There’s never a dull day on Japan's newly established SSSP kaiju defense taskforce, led by Kimio Tamura, played by DRIVE MY CAR’s Hidetoshi Nishijima. After a particularly challenging encounter, a giant silver robot descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman, this robot’s identity and purpose are a mystery. SHIN ULTRAMAN is a delightful reimagining of one of Japan’s classic superheroes, full of cosmic twists, campy villains, and giants of all species. Added value includes an introduction from the film’s director, Shinji Higuchi.It is scheduled to play locally at the Cinemark theaters in Monaca, Monroeville, North Hills, and Robinson, and the AMC Loews Waterfront and AMC South Hills, though more locations may be announced later. Tickets are available online: the January 11 screenings are in Japanese with English subtitles, and the January 12 screenings are dubbed in English.
Reel Stories is a free monthly film series dedicated to showcasing international queer cinema presented in partnership with Reel Q, Pittsburgh’s LGBTQ+ Film Festival. Starting in 1985, Reel Q’s mission is to increase the availability and accessibility of queer film in Pittsburgh and its surrounding region, highlighting the diverse experiences of our worldwide community. Reel Q is one of the oldest LGBTQ+ film festivals in the world.The event starts at 7:00 pm and is free, both in person and online, though tickets are required. City of Asylum's Alphabet City is located at 40 W. North Ave. on the North Side (map).
February’s screening presents Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?, a 2013 romantic comedy directed by Arvin Chen. The film follows introverted optometrist Weichung who begins to question his marriage after learning his wife wants to have another baby. Weichung soon bumps into his old friend Stephen, who, though also married, lives the unconstrained life of a young gay bachelor. When Stephen teases Weichung for his newly straight-laced lifestyle, dormant emotions stir in Weichung, setting him off on a quest for true romance and desire.
Since the founding of AppalAsia in 2009, they have followed their passion for artistic collaboration between different cultures and disciplines beyond race, religion, and gender.The performance runs from 7:00 to 8:30 pm, and will take place both online and in person. Tickets are free but registration is required. Alphabet City is located at 40 W. North Ave. on the North Side (map).
In a recent project, the group was asked to develop original compositions for the 1919 silent movie Broken Blossoms. In this performance, the group shares this project with us, playing a selection of original music and some folk/traditional tunes.
Broken Blossoms depicts the story of Cheng Huan, a Chinese immigrant who comes to London to spread the teachings of Buddhism but is quickly disillusioned by the social environment of the city. His path soon crosses with Lucy Burrows, a young woman enduring abuse from her alcoholic prizefighting father. The story of the protagonists’ intersecting lives explores themes of racism, abuse, discrimination of gender and religion, and oppression and violence against minorities. Amid these harsh realities, however, remains the hopeful presence of beauty and love. Despite the passage of a century since the film’s release, its commentary on prejudice and the value of freedom remains poignant reminders to this day.
In this beginner-level class, we will use the textbook published by the Korean government for foreigners who learn Korean as a secondary language.The intermediate classes start at 12:00 pm, also in Classroom A.
We will start from write/reading Korean characters, 'Hangul', and learning how to organize sentence structures.
In this intermediate-level class, we will cover the textbook published by the Korean government for foreigners who learn Korean as a secondary language. We will cover basic Korean grammar and vocabulary, and practice how to speak and write using what we've covered in each lecture.Registration is required. The Oakland branch of the Carneige Library of Pittsburgh is located at 4400 Forbes Ave. (map), accessible by numerous city bus lines.
Shady Side Academy’s Middle School World Languages Department is seeking a sabbatical leave Chinese teacher for the 2023-24 academic year. Responsibilities include teaching four to five sections of Chinese, from 6th to 8th grade in accordance with the Department’s needs. Other duties, such as but not limited to proctoring exams, leading an advisory group, coaching two seasons or the equivalent, or serving on committees, may be assigned as needed by the Academy.
Alash are masters of Tuvan throat singing (xöömei), a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time. What distinguishes this gifted trio from earlier generations of Tuvan throat singers is the subtle infusion of modern influences into their traditional music. One can find complex harmonies, western instruments, and contemporary song forms in Alash’s music, but its overall sound and spirit remain decidedly Tuvan.The performance will be at First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh in Shadyside (map) from 7:30 pm (doors open at 7). Tickets are available at the door for $30 or for $25 in advance at Jerry's Records in Squirrel Hill or Government Center Records on the North Side. (The ensemble's official site points to an online ticket seller, but the poster says they are no longer using Brown Paper Tickets.)
AKUTAGAWA is a stage portrait of Ryunosuke Akutagawa, father of the modern Japanese short novel and author of In a Grove, the basis of Akira Kurosawa’s landmark 1950 film Rashomon. Told through the traditional puppetry style kuruma ningyo blended with dynamic video images, AKUTAGAWA is an amalgam of five of his famous short stories—including Rashomon, Hell Screen (Jigokuhen), The Dragon, Toshishun and Kappa. The show explores the author’s artistic insight and fragile emotional state. This production is made through an international collaboration between puppeteers Koryu Nishikawa V (Tokyo) and Tom Lee (Chicago), with live music by Yukio Tsuji (New York).Tickets are now available online: $28 for the general public and $18 for students with valid student ID or those under 18. The JASP says of the puppeteer panel discussion on the 7th:
AKUTAGAWA is supported by Arts Council Tokyo (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture) and The Osaka Community Foundation / anonymous fund No.22.
Koryu Nishikawa V and Tom Lee will join Pittsburgh-based puppeteer David English in a panel discussing how puppetry can be a vehicle to express art and literature, as well as the cultural differences in the medium.
