Sword of the Stranger
Thursday 3/18 10 PM
Plot
Sword of the Stranger? is a Japanese anime feature film directed by Masahiro And? and produced by Bones. The film follows a swordsman with no name and a golden-haired assassin as circumstances draw them towards a mysterious young boy.
Hunted by the Ming from China, young Kotaro and his dog meet a nameless samurai (“Nanashi”) who is haunted by memories of his past which have led him to avoid drawing his sword ever again. Among the Ming is a fearsome Western fighter named Luo-Lang, whose only desire is to find a worthy opponent. When both groups clash with a Sengoku-era feudal lord, a proud general, and monks torn between faith and survival, the reason behind the Ming’s pursuit tests the bond between Kotaro and Nanashi.
Awards
Sword of the Stranger has appeared at international film festivals across the world. The list of film festivals that the film has appeared at includes:
Leeds International Film Festival [1]
Asia Pacific Screen Awards [2]
Asia Filmfest
Sci-Fi London’s Oktoberfest
FANTASPOA (International Fantastic Film Festival of Porto Alegre)
24th Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival
Camera Japan
It has also featured at the German anime convention Animagic and will be participating as part of the London Barbican’s Japanimation season in November.
The film won the award for Best Animated Feature at FANTASPOA (International Fantastic Film Festival of Porto Alegre) in Brazil and was a nominee for the Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Animated Feature Film.
The film was also submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for consideration as a nominee for Best Animated Feature at the 81st Academy Awards. There were fourteen films vying for the three nomination spots, including Sword of the Stranger.
