The Interpreter
The Interpreter film poster
Directed by	Sydney Pollack
Produced by	Tim Bevan Eric Fellner Kevin Misher
Written by	Martin Stellman (story) Brian Ward (story) Charles Randolph Scott Frank Steven Zaillian David Rayfiel uncredited
Starring	Nicole Kidman Sean Penn Catherine Keener
Music by	James Newton Howard
Cinematography	Darius Khondji
Editing by	William Steinkamp
Distributed by	Universal Studios
Release date(s)	April 2005
Running time	128 min
Country	United States, Mozambique
Language	English Ku
Budget	$80,000,000
Gross revenue	$72,515,360
Official website
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

The Interpreter is a 2005 drama/thriller film, directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, and Catherine Keener. Look up interpret in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Download high resolution version (439x650, 42 KB) This is a copyrighted poster. ... Sydney Pollack (born July 1, 1934 in Lafayette, Indiana) is an American actor, producer, and director. ... Tim Bevan is a succesful movie producer for Universal Studios. ... Eric Fellner (b. ... Scott Frank (born 1960) is an American screenwriter. ... Steven Zaillian (born on 30 January 1953 in Fresno, California, USA) is an American screenwriter, film director, editor and producer, of Armenian descent. ... Nicole Mary Kidman, Order of Australia (born 20 June 1967 in Honolulu) is an Academy Award-winning Australian/American[1] actress. ... Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) // Penn was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Leo Penn, an actor and director, and Eileen Ryan (née Annucci), an actress. ... Catherine Ann Keener (born March 26, 1960 in Miami, Florida) is an Academy Award-nominated American actress. ... This article is about James Howard, the composer. ... Darius Khondji (21 October 1955 in Tehran, Iran) is the famous Iranian cinematographer. ... This article is about the American media conglomerate. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Poster for The Interpreter. ... The year 2005 in film involved some significant events. ... A drama film is a film that depends mostly on in-depth character development, interaction, and highly emotional themes. ... Thriller films are movies that primarily use action and suspense to engage the audience. ... Director Herbert Brenon with actress Alla Nazimova on the set of War Brides, 1916 A director is a person who directs the making of a film. ... Sydney Pollack (born July 1, 1934 in Lafayette, Indiana) is an American actor, producer, and director. ... Nicole Mary Kidman, Order of Australia (born 20 June 1967 in Honolulu) is an Academy Award-winning Australian/American[1] actress. ... Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) // Penn was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Leo Penn, an actor and director, and Eileen Ryan (née Annucci), an actress. ... Catherine Ann Keener (born March 26, 1960 in Miami, Florida) is an Academy Award-nominated American actress. ...

Plot

The film revolves around Silvia Broome (Nicole Kidman), an interpreter working at the United Nations in New York, who was born in New York and raised in the Republic of Matobo, a fictional African country. The events depicted in the film span approximately one and a half weeks. Nicole Mary Kidman, Order of Australia (born 20 June 1967 in Honolulu) is an Academy Award-winning Australian/American[1] actress. ... UN redirects here. ... This article is about the state. ... Look up republic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Map of the Land of Oz, the fictional country in the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Map of the fictional island of Sodor used in the Thomas the Tank Engine stories Fictitious countries used in the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four A guidebook produced about the fictional country Molvanîa...

The United Nations is considering indicting Edmond Zuwanie (Earl Cameron), president of Matobo, to trial in the International Criminal Court. Initially a liberator, over the past twenty years he has become as corrupt and tyrannical as the government he overthrew, and is now responsible for ethnic cleansing and other atrocities within Matobo. Zuwanie is soon to visit the United Nations and put forward his own case to the General Assembly, in an attempt to avoid the indictment. In the common law legal system, an indictment (IPA: ) is a formal accusation of having committed a criminal offense. ... Earl Cameron, now at the age of 87, can be seen in the critically acclaimed movie directed by Sydney Pollack, The Interpreter that also stars, Sean Penn and Nicole Kidman. ... The official logo of the ICC The International Criminal Court (ICC or ICCt)[1] was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression, although it cannot currently exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression. ... For the video game, see Ethnic Cleansing (computer game). ... The United Nations General Assembly (GA, UNGA) is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation. ...

