Give A Budget Language Gift
November 21, 2010 by la-andrea · Leave a Comment
Want some new gift ideas? We all know how money-conscious we have to be nowadays. With this in mind, we have hand-picked our top language gifts on a budget. Give your friends, families and colleagues a very different gift this year – give them a language gift and let them get their language advantage! Happy holidays! Read more
The Oscars 2010
March 8, 2010 by la-admin · Leave a Comment
The 82nd Annual Academy Awards ® were held on Sunday 7th March 2010. The winner of the Oscars ® in the foreign language film category was The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos) from Argentina. Other nominees are: Read more
Laurel and Hardy … filmed in French & Spanish
March 8, 2010 by la-hellie · Leave a Comment
Did you know that Laurel and Hardy, the 1930′s comedy movie stars, reshot a number of their films in French, Spanish, Italian and German?
Laurel and Hardy couldn’t speak any foreign languages, so had voice coaching, and often used native language speaking supporting cast members. These language versions helped to boost their popularity internationally. Pardon Us was reshot in all four foreign languages. Chickens Come Home, Blotto and Below Zero were re-filmed in French and Spanish.
Browse our foreign language film section and learn a language with a movie>>
Na’vi – the Language of Avatar
December 9, 2009 by la-admin · Leave a Comment
Linguistics expert Professor Paul Frommer, from the University of Southern California, is the man behind the fully functioning alien language in the hit film, Avatar.
He replied to an email from James Cameron looking for a linguist to come up with an alien language and the pair worked together for four years to develop the Na’vi language used in the film. Professor Frommer spent many hours on the set, helping the cast members fine tune their alien language speaking abilities. Read more
Lions at the Venice Film Festival
September 10, 2009 by la-andrea · Leave a Comment
The ‘Lions’ will come out again at the 66th Venice Film Festival (La Biennale di Venezia) in Italy between 2 and 12 September 2009. The ‘Lions’ are the Lion Awards given to the films within different categories at this prestigious film event. The Golden Lion is given for Best Film. Read more
Cannes Film Festival 2009
May 15, 2009 by la-admin · Leave a Comment
Cannes: not your average seaside resort but a beautiful, trendy resort on the Cote d’Azur, France no less. The Cannes Film Festival: not your average local film festival, but one of the biggest and most prestigious showcases of the world’s best film-making. The 62nd Cannes Film Festival (Festival de Cannes) runs from 13 – 24 May 2009. Read more
Multilingual Mamma Mia!
March 24, 2009 by la-admin · Leave a Comment
The stage show Mamma Mia! has been seen by more than 30 million people in over 170 cities in 8 languages around the world, including in Dutch, French, German, Korean, Japanese, Spanish and Swedish. The foreign language productions keep the essence of the English-language version of the show and the songs while adapting them into local languages – and sometimes even adapting the characters.
Read more about Mamma Mia! in other languages>>
FRENCH LANGUAGE FILM REVIEWS
March 13, 2009 by la-andrea · Leave a Comment
OTHER LANGUAGE FILM REVIEWS
March 5, 2009 by la-andrea · Leave a Comment
Portuguese language film reviews
Cidade de Deus (2002)
City of God
An independent language advantage film review by Andrea Martins
Cidade de Deus (City of God) is set in a slum in Rio de Janeiro where the lives of many characters sometimes intersect each other through drugs and gun warfare. It is a notoriously violent slum where even the police rarely go and the residents are lucky if they live beyond their childhood. Busca Pé (Rocket) is the narrator of the story, but he is also an example of hope for the other kids who live in the slums. He is too scared to be a hoodlum but also too clever to work in menial jobs. His interest in photography is what draws him back into the slums and records the violence and reality of life there, through the eye of the lens.
This is an entertaining yet powerful film showing real life in the favelas (shanty towns) in Rio de Janeiro. It’s particularly shocking and hard to watch in places and even more disturbing to know that it is based on a true story. It shows clearly what life is like for the people and kids who have to live surrounded by drugs, guns and fear.
This film won several awards including a Bafta, a British Independent Film Award and nominations at both the 2004 Oscars and the 2003 Golden Globe Awards. It shows clearly what life is like in the shanty towns overshot with the music of samba, bossa nova and seventies funk.
The language is particularly difficult to understand even if you understand Portuguese as most of it is in ‘favela’ slang and Brazilian colloquialisms. It’s compelling stuff and definitely worth watching. In Brazilian Portuguese with English subtitles. Rated 18 in the UK.
To buy City of God and other Portuguese language films>>
Central do Brasil (1998)
Central Station
An independent language advantage film review by Andrea Martins
This is a very moving story by director Walter Salles. Fernanda Montenegro (1998 Academy Award nominated Best Actress) plays a lonely and troubled older woman who spends her days writing letters for illiterate customers at Rio de Janeiro’s Central Train Station. One of her customers is a mother with a young son, Josue. Both their lives change forever when one day Josue’s mother is killed and Dora (Montenegro) reluctantly befriends the boy.
She agrees to help Josue find the father he’s never known and on their journey across Brazil, they learn a lot more about each other. For Dora, the journey is also a personal one as she finds that she has compassion for the boy and through this finds self-esteem and courage, something that she never thought would happen to her.
This is one of those heart-rending but at the same time poignant films that reminds you of how strong the human spirit can be under adverse situations. The scenery is stunning and the stark difference between life in the city and life in the countryside is shown to great effect.
This Brazilian language film won several awards and nominations ranging from the Best Foreign Language Film at the 1999 Golden Globe to a nomination for the Best Actress in a Leading Role for Fernanda Montenegro at the 1999 Oscars.
