I dream in Another Language Analytical Review

Please watch the film :

I Dream in Another Language (Sueño en otro idioma)", Dir. Ernesto Contreras, 2017 you should be able to watch it online here https://ww3.fmoviefree.net/online/i-dream-in-anoth...

please read chapter 5 here is the link where you can access the txtbook --> https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1N1QYU2agnP...

the small assignment discussion: Referring to the chapter on "Shooting Methods", analyze three scenes that illustrate a creative use of shots and camera movement in order to tell the story. How is each scene approached through not only shot type and camera movement, bu also through editing?

here our examples of classmate's responses to this question: The last sequence in the movie, I noticed the connection between the cave near the water Evaristo and Isauro enjoyed as young folks and the cueva of encanto. In the shot of the cave near the water, the boys have their backs facing the camera, and in the shot of Evaristo talking to Isauro (who’s in the cave), he’s facing towards the camera. These different positionalities to the camera, and therefore the caves, almost makes it seem like the caves are in conversation with one another. Especially because in the last scene we have a translation of the conversation between Isauro and Evaristo in Zikril. In a film about language, there is an even greater importance about the transition between shots and how they’re speaking to one another. 

The scenes where I most admired the editing was around minute nineteen. We have Martin and Isauro doing their work of recording and passing down the language of Zikril, meanwhile Lluvia and her friend teach English to the people in the pueblo on the radio show. Having both of these audio overlaid during the visual of Isauro and Martin working is so jarring. To see there’s only two people left who can speak Zikril, meanwhile others long to speak English. To see how language can be commercialized, given a currency balanced on its “value” to society. To see how capitalism touches all parts of life, even the languages we dream in. This editing is genius, because without needing to overtly/explicitly state the power dynamics and social currency of languages, the audience receives the message.This is such a reminder to me about how all parts of film are working together to tell the story. 

The sequence starting at 1:07:00 is breathtaking. We see the transition from Isauro and Evaristo sitting together by the beach as older men, to them playing together in the water as young boys. I love that there is a shallow depth of field, and then a slow zoom in. I feel like it reflects how the audience is being allowed into this secret life between the two of them. Because the depth of field is so shallow, we can only see the young boys playing in the water as the camera zooms in. This is a perfect example of how the focus tells our eyes what to pay attention to, and how to conceal/reveal information. This shot perfectly fits into their world, where the lines are blurred between the living and the dead, the past and the present.