2021 Taiwanese film Goddamned Asura (該死的阿修羅) in Pittsburgh, March 25, part of this year's Carnegie Mellon International Film Festival.

The 2021 Taiwanese film Goddamned Asura (該死的阿修羅) will play in Pittsburgh on March 25, part of this year's Carnegie Mellon International Film Festival.

Taiwan's official selection for the 95th Academy Awards, Goddamned Asura presents youth, violence, and the consequences of a digital world. Following what is seemingly a senseless act of violence, the film traces the histories of six people and their connection to the event. The film questions our relationship with digital media. Is it a tool of obsessive distraction or an agent of change? What can we expect from a youth generation that views the world as absurd and untenable? Goddamned Asura forays into the social issues that flood our TV screens, a disquieting parallel to the stream of flashing lights that characterize the film.

It starts at 7:30 pm on the CMU campus, in McConomy Auditorium, Jared L. Cohon Center, and includes Q&A sessions and a reception.

Q&A and Discussion with director Lou Yi-An and actress Wang Yu-Xuan

Moderated by Kun Qian, Professor of Modern Chinese Literature and Film, University of Pittsburgh

Reception catered by FUKU and Many More Asian Supermarket

Additional Pittsburgh-area theater announced for Return to Seoul, March 24 - 29.

The 2022 film Return to Seoul will play in Pittsburgh for an additional six days, from March 24 through 29, following its March 23 screening as part of this year's Carnegie Mellon International Film Festival. It will play at the Harris Theater in downtown's Cultural District (map), and showtimes were just announced for the AMC Loews Waterfront. A quick synopsis:

Set over an eight-year time span, Return to Seoul follows Freddie’s journey back to her place of birth — a country to which she has never been and of which she does not know the language. Freddie, played by first-time actor Park Ji-Min, has never felt at home or comfortable in any setting, which may be why she ventures back to Seoul. Over the course of the eight years, Seoul, the city, and Freddie, its citizen, evolve with each new encounter. A story driven through change, Return to Seoul invites audiences to look closely at the experience of adoption, integration, and what it means to be “from” somewhere.

2023 Chinese movie Full River Red (满江红) remains in Pittsburgh through March 29.

The 2023 Zhang Yimou film Full River Red (满江红), which opened in Pittsburgh on March 16, will remain here through at least March 29.

12th century China, during the Song Dynasty, set against a brewing rebellion by the Jin people against the Imperial Court. Two hours before a crucial diplomatic meeting between the Song Prime Minister Qin Hui and a high level Jin delegation, the Jin Ambassador is murdered. An important letter destined for the Emperor is stolen from him. As the search for the letter unfolds, alliances are formed, secrets are revealed, and no one can stop the truth that is destined to leave its mark in history.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, and tickets are available online.

Chinese animated film New Gods: Yang Jian (新神榜：杨戬) in Pittsburgh, April 13.

The 2022 Chinese animated film New Gods: Yang Jian (新神榜：杨戬) will play at the Row House Cinema in Lawrenceville on April 13. From GKIDS, the distributor:

Thirteen years after Yang Jian (known to some as Erlang Shen) imprisoned his sister beneath a mountain, the once powerful god now scrapes by as a penniless bounty hunter. When a mysterious woman hires him for a new job, Yang Jian soon finds himself chasing down a familiar figure. He must stop Chenxiang, his long-lost nephew, who is in search of the magical lotus lantern that will free his mother, even if it will bring catastrophe. As Yang Jian confronts the actions of his past, he must face a host of dangerous vigilantes seeking the same treasure with the power to alter the balance of their worlds.

This latest entry in the New Gods universe from Light Chaser Animation (White Snake, New Gods: Nezha Reborn) features awe-inspiring action sequences set against breathtaking and wildly imaginative environments. Combining ancient lore with dazzling animation, New Gods: Yang Jian is a timeless adventure of epic proportions featuring one of China’s legendary mythic figures.

The show is at 7:00 pm and tickets are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map). New Gods: Yang Jian last played in Pittsburgh in November 2022.

Pittsburgh Japan Community Spring Picnic, April 22 at North Park.

The Japanese Society of Greater Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Japanese School are hosting a Pittsburgh Japan Community Picnic on April 22.  The event is open to the public but registration by April 7 is required.  Information about the event, from the Japanese Society of Greater Pittsburgh:

Pittsburgh Japan Community Spring Picnic

Pittsburgh Japan Community Spring Picnic will be held on Saturday, April 22 at North Park. Come enjoy eating freshly pounded rice cakes and listening to the  Japanese musical instruments in a park with a view of cherry blossoms.

