2013 animated film Patema Inverted (サカサマのパテマ) online at Row House Cinema, part of Japanese Film Week, from July 31.

The 2013 animated film Patema Inverted (サカサマのパテマ) will play online at Row House Cinema as part of Japanese Film Week from July 31. From a 2014 New York Times review:

An orphaned girl and a fatherless boy bridge opposing societies in “Patema Inverted,” a delightful animated fable from Yasuhiro Yoshiura.

When a scientific experiment goes awry, the laws of physics go nuts, and a subset of humans is forced underground, where gravity has been reversed. In this inverted world of tunnels and caverns, the sky is a terrifying blue-and-white hole for the unwary — like the 14-year-old Patema — to fall into.

Meanwhile, on the surface, young Age and his school friends aren’t faring much better under a totalitarian regime that forbids them to look toward the heavens.

Similar to Juan Solanas’s little-seen 2013 love story, “Upside Down,” this “Can we get along?” movie literalizes a physical attraction that acts as a counterargument to the divided worlds’ insistence on separation.

Ticket information is coming soon. Two other films comprise Japanese Film Week, which actually runs two weeks through August 13: A Girl Missing (よこがお) and We Are Little Zombies (ウィーアーリトルゾンビーズ) , both from 2019.

Replay of "A Conversation Too Long Ignored: How COVID-19, Xenophobia and Systemic Racism Disenfranchise the Marginalized Communities of Pittsburgh" from Pitt Diversity Forum 2020 now available.

This year's installment of the annual Pitt Diversity Forum, titled Advancing Social Justice: A Call To Action, featured a number of topics related to Asian-America and xenophobia on July 29. A replay of the livestream of "A Conversation Too Long Ignored: How COVID-19, Xenophobia and Systemic Racism Disenfranchise the Marginalized Communities of Pittsburgh" with Marian M. Lien, Josiah Gilliam, and James Cook is now available:

Crazy Rich Asians at Waterworks Cinema, July 29 and 30.

The movie Crazy Rich Asians is playing at the Waterworks Cinema on July 29 and 30. A summary of the film, from the distributor:

"Crazy Rich Asians” follows native New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) as she accompanies her longtime boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding), to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. Excited about visiting Asia for the first time but nervous about meeting Nick’s family, Rachel is unprepared to learn that Nick has neglected to mention a few key details about his life. It turns out that he is not only the scion of one of the country’s wealthiest families but also one of its most sought-after bachelors. Being on Nick’s arm puts a target on Rachel’s back, with jealous socialites and, worse, Nick’s own disapproving mother (Michelle Yeoh) taking aim. And it soon becomes clear that while money can’t buy love, it can definitely complicate things.

Tickets for the two 7:40 pm shows are available online. The theater is located at the Waterworks Shopping Mall across the river from Higland Park (map).

Brew & View: We Are Little Zombies (ウィーアーリトルゾンビーズ) with Row House Cinema, July 31 - August 2; film continues through August 13.

The Row House Cinema will present an online "Brew & View" with the 2019 Japanese film We Are Little Zombies (ウィーアーリトルゾンビーズ) from July 31 through August 2.

We're rethinking our signature beer and movie events so that you can pair great beer with an amazing film safely at home while Row House Cinema is closed.

Here's how it works:
1.) Pre-order your beer through Eventbrite ($20)
Tickets: https://bit.ly/38PnD7k

2.) Pick up a special 4 pack at Bierport July 31-Aug 2.
(Pssst. You can call ahead to add popcorn to your pickup!)

3.) Rent “We Are Little Zombies” from Row House Online ($12)
(Available 7-31 to 8-13 at rowhousecinema.com)

4.) Crack open a cold one and follow our handy guide for drinking themed beers that pair with key scenes in the movie!

1975 film The Man From Hong Kong (直搗黃龍) online with Row House Cinema, August 1.

The Row House Cinema will present the 1975 Australia-Hong Kong film The Man From Hong Kong (直搗黃龍) on August 1. This live stream will feature commentary from the director and the head programmer of Portland's Hollywood Theatre.

Join us this Saturday, August 1st at 9:15 pm EDT, for the live stream of "Man from Hong Kong" on 36cinema.com!

Dan Halsted—head programmer at the Hollywood Theatre—and Brian Trenchard Smith—film writer, author, and director of "Man From Hong Kong"—will provide live commentary during this special presentation.

Visit http://36cinema.com/RowHouse to secure your spot!

THE MAN FROM HONG KONG is a rare success, both in terms of blending Eastern and Western action styles and of providing a snapshot of how no-holds-barred Aussie cinema was at the time. This movie is filled with non-stop excitement and wild stunt work.

