Films That Celebrate the Art of Language

Description: Set in a medieval monastery, this film involves a Franciscan friar, William of Baskerville, who uses his knowledge of languages and logic to solve a series of mysterious deaths.

Fact: The film was adapted from Umberto Eco's novel. Sean Connery, who plays William, learned Latin for his role, which is used extensively in the film.

Description: Viktor Navorski, played by Tom Hanks, is a man from a fictional Eastern European country who becomes stranded in JFK Airport. His story involves learning English and navigating cultural and linguistic barriers.

Fact: The film was inspired by the true story of Mehran Karimi Nasseri, who lived in Charles de Gaulle Airport for 18 years. The airport set was built to scale at Universal Studios.

Description: This biographical drama tells the story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, who, after a stroke, communicates by blinking his left eye, dictating his memoir one letter at a time.

Fact: The film's title refers to the diving bell as a metaphor for Bauby's body, paralyzed, and the butterfly as his mind, free to roam. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards.

Description: This film follows Hanna, a factory worker with a mysterious past, who becomes a nurse on an oil rig. Her story intertwines with language, silence, and the healing power of words.

Fact: The film was directed by Isabel Coixet, who is known for her focus on female characters and their inner lives. It was shot in English, despite being a Spanish production.

Description: This multi-narrative film explores the theme of communication and language barriers across different cultures, with characters from Morocco, Japan, Mexico, and the United States.

Fact: The film's title refers to the Biblical story of the Tower of Babel, symbolizing the confusion of languages. It won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama.

Description: While not directly about linguists, this film features a young girl in Nazi Germany who finds solace in books and words, learning the power of language from her foster father, a painter and amateur linguist.

Fact: The film's screenplay was adapted from Markus Zusak's best-selling novel. The book was banned in some schools for its portrayal of Nazi Germany.

Description: Although centered on codebreaking, the film delves into the life of Alan Turing, whose work in linguistics and logic was crucial in deciphering the Enigma code during WWII.

Fact: Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Turing, learned to type with the same speed and accuracy as Turing did. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards.

Description: In this thought-provoking sci-fi drama, linguist Louise Banks is recruited to communicate with extraterrestrial visitors. Her work not only changes humanity's understanding of language but also explores themes of time, memory, and human connection.

Fact: The film's alien language was created by a linguist, Dr. Jessica Coon, to ensure linguistic accuracy. Denis Villeneuve, the director, also used real linguists as consultants to make the language learning process authentic.

Description: Based on a true story, this film explores the unlikely collaboration between Professor James Murray, who spearheaded the Oxford English Dictionary, and Dr. William Chester Minor, a patient in an asylum, who contributed thousands of entries.

Fact: The film was embroiled in legal disputes over its production, leading to a delay in its release. Mel Gibson, who plays Murray, also co-produced the film.

Description: This documentary follows two linguists, David Harrison and Gregory Anderson, as they travel the world to document endangered languages. Their journey highlights the importance of linguistic diversity and the race against time to preserve it.

Fact: The film was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Science and Technology Programming. It also inspired the creation of the Endangered Languages Project.