Unless you learnt Brazilian Portuguese as opposed to Continental Portuguese, the language might be difficult to understand. In Brazilian Portuguese with English subtitles
To buy Central Station and other Portuguese language films>>
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Russian language film reviews
Solaris (1972)
A language advantage film review by Sarah Maddocks
Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky, Solaris is a Russian film in which a psychologist, Donatis Banionis (Chris Kelvin) is sent to a Russian space station on a mysterious planet Solaris, to investigate trouble with the scientists who work there. This film is a favourite and it is easy to see why. All but three scientists on the planet have either gone insane and killed themselves or killed each other. As Donatis investigates what has happened to the scientists, his wife appears on the planet, which is impossible as she has committed suicide.
Donatis tries everything in his power to get rid of his dead wife but she always manages to come back unharmed. Consequently he discovers it is in fact the planet which is creating these images and manipulating people’s memories as a way of communicating with them.
This film is fantastic, I loved every bit of it and the representation of the different relationships is superb especially between Donatis and his wife. I have yet to see the remake but if it is anywhere near as good as the original then it is a definite hit.
In Russian language with English subtitles.
To buy Solaris and other Russian language films>>
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SPANISH LANGUAGE FILM REVIEWS
March 5, 2009 by la-andrea · Leave a Comment
The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)
An independent language advantage film review by Andrea Martins
The Motorcycle Diaries is directed by Walter Salles and is based on the journals of Alberto Granado (played by Rodrigo De La Serna) and Ernesto Guevara (Gael Garcia Bernal). It is a story of adventure, discovery and friendship. The two friends leave their home town of Buenos Aires and embark on an eight month journey on a motorbike (the mighty one), which breaks down and consequently the friends then have to hitch rides. Along the way they meet a huge variety of people and begin their own journey of self discovery. They end up working in a leper colony and form friendships with both the doctors and the patients who will have a bigger impact on their lives than they could ever have imagined. The Motorcycle Diaries is a true insight into the life of Ernesto (Che) Guevara and is absolutely amazing. Gael Garcia Bernal is one of Mexico’s most talented actors and his portrayal of Guevara is spine tingling, he never fails to amaze and certainly doesn’t fail this time.
The film is in Spanish and gives a good insight into both Latin American Spanish and the geography and culture of South America.
To buy The Motorcycle Diaries and other Spanish language films>>
Frida (2003)
An independent language advantage film review by Andrea Martins
This is a colourful and fragrant film depicting the life of the Mexican artist Frida Khalo. It tells the story of the young Frida (played by Salma Hayek), from growing up in early twentieth century Mexico right through to the end of her short life as an accomplished artist. Major events that took place in her life are depicted well: a horrific tram accident that caused her pain and suffering for the rest of her life, her marriage to the then highly acclaimed Mexican muralist Diego Rivera (played by Alfred Molina), a miscarriage and their subsequent tempestuous relationship. The passion, vibrant colours and stunning cinematography portray Frida Khalo’s personality very well using surreal imagery that adds spice!
Although this film is in English, some Mexican language is used throughout the film adding authenticity. It also gives us an insight into Mexican society and culture at that time. With an outstanding cast including Antonio Banderas, Geofrey Rush, Valeria Golino and Edward Norton this is a definite must-see!
To buy Frida and other Spanish language films>>
L’Auberge Espagnole (2002)
The Spanish Apartment
An independent language advantage film review by Sophie Patterson
This is a very student-y comedy drama about the life and loves and friendship of a group of young Europeans sharing a flat for a year in one of Europe’s trendiest cities – Barcelona. It mostly follows Xavier, a young Frenchman who moves in with six very different personalities and tries to get to grips with a new culture whilst dealing with an absent girlfriend, new friends, new experiences and a tempting new attraction all at the same time. It features Audrey Tatou as Xavier’s girlfriend.
Notable for its mix of languages; French, Spanish and English in particular, with even a brief comment on the importance of Catalan for the region, it takes a joyful and light-hearted look at cultural differences, living together and, of course, how to talk to your flat-mates’ parents in a language not your own. Anyone who’s done an Erasmus foreign exchange program will relate to the special bond forged between disparate nationalities over such a memorable year, but either way, you’ll find yourself wishing you could be one of them.
To buy The Spanish Apartment and other Spanish language films>>
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Amores Perros (2001)
Love’s a Bitch
An independent language advantage film review by Sarah Maddocks
Winner of Best Film at Cannes International Film Festival and nominated for an Academy Award, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu really excels himself in this film of Mexican life and dog fighting.
The film begins with a harrowing car accident which brings together the story of three characters; Octavio (Gael Garcia Bernal), a young man caught up in the world of dog fighting and in love with his brother’s wife; Valeria (Goya Toledo), a model who moves in with her lover and discovers that looks are everything; and El Chivo (Emilio Echevarria) a former assassin whose family disowned him and who lives with his dogs as his only company. As the film develops so do the characters and we get a feeling of the desperation that they are feeling.
Amores Perros is a fantastic portrayal of Mexican life and the lengths that people are willing to go for love. It is a tale of Mexican life, loss and love. The Spanish is Mexican Spanish and therefore sometimes difficult to understand but with English subtitles you can even pick up a little Mexican slang, que chido! Definitely a must for all!
To buy Amores Perros and other Spanish language films>>
Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001)
And Your Mother Too
An independent language advantage film review by Sarah Carroll
Y Tu Mama Tambien is one of the great movies to hit our cinema screens from the Spanish language cinema scene. A story of two bored teenagers who take to the road after a family gathering with a new acquaintance, inviting her to the beach. This award-winning film is funny, playful and, well, it deserves its 18 rating!
It has won a number of awards such as the Venice Film Festival in 2001.
To buy Y Tu Mama Tambien and other Spanish language films>>
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