Linda Hoaglund may very well be the only movie translator and subtitler known by name around the world, discerning fans having long ago realized that her translations of Japanese films displayed a rare degree of grace and style and subtlety. In her translation work Hoaglund has the ability to capture the nuance and personality of things as well as the literal meaning and that work sets her above most of her peers by a healthy margin. And soon Toronto audiences will have the chance to see if that grace translates into her work as a director of films as well with the arrival of her documentary ANPO: Art X War at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The approach to the material is certainly a unique one, tackling the lingering effects of war through the perspective of artists rather than academics, and the collection of artists she has assembled looks to be fantastic. Get a taste in the trailer below.ANPO: Art X War depicts resistance to U.S. military bases in Japan through an electrifying collage of paintings, photographs and animated, narrative and documentary films by Japan's foremost contemporary artists. The artwork vividly resurrects a forgotten period of Japan's history, while highlighting the insidious, enduring effects of "ANPO", Japanese shorthand for the U.S.-Japan Mutual Security Treaty. The treaty permits the continued presence of 90 U.S. military bases throughout Japan, an onerous presence that has poisoned U.S.-Japanese relations and disrupted Japanese life for decades.