Movies about Translator
Translation and interpretation are not exactly the most action-packed professions but it does not mean that someone who practices these professions or the activity itself is never represented on the silver screen. In this blog entry we will take a look at the most famous examples where translation and/or interpretation is an essential element of the plot.
One of the earliest film representations of interpretation on screen is Šaráda (1963), where Audrey Hepburn plays a simultaneous interpreter who gets caught up in a murder mystery. The movie is a fun amalgam of a thriller and a screwball comedy, and while interpretation is not a vital element of the movie, in one scene we can see Hepburn’s Reggie working in an interpreter booth – then leaving in a hurry in the middle of a conference!
Stumbling on a conspiracy might be a surprising twist or perhaps the worst nightmare for an interpreter working for an international organisation. That is exactly what happens to Silvia Broom, played by Nicole Kidman in Tlumočník (2005). In this high-tension political thriller Silvia overhears the discussion of a plot to assassinate the leader of an African country and consequently has to run for her life. The movie is not only interesting because it was the first movie filmed inside the UN headquarters in New York, but also because it touches upon the ethical and moral issues an interpreter can face.
Translation activities often entail cultural mediation as well, and movies often highlight this aspect. One of the most famous examples for this trope is Ztraceno v překladu, a bittersweet romantic comedy starring Bill Murray and Scarlet Johansson. The film’s key theme is isolation, which is explored from several aspects, from the culture shock of Japan to the characters’ inability to engage with their lives. In addition, when Bill Murray’s Bob, an aging actor, is on the set to film an advertisement, the Japanese director delivers lengthy but enthusiastic directions in Japanese, but the interpreter only translates the absolutely minimum of information (“Look into the camera!”), because she fears she might offend the actor. The scene, while funny because of its awkwardness, further underlines the overall message of the film.
Spanglish (2004) also deals with intercultural relationships. In this movie, John (Adam Sandler) and Deborah (Téa Leoni) hire the poor Mexican Flor (Paz Vega) as the family’s housekeeper. Since Flor doesn’t speak English, her child Cristina facilitates communication between her and the family.
It is not surprising that sci-fi and fantasy movies also incorporate interpretation and translation as an important element in the plot. In Mumie (1999), Evelyn Carnahan – played by Rachel Weisz – is an Egyptologist whose ability to understand the ancient Egyptian language both causes and resolves the calamities in the plot. Příletová karta (2016) is another important movie in this regard. In this film, when aliens visit the Earth a linguist (Amy Adams) is assigned to decipher their language. The movie showcases translation’s linguistic and diplomatic function and importance, while still managing to be an interesting and even fascinating motion picture.
Last but not least, a recent Hungarian film is the latest contribute to this theme. Barnabás Tóth’s short film, Susotáz (2018) chooses two interpreters as protagonists – though the footage actually shows simultaneous interpretation and not chuchotage – both trying to outdo each other in paying compliments to the woman listening to their interpretation. While their practice goes against all the written and unwritten rules of interpretation, the peculiarity of the situation and the twist at the end is a heart-warming experience.
Written by Zsolt Beke
Our Top 10 Films About Translation
Just like literature, cinema is a great way to set off on a journey of discovery into other cultures, languages and ways of life. This interest in capturing other perspectives through the camera lens has produced many classic and modern films dealing with the subject of translation, either as a subject matter in itself or as a backdrop for some of the biggest stars in Hollywood.
The latest movie to be hitting our screens that directly involves translation is a French film, Překladatelé, out later this month. This movie, which puts translators at the heart of its thrilling action got us thinking about other films where translation makes an appearance. Check out our top 10!
1. The Translators (Les Traducteurs, Régis Roinsard, 2020)
Let’s kick off with the aforementioned upcoming French film, The Translators. This thriller tells the story of nine translators, who are hired to translate the hotly anticipated final book in a bestselling series. Things get interesting when the first ten pages of the manuscript are leaked online, and the publisher is willing to do anything to find out which translator is guilty.
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2. Arrival (Denis Villeneuve, 2016)
An outstanding work of science fiction by the director of Blade Runner 2049 Denis Villeneuve, starring the beautiful Amy Adams as a translator given the task of communicating with some rather chatty aliens. The film delves into the process of translating an unfamiliar language and the potential effects of language barriers. Can she save the world with her translations?
3. Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola, 2005)
Of course, we can’t talk about translation in film without mentioning this cult classic. Directed by the fantastic Sofia Coppola, the film takes place in Japan, where two Americans on holiday – Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson – discover the delights of cultural misunderstandings and the difficulties of finding yourself far away from home, even when just for a few days. We particularly enjoy the scene with a Japanese translator and a very confused Bill Murray!
4. The Terminal (Steven Spielberg, 2004)
What’s the first thing you might need when detained in an airport? A good translator, of course (just ask Tom Hanks)! This film by Steven Spielberg tells the true story of Mehran Karimi Nasseri, an Iranian political refugee who had to live in an airport from 1988 to 2006.
5. The Interpreter (Sydney Pollack, 2005)
In this political thriller, Nicole Kidman plays the role of a conference interpreter who accidentally overhears a conversation between two politicians which could put her life in danger. This film is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat with its action-filled plot, and hearing the beautiful Nicole Kidman speaking French at the start of the film is a charming moment. This film is guaranteed to please all Kidman and translation fans!
