4K remaster of Japanese movie Akira (アキラ) continues in Pittsburgh through (at least) October 8.

The 4K remaster of Japanese movie Akira (アキラ), which opened in Pittsburgh on September 24, will continue here through at least October 8. From the distributor:

Akira, the crown jewel of anime and science fiction, returns to theaters with remastered 4K visuals and remixed audio. In the future, Shotaro Kaneda and his motorcycle gang tear through Neo Tokyo, a city divided by growing tensions. But when caught in an accident, Kaneda’s friend Tetsuo Shima discovers a secret government project and receives psychic abilities beyond his control.

It plays at the Cinemark theaters in McCandless and Robinson and at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont through the 8th.

"Community Organizing and the Reform of Japan’s Sex Crime Law in 2017," (online) October 5.

University of Pittsburgh Sociology PhD student Kanoko Kamata will present "Community Organizing and the Reform of Japan’s Sex Crime Law in 2017" on October 5 as part of a "Civil Society and Policy Advocacy in Contemporary East Asia" panel through the Program on U.S.-Japan Relations, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs (WCFIA) at Harvard University. The event is free and open to the public, though registration is required.

Throwback Thursday: Chan-ho Park sets record for most wins in Major League Baseball by an Asian pitcher while member of the Pirates.

via Yonhap News.

In August 4, 2010 the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates claimed 37-year-old pitcher Chan-ho Park (박찬호) off waivers, making him the first Korean player in Pittsburgh Pirates history. The Pirates have had Korean players in their system dating back to the late-1990s, and had relief pitcher Byung-hyun Kim in spring training in 2008, but did not have a Korean player on the Major League roster until Park (and would not have another one until, or after, Jung-ho Kang). Park would appear in 26 games for Pittsburgh that year and, on October 1, set the record for most Major League Baseball wins by an Asian pitcher. He would pitch one year in Japan and another year in Korea after leaving Pittsburgh.

Authors Caroline Kim & Alexander Chee (online) with Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures, October 7.

Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures will host authors Caroline Kim & Alexander Chee for a virtual discussion on October 7.

2020 Drue Heinz Literature Prize winner Caroline Kim in conversation with author and guest judge Alexander Chee

Exploring what it means to be human through the Korean diaspora, Caroline Kim’s The Prince of Mournful Thoughts and Other Stories feature many voices. From a teenage girl in 1980’s America, to a boy growing up in the middle of the Korean War, to an immigrant father struggling to be closer to his adult daughter, or to a suburban housewife whose equilibrium depends upon a therapy robot, each character must face their less-than-ideal circumstances and find a way to overcome them without losing themselves. Language often acts as a barrier as characters try, fail, and momentarily succeed in connecting with each other. With humor, insight, and curiosity, Kim’s wide-ranging stories explore themes of culture, communication, travel, and family. Ultimately, what unites these characters across time and distance is their longing for human connection and a search for the place—or people—that will feel like home.

Of the collection, Wendy Hinman for Foreword Reviews writes, “Worth savoring, the stories of The Prince of Mournful Thoughts are intimate, often wistful portraits set amid the stifling and conflicting expectations of families and cultures.”

The free event starts at 6:00 pm and tickets are now available.

Duolingo hiring Senior Curriculum Designer; proficiency in Japanese or Chinese (among others) required.

Pittsburgh-based Duolingo is hiring a Senior Curriculum Designer; the candidate will have at least intermediate proficiency in Japanese, Chinese, or a few other languages.

Help improve the learning effectiveness of Duolingo.

We are looking for a world-class expert in language teaching and curriculum design who has strong organizational skills and experience leading the creation of educational content for digital products. You will lead a group of curriculum designers, and together you will help transform Duolingo course creation into an efficient, large-scale process. If you have strong expertise in curriculum design for digital products, love good organization and efficient processes, and have experience managing people, this job is for you! You will be part of our efforts to advance Duolingo's mission through evidence-based teaching. Join Duolingo to feel empowered as an educator, affecting how millions of people learn.

Responsibilities:

• Lead a team of 4-5 curriculum designers (and likely more in the future)
• Oversee the creation of language curricula and assessments for multiple Duolingo courses
• Develop standards and guidelines for course content across a variety of features (core lessons, explicit explanations, mini auditory practice, etc.)
• Propose and implement efficient processes for large-scale course content creation
• Help hire and train additional curriculum experts
• Collaborate across teams and stakeholders to deliver high-quality course content

The full ad is available on the Duolingo site.