Pittsburgh Japanese School (PJS) and Japan Association of Greater Pittsburgh (JAGP) have jointly organized this event to provide an opportunity for the Japanese community in the Pittsburgh area to get to know each other.

Everyone is welcome to attend free of charge, so please feel free to register.
Advance registration is required to attend the event.[Deadline: 4/7(Fri.)]. 

We look forward to seeing you there!

Translucid - Opaque: a shakuhachi recital presented by Devon Osamu Tipp, April 15 at Vestige Concept Gallery

Vestige Concept Gallery in Lawrenceville will host "Translucid - Opaque: a shakuhachi recital presented by Devon Osamu Tipp" on April 15.

Please join us for an evening of traditional and modern music for shakuhachi, the Japanese bamboo end blown flute! Featuring works by: Chatori SHimizu
Emmanuel Berrido
Mark Micchelli
Devon Osamu Tipp
Vicente Alexim
& Kinko-ryu

The event starts at 7:00 pm and the suggested donation is $15. RSVP is encouraged at dvntshaku at gmail.com. Vestige Concept Gallery is located at 5417 Butler St. in Lawrenceville (map).

Chinese American Experiences in Pittsburgh: The Past, Present and Future, April 2 at University of Pittsburgh.

Chinatown historical marker at unveiling ceremony, April 2022 

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will present "Chinese American Experiences in Pittsburgh: The Past, Present and Future" on Sunday, April 2.

This forum is organized and sponsored by the Chinese Heritage Room Committee of the Chinese Nationality Room of the Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs, University Center for Internatioal Studies, University of Pittsburgh.

Chinese Heritage Room Committee of the Chinese Nationality Room was established in 1939. It has since served as a hub for promoting Chinese scholarship and culture at the University of Pittsburgh and the surrounding communities. For details, please visit the Chinese Nationality Rooms website https://www.nationalityrooms.pitt.edu/committees/chinese-room-committee

At this event, the Chinese Heritage Committee will present the history of the early Pittsburgh Chinatown and the contribution of the Chinese immigrants to the Southwest Pennsylvania. Local community leaders are invited to speak about their role in building a more diversified and equitable communities around the region. Free to public. Seating is limited, please register at link to attend.

It will be held at the Cloisters within the Frick Fine Arts Building in Oakland (map) from 2:00 to 4:30 pm.

K-Station BBQ, serving Korean meal boxes and Korean tacos, open in Schenley Plaza.

K-Station, a Korean take-out restaurant, apparently opened some time ago in Schenley Plaza in Oakland. It shares a space with Tres Amigos in Kiosk #4 near the Merry-Go-Round, in what formerly was Conflict Kitchen (map), and the K-Station signage is only visible from one side. The menu includes Korean tacos, Korean take-out boxes, and a variety of Korean sides like mandu, kimchi, and Korean Crispy Chicken.

1988 film My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ) in Pittsburgh, March 25 - 29.

designed by Huang Hai, via Spoon & Tamago.

The 1988 film My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ) will play in Pittsburgh from March 25 through 29, the first installment of this year's Studio Ghibli Fest. A synopsis, from the distributor:

From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away and Ponyo, and Academy Award®-winning director Hayao Miyazaki, comes a classic tale of magic and adventure for the whole family.

When Satsuki and her sister Mei move with their father to a new home in the countryside, they find country life is not as simple as it seems. They soon discover that the house and nearby woods are full of strange and delightful creatures, including a gigantic but gentle forest spirit called Totoro, who can only be seen by children. Totoro and his friends introduce the girls to a series of adventures, including a ride aboard the extraordinary Cat Bus, in this all-ages animated masterpiece[.]

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, Waterworks Cinema, Chartiers Valley Luxury 14, and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville, North Hills, and Robinson. Tickets are available online: the shows on the 25th, 27th, and 29th are dubbed in English, while the shows on the 26th and 28th are in Japanese with English subtitles.

French film Return to Seoul to play in Pittsburgh an extra week, March 24 - 29, following March 23 screening at CMU festival.

The 2022 film Return to Seoul will play in Pittsburgh for an additional six days, from March 24 through 29, following its March 23 screening as part of this year's Carnegie Mellon International Film Festival. A quick synopsis:

Set over an eight-year time span, Return to Seoul follows Freddie’s journey back to her place of birth — a country to which she has never been and of which she does not know the language. Freddie, played by first-time actor Park Ji-Min, has never felt at home or comfortable in any setting, which may be why she ventures back to Seoul. Over the course of the eight years, Seoul, the city, and Freddie, its citizen, evolve with each new encounter. A story driven through change, Return to Seoul invites audiences to look closely at the experience of adoption, integration, and what it means to be “from” somewhere.

It will play at the Harris Theater in downtown's Cultural District (map) and tickets are available online.