Introduction
I Dream in Another Language is a Mexican poetic film directed by Ernesto Contreras that focuses on two elders who used to be best friends. Still, in the end, they got into an unusual relationship over fifty years ago. Although efforts are being made to preserve the language, valid concerns arise regarding the decline of their traditional tongue due to the distinctive connection shared with their elders. The movie is based on Ayapa Zogue, an indigenous language in México, where only two people who can speak the language fluently refuse to talk to each other (Gina, n. p). The research will briefly analyze the otherness witnessed in the movie and explain the cultural themes present in the film.
A Brief Resume of the Movie
I Dream in Another Language is about a young linguist, Martin, who tries to keep the Zikril language, the only traditional tongue, alive through the two living souls. Don Isauro and Don Evaristo are two elders from a small village in Veracruz, México, who once were closest friends but turned into bitter rivals. The only way Martin will keep a dying language alive is by trying to bring the best friends together again (Lennes, 1003).
With the aid of Don Evaristo’s Granddaughter, Lluvia, Martin managed to host and record an interview with the two elders to give stories about their childhood several times before things fell off again. The falloff of both elders was related to the past. Despite not ending their rivalry before Don Isauro’s death, they are later united through their tradition of life after death in the Zikril community.
Otherness in the Movie
The first otherness is witnessed when Don Evaristo carries his chair everywhere. The myth or history behind this has not been explained. The results or ways that could affect him is struggling with health due to carrying his luggage everywhere he goes. We can also witness otherness when Dan Isauro and Don Evaristo engage in activities involving making love of the same gender (Lyden, 10). Same-gender sexual activities are forbidden in their community, and customs are it is referred to as a sin, and everyone involved is supposed to repent and sometimes punished.
Otherness is witnessed when Martin is the only character who is smoking cigarettes. The research has not seen somebody else smoking cigarettes in Veracruz village. Also, Martin is the only one who is determined and focused on learning Zikril despite the community being there all the decade. This similarity brings physical attraction, and Lluvia falls in love with Martin.
Others consider Lluvia to be influential in migrating to the United States. This is portrayed when he attends the local radio station every morning to educate his fellow citizens on how to speak English and help them migrate. She also represents a character when she uses her grandfather to get a good television screen from Martin. Lluvia is considered others when she sneaks out of the window at night to see Martin, which is wrong according to his grandfather, Don Evaristo.
Martin portrays a character of otherness for being the only outsider in the Veracruz village. Martin is the only person in the whole town who has and knows precisely how to use recording pieces of equipment. Martin is the only villager to have a higher education, learning to the extent of learning linguistics at a higher level, which is very unlikely in the whole village of Veracruz. Despite all those years, Martin is the only one moving around the town with a car. He also carries Don Evaristo and Don Isauro to the beach using his cab.
Martin portrays otherness when he does not fear dating Don Evaristo’s Granddaughter, which is against his wish. He also does not show fear and hesitate to approach Don Evaristo and ask what brought him to the village. Don Evaristo shows otherness when he attends the church alone early in the morning before the arrival of other believers. Otherness is portrayed by Don Isauro and Don Evaristo when they do not show their childhood friendship; instead, they end up being the worst enemies. Despite sharing great memories as teenagers, they are separated by a woman and gay activities.
Themes in the Movie
The Theme of Language
- Lluvia is passionate about teaching the citizens of Veracruz how to speak English as they endeavor to travel to the United States in search of jobs.
- Lluvia keeps on insisting Martin teach her Zikril and also to help her improve on her language.
- Don Isauro and Evaristo are the only villagers who can communicate Zikril alive, and the whole village has a hope of learning from them. When the two elders were speaking, there were no subtitles like for those of Spanish.
- In the flashback, young Isauro is attending classes with the other siblings to learn Spanish before he gets distracted by Evaristo to go and swim away from an elderly teacher.
The Theme of Love
- This theme is witnessed when we have a flashback of Don Evaristo falling in love with her girlfriend Maria when he asked her to be her girlfriend.
- Love is also seen between Martin and Lluvia when Martin confesses to Evaristo that he loves Lluvia.