A security scare forces the evacuation of the UN building, and Silvia returns at night to reclaim some personal belongings. At that time she overhears discussion of an assassination plot, and runs scared from the building when those discussing the plot become aware of her presence. The next day, Silvia recognises phrases in a meeting where she is interpreting from words she overheard the night before, and reports the incident to UN security; the target of the plot appears to be Edmond Zuwanie himself. They, in turn, call in the United States Secret Service, who assign Tobin Keller (Sean Penn) and Dot Woods (Catherine Keener) to investigate, as well as protect Zuwanie when he arrives. Assassin and Assassins redirect here. ... USSS redirects here. ... Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) // Penn was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Leo Penn, an actor and director, and Eileen Ryan (née Annucci), an actress. ... Catherine Ann Keener (born March 26, 1960 in Miami, Florida) is an Academy Award-nominated American actress. ...

Most of the film surrounds the multi-pronged investigation of the assassination plot: the efforts to secure the UN building before Zuwanie's arrival (and to find any weapons, explosives or the like that may have been smuggled in), the investigation of Zuwanie's enemies and political opponents, the investigation of janitors that work at the UN building (after Silvia's apartment is broken into, but not forcefully), and the investigation of Silvia herself. As the film progresses, we see Silvia has in the past been involved in a Matoban guerrilla group, that her parents and her sister were killed by land mines laid by Zuwanie, and even that she was girlfriend to one of Zuwanie's political opponents. Despite Keller considering Silvia a prime suspect, the two grow close as events unfold, and Keller ends up protecting her. Guerrilla redirects here. ...

The assassin is discovered while Zuwanie is in the middle of his address to the General Assembly, and security personnel rush Zuwanie to a safe room for his protection. In the confusion, Silvia attempts to take revenge on Zuwanie for all that has happened, and Keller arrives just in time to prevent her from murdering him. The assassination plot is revealed to be a sham; Zuwanie planned it to enhance his own credibility - and thus avoid the indictment - while also eliminating his political opponents (one in particular is killed when a New York City bus service is bombed). Zuwanie is indicted, and Silvia is expelled from the UN, returning home to Matobo soon afterwards.

Subplots include the desperate private nature of Keller, whose wife was killed in a car accident a mere fortnight prior to these events, and the desperate private nature of Silvia, who is anxious to hear from her brother; he still lives in Matobo. Silvia later discovers that both he and her former lover were killed as part of the 'plot.'

The story is inspired by Suzanne Glass's novel "The Interpreter."

Production

Filming in UN buildings

Kidman and Penn in a scene inside U.N. General Assembly.

The Interpreter is the first movie ever filmed inside the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council buildings. Earlier films used only the exteriors or were filmed back when the buildings were under construction (and did not really have an "inside"). The producers approached the U.N. about filming there before but were turned down. Filming would then relocate to Toronto with a constructed set however due to the cost of it, Sydney Pollack approached Kofi Annan directly and personally negotiated to film inside the United Nations. Annan agreed. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The United Nations General Assembly (GA, UNGA) is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation. ... A session of the Security Council in progress The United Nations Security Council is the most powerful organ of the United Nations. ... Kofi Atta Annan GCMG (born April 8, 1938) is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1, 1997 to January 1, 2007, serving two five-year terms. ...

Former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, who is from Ghana, commented on The Interpreter that "the intention was really to do something dignified, something that is honest and reflects the work that this Organization does. And it is with that spirit that the producers and the directors approached their work, and I hope you will all agree they have done that." The United Nations Secretary-General is the head of the Secretariat, one of the principal divisions of the United Nations. ... Kofi Atta Annan GCMG (born April 8, 1938) is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1, 1997 to January 1, 2007, serving two five-year terms. ...

The UN Security Council can call an emergency meeting at any time. Because of this possibility, filming in the Security Council chambers had to be quick and anticipated by the film crew. A session of the Security Council in progress The United Nations Security Council is the most powerful organ of the United Nations. ...

Ambassadors at the United Nations had hoped to appear in the film, but actors were asked to play the roles of diplomats. Spain's UN Ambassador Inocencio Arias jokingly complained that his "opportunity to have a nomination for the Oscar next year went away because of some stupid regulation." (See "Diplomats' movie hopes dashed" story on BBC News) There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... BBC News is the department within the BBC responsible for the corporations news-gathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ...

Matobo and Ku

The country ("Republic of Matobo") and its corresponding constructed language ("Ku") were created for this film. The director of the Centre for African Language Learning in England, Said el-Gheithy, was commissioned in January 2004 to create Ku. Ku is based on Bantu languages spoken in Eastern and Southern Africa. It's actually a cross between Swahili and Shona although it has a number of unique elements of its own. A constructed or artificial language — known colloquially as a conlang — is a language whose phonology, grammar, and/or vocabulary have been devised by an individual or group, instead of having naturally evolved as part of a culture. ... Poster for The Interpreter. ... Map showing the approximate distribution of Bantu vs. ...

