in Japan, follow with a kitsuke demonstration (how to wear traditional Japanese attire), and end with participants trying on their own yukatas (casual kimonos)!

It runs from 6:00 to 7:30 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map). It takes place two days before the center's annual Seijin Shiki / Coming-of-Age ceremony.

One day left for fundraising for new Screenshot: Asia film festival and media series at University of Pittsburgh from September 2020.

A festival organizer writes with an update on fundraising for the new Asian film festival and media series hosted by the University of Pittsburgh from September 2020:

I wanted to update you on the progress we are making on bringing a new and improved Asian Film Festival to Pittsburgh.

I'm not sure how much you have heard about this, but Pitt will now host the festival each September (now called Screenshot: Asia), which means that the event will have much more student and faculty participation in addition to strong support from the Pittsburgh community. Screenshot Asia will be the umbrella organization for our own Japan Documentary Film Award, and they will support year-round Asian film programming (including showing silent samurai films with live musical performances like the benshi I brought last year).
We have been raising money for the Film Festival in order to prove to Pitt that we have broad community interest. Would you consider making a donation to support us?

A few reasons to support us:

• Pitt has the strongest film studies program in the city (actually a strong nation-wide reputation), and we are well positioned to make this an amazing event for the university, for Asian communities living in Pittsburgh, and for anyone who loves Asian cinema.
• Contributions start at five dollars. Any level of support would be appreciated!
• One of our students is featured in our promotional film (but you'll have to watch the video to find out who!)

We have just one more day until the campaign ends. We are making excellent progress at nearly 80% of our goal. Please take a look and consider supporting us. Many thanks!

You can click here to go directly to the EngagePitt campaign (or copy and paste the address here: https://engage.pitt.edu/project/16914).

Fundraising closes at 11:59 pm on December 3.

Screenshot: Asia was announced in September 2019. It will fill---aiming to fill to excess---a void left after Silk Screen closed in 2018 due to persistent sexual harassment by its CEO, and after Pittsburgh Filmmakers shuttered its theaters and programming in November.

2019 film Promare (プロメア) returns to Pittsburgh for redux, December 8, 10.

The 2019 Japanese animated film Promare (プロメア) will return to Pittsburgh on December 8 and 10. The distributor summarizes:

The first feature-length film from the acclaimed studio TRIGGER, creators of the hit series KILL la KILL and Little Witch Academia, and director Hiroyuki Imaishi (GURREN LAGANN, KILL la KILL), Promare uses a bold cel-shaded visual style to tell a blistering action-adventure story, and is the spiritual successor to many of director Imaishi’s former works.

Thirty years has passed since the appearance of Burnish, a race of flame-wielding mutant beings, who destroyed half of the world with fire. When a new group of aggressive mutants calling themselves “Mad Burnish” appears, the epic battle between Galo Thymos, a new member of the anti-Burnish rescue team “Burning Rescue,” and Lio Fotia, the leader of “Mad Burnish” begins.

The subtitled version on December 8 will play locally at the AMC Waterfront, Southside Works, and Cinemark in Monroeville, while the dubbed version on the 10th will play at the AMC Waterfront, Southside Works, and Cinemark in Robinson. Tickets are available online.