- Don Isauro and Don Evaristo fall in love the midnight of which lead to fight after the confession of sins by Evaristo and break of a bond between the close friends.
The Theme of Forgiveness
- After the death of Isauro, Don Evaristo finally forgives Isauro and he joins him in the shape of a magical cave where all the speakers of Zikril go when they die.
- Maria forgives her boyfriend Evaristo for falling in love with Isauro due to lack of self-control.
- Don Isauro forgives Don Evaristo for burning his house down and picking a fight with him both in their youth and at old age.
- Martin ask for overlooks from Lluvia and Don Evaristo after causing more drama between them and Isauro and they end up ignoring him.
The Theme of Customs and Traditions
- During their end days, both Isauro and Flaviana’s mother are not taken to the hospital, and so they are left to die beside their bedside.
- Every time the Zikril community dies, there is some slight myth of woven, a magical cave where they all go.
- Don Evaristo has a custom and habit of carrying his chair whenever he goes and does not sit on any other chair apart from his.
The Theme of Religion
- Don Evaristo attends a church mass before agreeing to confess his to Maria for making love with Isauro, which is out of their customs.
- Don Evaristo attends the church every Sunday morning at six Am when he is alone.
The Theme of Coming of Age and Death
- Flaviana’s mother gets old, and she passes away and she even said that he saw it coming, and she joins her fellow Zikril in the magical cave.
- Maria, wife to Don Evaristo died.
- Lluvia explains to Martin the passing of her mother when she was still not a grown girl.
- After a short illness and depression from Isauro, he finally pass away and joins his fellow Zikril in the magical cave.
The Theme of Humanity and Technology
- Martin is determined to record both Evaristo and Isauro in a station about their childhood.
- Lluvia teaches the language of English through broadcasting to reach every villager in her village.
- Lluvia asks Martin to purchase them a new television in exchange of information and favor from them.
- Martin is being transported using a car and he has a laptop.
In I Dream, another language was documented, with Zikril as the original language, which was imaginary, and a dialect was invented for the film. The firm was set to honor the memories and experiences respected by the elders. It was the responsibility of the current generation to preserve and protect the indigenous languages of the México community. This research states that there are two who can fluently speak Ayapa Zogue in México. The two people are the only ones remaining and the only ones people can learn the language from.
The Film as a Product of Cultural Issues
Education
Lluvia is taught by her mother how to speak English. At the same time, Martin developed a passion for linguistics from his Dad, making him pursue a higher education in linguistics.
Beliefs
Before the temptation, Don Evaristo believed that being involved with a person of the same gender in sexual activities was wrong and evil, and he confessed his sins.
Religion
The people of Zikril are religious according to the research and are aware and able to differentiate between good and evil. Don Evaristo ever attended church ever since he was a teenager.
Art
Art introduced by Martin to the village concerning the recording and invention of new languages across the globe.
Language
Zikril is the original language in Veracruz village despite it fading away because the number of those speaking is decreasing, and not everyone is ready to learn it.
I Dream in Another Language is a poetic, dream-like film meditating on tradition, culture, religion, and languages. One extraordinary thing in the film is the magical cave that Isauro visits after his death. All his ancestors can speak the same language as Zikril, which pisses Martin off because he is passionate about learning about it. Don Isauro looks happy there because they can all speak his tongue and are all in peace. But when we discover one language, we cannot find another one. Zikril tries to signify a way of interacting with the natural universe that is vanishing.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this video demonstrates various themes. They include humanity and technology, religion, customs and beliefs, love, forgiveness, and many more. Otherness is portrayed by various characters, including Martin and Don Evaristo. The movie extensively explores the Ayapa Zogue language of México. Because of the special bond between their elders, it is clear that despite efforts to preserve the language, some reasonable concerns are expressed regarding the extinction of their indigenous tongue.
Works Cited
Cantoni, Gina. Stabilizing indigenous languages. Flagstaff: Northern Arizona University, 1996.
Lyden, John C. “I Dream in Another Language.” Journal of Religion and Film 21.1 (2017): 1-23
Lennes, Kostia. “Queer (post-) migration experiences: Mexican men’s use of gay dating apps in the USA.” Sexualities 24.8 (2021): 1003-1018.