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6. Spanglish (James Brooks, 2005)
This down to earth comedy is a real must-see. The title says it all: the film deals with the meeting of two cultures – American and Spanish – and all the cultural and linguistic misunderstandings that come with it. Everything would have been much simpler with a professional Spanish translator! Claro, hombre.
7. Okja (Bong Joon-Ho, 2017)
Not necessarily a film about translation, but a very interesting exploration of friendship and modern industry by Netflix. In this case it is the translation of the film itself which is interesting. As we saw with the recent film, Roma, the film’s subtitles were the subject of much debate. Dealing with the linguistic differences between English and Korean is no mean feat, and at times things can get lost in translation in the subtitles. For example, in an attempt to translate a Korean joke about language learning, a character simply says their name and the subtitles say “Try learning English. It opens new doors!”
8. An Impossible Love (Catherine Corsini, 2018)
Once described by a member of BeTranslated who will remain anonymous as « to be avoided like the plague » we’ve included this film to hear your reviews! This romance by Catherine Corsini, based on the novel by Christine Angot, tells the emotional tale of the wonderful Virgine Efira an abusive and sadistic translator played by Niels Schneider. Don’t worry, our language professionals are nothing like this unsavory character and will respond to your demands in a much more civilized manner.
9. Welcome to the Sticks (Bienvenue Chez Les Ch’Tis, Danny Boon, 2008)
Perhaps not the subtlest film of all time, but certainly one with a lot of character. This hit French comedy includes some hilarious scenes of cultural and regional differences and lots of slapstick humour. Not to mention the admirable subtitling effort into English!
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10. Chuck Norris vs Communism (Ilinca CăLugăReanu, 2015)
This comedy documentary is a fascinating insight into the world of audiovisual translation and looks at just what happens when issues of censorship and politics come into play. The film tells the story of the illegal importation and dubbing of American action and religious films to Romania in the 1970s and 1980s, and the political consequences of this cultural exchange.
What do you think? Have we missed any out? We would love to hear about your favorite translation and interpreting films! Or, alternatively, if you’re looking for the Nicole Kidmans and Amy Adams of translation services, contact us for a free quote or to find out more about our services!
Films for Translators
After our recent blog about the top 5 ‘Songs for Translators’, we thought we’d follow up with a similar article on films. Please see below for our top 5 films about translation or interpreting by Project Manager and film buff Jim Hearn (there aren’t many that we could think of)!
5. ‘Spanglish’ (2004) — I must admit I have not seen this film, so cannot comment on its quality – however, seeing as Adam Sandler stars in it, I’d say it’s probably worth missing. Directed by James L Brooks, ‘Spanglish’ throws together an English-speaking American family with their Mexican nanny and her daughter. Initially unable to communicate effectively with one another (if only they’d had an Atlas telephone interpreting account!), a neighbour and then nanny Flor’s daughter is brought in to interpret. This comedy-drama shows how language and culture are intertwined, and touches on the difficulties and rewards of cross-cultural communication.
4. ‘Lost in Translation’ (2003) – I’ll admit that despite the title, this film has less to do with language, and more to do with moody close-ups of Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray in a grey Tokyo. However, what it does do is highlight the issues which cultural differences can raise, and perhaps illuminates how having an interpreter or some cultural training would assist people in such a situation. The image of James Bond provides an example of how people from different cultures and backgrounds can view the same thing in completely different ways, with Roger Moore symbolising James Bond for the Japanese photographer, compared to Bill Murray’s picture of Sean Connery.
3. ‘Inglorious Basterds’ (1994) – Although not strictly about translation, the number of languages spoken fluently by villain Col. Hans Landa (played by Austrian Christoph Waltz) would be impressive to any linguist. In fact, only 30% of the film is in English – a rare feat for a Hollywood film. We begin with a tense exchange in French, before switching to English. Landa then features in several scenes speaking German before the unforgettable scene in Italian he shares with Brad Pitt’s character, Lt. Aldo Raine – “BON-JOR-NO”. Interestingly, Leonardo Di Caprio was originally lined up for the part of Col. Landa, but director Quentin Tarantino decided that the part needed to be played by a German speaker. The decision paid off with Christoph Waltz stealing the spotlight with his portrayal of Col. Landa, for which he was deservedly awarded the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role. The most Oscar-worthy part of his performance for us was how Waltz was able to act so well in four languages!
2. ‘Windtalkers’ (2002) – Another film which focuses on the World War 2 era, but with a very different tone. John Woo’s ‘Windtalkers’ is about the American ‘code talkers’, who used Native American languages to relay tactical messages during both world wars. Although more of an action film, the movie does offer a rare but interesting insight into the roles played by these ‘code talkers’ during wartime. In reality, Adolf Hitler was aware of the successful use of Native American languages during the First World War, and sent a team of anthropologists to study the languages before war broke out with the US. However, it proved too difficult for them to learn the many languages and dialects that existed, and code terms such as ‘pregnant airplane’ and ‘turtle’ (bomber plane and tank) were never cracked.
1. ‘The Interpreter’ (2005) — Silvia Broome (Nicole Kidman) is an interpreter working at the United Nations in New York City. She is involved in the case of indictment against President Zuwane of the fictional African country of Matobo, who stands accused of atrocities against his own people, and ends up getting involved in an assassination plot. In this 2005 political thriller we see one of the more extraordinary tales of what can happen if you work as an interpreter – if you’re an interpreter reading this, we hope something like this never happens to you!
Do you know any films topical to translation, interpreting or language? Or is there a particular movie which gets you in the translating mood? We’d love to hear from you!
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