New Chinese movie Leap (夺冠) stays in Pittsburgh through October 7.

The 2020 Chinese movie Leap (夺冠), which opened in Pittsburgh on September 25, will stay here through October 7. A summary of the film, starring Gong Li and Huang Bo, from MyDramaList:

The film tells the journey of several generations of Chinese National Women's Volleyball Team and their touching stories of tenacious struggle and glory for the country for the past 40 years.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront 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.

BTS concert film Break the Silence (브레이크 더 사일런스: 더 무비) continues in Pittsburgh through (at least) October 7.

The BTS concert film Break the Silence (브레이크 더 사일런스: 더 무비), which opened in Pittsburgh on September 24, will stay here through at least October 7.

BTS WORLD TOUR 'LOVE YOURSELF: SPEAK YOURSELF' is now over. The worldwide stadium tour topped the Billboard Boxscore, and marked BTS as the first Korean group to perform at Wembley Stadium. The tour took place across Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, São Paulo, London, Paris, Osaka, Shizuoka, Riyadh, and Seoul.

With unprecedented access, BREAK THE SILENCE: THE MOVIE travels with BTS throughout the tour, exploring each band member behind the curtain. Off stage, we see another side of BTS. The seven members begin to candidly tell personal stories they have never voiced before.

Facing my other self ‘PERSONA’

It willcontinue to play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville and Robinson. Tickets are available online.

2018 Taiwanese movie Dear Ex (誰先愛上他的) online at Pitt, October 14.

The University of Pittsburgh's Office of International Services will present the 2018 Taiwanese movie Dear Ex (誰先愛上他的) on October 14 as part of its Watch Party Wednesdays series. From a 2019 New York Times review:

Following the death of his father (Spark Chen), [13-year-old] Chengxi finds himself caught between his mother, Sanlian (Hsieh Ying-hsuan), and Jay (Roy Chiu), a man for whom his father left his family. Chengxi has been written out of his late father’s insurance policy, and all of the money will now go to Jay — as soon as Sanlian signs off on it. Chengxi copes with the resulting fight by moving in with Jay (to the displeasure of both adults), drawn to the man’s mercurial nature and relationship with his father.

The 7:00 pm event is free and open to the public, though registration is required.

Chinese 3D computer-animated film Legend of Deification (姜子牙) in Pittsburgh, from October 1.

The upcoming Chinese 3D computer-animated film Legend of Deification (姜子牙), also known as Jiang Ziya, will open in Pittsburgh on October 1. From the distributor:

To earn his place amongst the gods, celestial army commander Jiang Ziya must vanquish a terrifying fox demon threatening the very existence of the mortal realm. After learning the creature’s fate is tied to that of a young girl, Jiang Ziya disobeys Heaven’s edict and spares the demon, resulting in his banishment to the mortal realm. Ten years later, he is given one more chance to complete the task, and Jiang Ziya must decide: is joining the ranks of the heavens worth the price of one innocent life?

JIANG ZIYA—follow-up to international blockbuster NE ZHA and second chapter in the Fengshen Cinematic Universe—is a fate-defying, action-packed legendary tale retold through vibrant Chinese animation.

The first movie, Ne Zha, played in Pittsburgh last year. Legend of Diefication will play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.

4K remaster of Japanese movie Akira (アキラ) at Hollywood Theater in Dormont, October 2 through 8.

The 4K remaster of Japanese movie Akira (アキラ), which opened in Pittsburgh on September 24, will continue at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont from October 2 through 8. From the distributor:

Akira, the crown jewel of anime and science fiction, returns to theaters with remastered 4K visuals and remixed audio. In the future, Shotaro Kaneda and his motorcycle gang tear through Neo Tokyo, a city divided by growing tensions. But when caught in an accident, Kaneda’s friend Tetsuo Shima discovers a secret government project and receives psychic abilities beyond his control.

Tickets for the Hollywood Theater's screenings are available online. The theater is located at 1449 Potomac Ave. in Dormont (map), and is accessible by Pittsburgh's subway/LRT at a block south of Potomac Station. The movie will continue at local Cinemark theaters through the 30th.