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FILM

‘Ban dubbing! Spaniards will have to get used to it’

Film director Carlos Saura is one of several high-profile figures who think it's a "mistake" for foreign films and series not to be shown in their original language and instead to be dubbed into Spanish.

'Ban dubbing! Spaniards will have to get used to it'
Manuel — the clumsy Spanish waiter in British comedy series Fawlty Towers — was turned into an Italian in the Spanish-dubbed version of the show. Photo: YouTube

What do Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Sylvester Stallone all have in common?

Well, apart from being Hollywood greats, all three have the same voice in the Spanish-dubbed movies they star in.

Ricardo Solans, a legendary Spanish dubbing actor who has also given his voice to Micky Rourke, Charlie Chaplin and many others, is one of 30,000 voice-over artists in Spain.

Controversial MP Tony Cantó, the former actor who made headlines last week for baring all in an upcoming gay-themed drama , told Spain’s parliament it’s time to ditch dubbing:

“Do we want to hear Brando, Pacino or Meryl Streep in their own language?

“Let’s put an end to dubbing, it will be good for the film industry in our country.”

Cantó sees dubbing as an unnecessary financial burden for Spain’s ailing film business, arguing that “more and more Spaniards want to watch films in their original language”.

Skip to 1:01 to see how Manuel becomes Paolo (an Italian waiter) in the Spanish-dubbed version of Fawlty Towers

Film director Carlos Saura, famed for his 1980s Flamenco film trilogy, thinks the all-powerful Motion Picture Association of America is preventing the ban from happening.

“Jack Valenti (MPAA President) threatened to boycott Spanish exports like shoes if the dubbing ban went ahead,” Saura told Spanish TV channel La Sexta.

Saura has long been concerned that Spaniards are falling out of love with their home-grown cinema because when hearing American films dubbed into Spanish they immediately assume both industries have the same budget at their disposal.

“Dubbing should be completely banned and Spaniards should just get used to it,” he claims.

READ ALSO: DEADLY DUBBING – TEN BEST MOVIE QUOTES IN SPANISH

But Spain’s Cinema Federation argues audiences would drop by 35 percent if all films were kept in their original language.

The number of cinemas in Spain has already dropped to 841 in 2012 from 1,223 a decade earlier, according to culture ministry figures.

Enrique González-Macho, President of Spain’s Film Academy, thinks the dubbing ban would “sink Spanish cinema”, arguing that “if people thought it that important to watch movies in their original language, they would, but they don’t”.

Spain’s film industry is already embroiled in a “cultural war” with the government, having seen state funding drop by 12.4 percent from the previous year.

Add the 30,000 voice-actors who would have to join the dole queue if dubbing into Spanish was deemed unnecessary, and it seems even less likely to happen.

And amid all this scandal, perhaps the strangest thing of all is that no mention whatsoever has been made by key political and cultural figures about the benefits of being exposed to another language through film.

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FILM

French films with English subtitles to watch in November

As days get shorter and temperatures drop, November is a great month to enjoy a warm and comforting moment at the cinema. Here’s a round up of the French movies with English subtitles to see in Paris this month.

Cinema in France
Photo: Loic Venance/AFP

The cinema group Lost in Frenchlation runs regular screenings of French films in the capital, with English subtitles to help non-native speakers follow the action. The club kicks off every screening with drinks at the cinema’s bar one hour before the movie, so it’s also a fun way to meet people if you’re new to Paris.

These are the events they have coming up in November.

Friday, November 5th

Boîte Noire – What happened on board the Dubai-Paris flight before it crashed in the Alps? In this thriller Matthieu, a young and talented black box analyst played by Pierre Niney (star of Yves Saint-Laurent among other movies) is determined to solve the reason behind this deadly crash, no matter the costs. 

The screening will take place at the Club de l’étoile cinema at 8pm. But you can arrive early for drinks at the bar from 7pm. 

Tickets are €10 full price, €8 for students and all other concessions, and can be reserved here.

Sunday, November 14th

Tralala – In the mood for music? This new delightful French musical brings you into the life of Tralala (played by Mathieu Amalric), a 48 years old, homeless and worn-out street singer, who one day gets mistaken for someone else. Tralala sees an opportunity to get a better life by taking on a new personality. He now has a brother, nephews, ex-girlfriends, and maybe even a daughter. But where is the lie? Where is the truth? And who is he, deep down?

The night will start with drinks from 6pm followed by the screening at 7pm at the Luminor Hôtel de Ville cinema. There is also a two-hour cinema-themed walk where you’ll be taken on a “musicals movie tour” in the heart of Paris, which begins at 4pm.

Tickets cost €10, or €8 for students and concessions, and can be found here. Tickets for the walking tour cost €20 and must be reserved online here.

Thursday, November 18th

Illusions Perdues – Based on the great novel series by Honoré de Balzac between 1837 and 1843, this historical drama captures the writer Lucien’s life and dilemmas who dreams about a great career of writing and moves to the city to get a job at a newspaper. As a young poet entering the field of journalism, he is constantly challenged by his desire to write dramatic and eye-catching stories for the press. But are they all true?

The evening will kick off with drinks at L’Entrepôt cinema bar at 7pm, followed by the movie screening at 8pm. Tickets are available online here, and cost €8.50 full price; €7 for students and all other concessions.

Sunday, November 21st

Eiffel – Having just finished working on the Statue of Liberty, Gustave Eiffel (played by Romain Duris) is tasked with creating a spectacular monument for the 1889 Universal Exposition in Paris. It’s ultimately his love story with Adrienne Bourgès (Emma Mackey) that will inspire him to come up with the idea for the Eiffel Tower.

After a first screening last month, Lost in Frenchlation is organising a new one at the Luminor Hôtel de Ville cinema, with pre-screening drinks at the cinema bar. 

Tickets cost €10, or €8 for students and concessions, and can be found here

Thursday, November 25th

Les Héroïques – Michel is a former junkie and overgrown child who only dreams of motorbikes and of hanging out with his 17-year-old son Léo and his friends. But at 50 years old, he now has to handle the baby he just had with his ex, and try not to make the same mistakes he has done in the past. 

The film will be followed by a Q&A with the director Maxime Roy who will discuss his very first feature. 

Tickets cost €10, or €8 for students and concessions, and can be found here.

Full details of Lost in Frenchlation’s events can be found on their website or Facebook page. In France, a health pass is required in order to go to the cinema.

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