The Facebook event page gives the incorrect date; the film will play on August 1. Tickets for the 9:15 pm show are $10.

2019 Japanese film A Girl Missing (よこがお) online at Row House Cinema, from July 31.

The 2019 Japanese film A Girl Missing (よこがお) will play online at the Row House Cinema from July 31. An August 2019 Variety review provides a synopsis:

Ichiko is a visiting nurse whose in-home care for elderly artist Tôko Oishi (Hisako Ohkata) has made her a favorite of the family, especially with Tôko’s two granddaughters, the troubled, enigmatic Motoko (Mikako Ichikawa) and the younger, carefree Saki (Miyu Ogawa). Life is pretty good: Ichiko has a pleasant relationship with her nurse colleagues, she enjoys her work, and she’s engaged to Dr. Totsuka (Mitsuru Fukikoshi). Then Saki disappears and is found one week later seemingly unharmed, with Ichiko’s nephew Tatsuo (Ren Sudo) arrested for abduction. She feels responsible, having introduced the two by chance, yet Motoko tells her not to mention her connection to the accused, as it would jeopardize her presence in the family fold.

It will play online from July 31 through August 13; ticket information is coming soon.

Work on new restaurant Oishii Donburi still continues in Lawrenceville.

Oishii Donburi, a new restaurant coming from the team behind Oakland's Oishii Bento, is still under construction in Lawrenceville. The team with the self-titled company name purchased the former Design Island and Artisan Harvest spot at 5227 Butler St. (map) in May 2018.

Below are a few images released by Margittai Architects last July:

Topics on Asian-America, xenophobia at Pitt Diversity Forum 2020, July 28 to 30.

This year's installment of the annual Pitt Diversity Forum, titled Advancing Social Justice: A Call To Action, will feature a number of topics related to Asian-America and xenophobia. It is open to the Pitt community and runs from July 28 to 30. Particularly relevant topics include, on July 29:

A Conversation Too Long Ignored: How COVID-19, Xenophobia and Systemic Racism Disenfranchise the Marginalized Communities of Pittsburgh (Livestream)
Marian M. Lien, Josiah Gilliam, and James Cook

As the pandemic escalated with cases, it also intensified daily impacts of systemic racism on Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Facilitators at this workshop will discuss local perspectives of how racist and xenophobic incidents including physical and verbal assaults have dramatically increased against the Asian and Asian American populations, and how the pandemic has negatively affected the BIPOC communities who were already experiencing limited access to health care, paid sick leave, economic insecurity, and higher rates of underlying conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and respiratory illnesses that make COVID-10 infections deadly. They will share organizational and community action plans, as well as creating alliances, partnerships, and coalitions to reach a racial equity vision.

Nakama again voted Best Japanese/Sushi Restaurant in Pittsburgh by people who don't know anything about Japanese restaurants in Pittsburgh.

Nakama has again been voted the Best Japanese/Sushi Restaurant by readers of Pittsburgh Magazine, ahead of local Japanese favorites like Chaya, Kiku, and Teppanyaki Kyoto, among others. It's become a yearly joke to post a headline about Pittsburghers and their choice of Japanese restaurants and sushi spots, though reader polls do tend to favor places with name-brand recognition.

2006 Vietnamese film Journey from the Fall (Vượt Sóng) online with Pitt's Asian Studies Center, August 12.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will present the 2006 Vietnamese film Journey from the Fall (Vượt Sóng) online on August 12 as the next installment of its Summer Screenshots: Hot Nights/Cold War film series. A synopsis, from the film's official site:

"The Americans have broken their promise. They have left us."
(Long Nguyen, South Vietnamese resistance fighter)

Inspired by the true stories of Vietnamese refugees who fled their land after the fall of Saigon—and those who were forced to stay behind, Journey From The Fall follows one family’s struggle for freedom.

April 30, 1975 marked the end of Vietnam's two-decade-old civil war and the start of the exodus of hundreds of thousands of refugees. Despite his allegiance to the toppled South Vietnamese government, Long Nguyen (as Long Nguyen) decides to remain in Vietnam. Imprisoned in a Communist re-education camp, he urges his family to make the escape by boat without him. His wife Mai (Diem Lien), son Lai (Nguyen Thai Nguyen) and mother Ba Noi (Kieu Chinh) then embark on the arduous ocean voyage in the hope of reaching the U.S. and freedom.

Back in Vietnam, Long suffers years of solitary confinement and hard labor, and finally despairs that his family has perished. But news of their successful resettlement in America inspires him to make one last desperate attempt to join them.

The online presentation starts at 5:30 pm and includes a live Q and A with Ham Tran, the film's director. Those interested should register online.