When I was at Japan Cuts last month I was not prepared for the fandom for some of these Japanese films from the early 1990s. I was going into these showings blind and was delighted by the stories that unfolded on the screen. I was very interested to hear what the filmmakers had to say about their 30 year-old works and I was moved by how emotional they were to see a sold out audience in NYC. Their live introductions and Q&As were so effective and it was impossible to overshadow the work of the interpreter who connected NY audiences with the visiting Japanese filmmakers at Japan Cuts.
I’m thrilled to share my conversation with the interpreter — Tomoko Takedani Sater! We talk about how her life and career led to this unique and fascinating trade that had her interpreting for iconic filmmakers at both Japan Cuts and the New York Asian Film Festival last month.
✨ Follow Tomoko on Twitter and learn more about her services at this website
✨ Follow Japan Society Film on Letterbox, Twitter and Instagram
✨ Follow Alec on Letterboxd, Twitter, and BlueSky
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Credits: Produced by Alec Rodriguez, original artwork by Cristina Montes, original music by Jeremy Bullen.
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