The tagline for the film, "The truth needs no translation.", in Ku is Angota ho ne njumata. Poster for The Interpreter. ...

Zuwanie and Mugabe

Some have seen strong parallels between the movie and the real country of Zimbabwe, which banned the movie.

• Both Mugabe and Zuwanie were once respected freedom-fighters.
• In real life, Robert Mugabe had ruled Zimbabwe for 25 years when the movie was released. The movie's Zuwanie had been in power for 23 years.
• Australia and New Zealand are pushing for Mugabe to be indicted by the UN Security Council for trial before the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity; Zuwanie is indicted by the UN Security Council for trial before the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity.
• Both Mugabe and Zuwanie were teachers before being involved with politics.
• Mugabe tends to wave his fist; Zuwanie his gun.
• Mugabe hired Ari Ben-Menashe, who claimed to be an ex-Israeli secret service agent, to arrange an assassination attempt which would see Morgan Tsvangirai tried for treason. Zuwanie is portrayed as arranging for a Dutch former mercenary to arrange an assassination attempt on him, as, to quote the film, "a nearly assassinated president gains credibility and sticks around to enjoy it".
• Mugabe has a preoccupation with the British and accuses Tony Blair of trying to unseat him. Zuwanie thinks the French are doing the same.
• The flag of Matobo bears a strong resemblance to the flag of Zimbabwe.
• The name of the fictional country of Matobo is an apparent reference to the name of the Matobo National Park in Zimbabwe.
• The film has a scene where there is a demonstration against Zuwanie at the UN; one of the anti-Zuwanie demonstrators is a holding a poster with the open-handed symbol of the main opposition party in Zimbabwe: The Movement for Democratic Change.

Zimbabwe's government has itself spotted the parallels between Mugabe and Zuwanie Mugabe redirects here. ... Ari Ben-Menashe Ari Ben-Menashe is a former arms dealer and the author of , a book purporting to describe his involvement in Iran-Contra and other intelligence operations. ... Morgan Tsvangirai (Shona IPA: (the s and the v are coärticulated), English ?) born March 10, 1952) is a trade unionist, human rights activist, Democrat and President of the mainstream [1] Movement for Democratic Change, the main opposition party in Zimbabwe. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... Flag ratio: 1:2 The flag of Zimbabwe was adopted on April 18, 1980. ... The Democratic Republic of Matobo is a fictional country in the movie The Interpreter. ... Matobo landscape. ... The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is a Zimbabwean political party now split. ...

• In September 2005, the Herald, a government-controlled newspaper in Harare, Zimbabwe, attacked the film, calling it an anti-Zimbabwean work supported by the CIA. The film has been approved for release and distribution inside the country by the country's official censorship board. Acting Minister of Information and Publicity Chen Chimutengwende said, "The CIA-backed film showed that Zimbabwe's enemies did not rest. They have resources and are determined to wage their war on the economic, social and cultural fronts. The names of the main character in the film are Shona," Mr Chimutengwende said, referring to Zimbabwe's main ethnic group to which Mugabe belongs. "The film talks about an African president going to the United Nations and our president is going to the UN next week so the connection is so obvious," he said. "But we will defeat them and we will defeat neo-colonialism. We have defeated a powerful enemy before which was colonialism," he said. Tafataona Mahoso, chairman of the Zimbabwe government Media and Information Commission, said it was "cheap American and Rhodesian propaganda . . . typical of the tactics used during the Cold War".
• Zimdaily.com reported on 23 September 2005 that the President's Office had issued an interdict banning screening of The Interpreter. The interdict, seen by Zimdaily, stated that the film is "mischievous" and a "subtle denigration of our head of State by the Bush administration and the CIA." It states that screening the film risks contravening Section 13(1)(A) as read with subsection (6) of the Censorship and Entertainment Control Act, and that it is in contravention of the Public Order and Security Act, which outlaws communicating statements deemed to undermine the head of State.
• Zimbabwe's government also linked the film to efforts by Australia and New Zealand to have Mugabe indicted by the UN Security Council for trial before the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity. The attempt to indict Mugabe for crimes against humanity is supported by the International Bar Association.

Motto: Pamberi Nekushandria Vanhu (Forward with Service to the People) Map of Zimbabwe showing the location of Harare. ... The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ... is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... A session of the Security Council in progress The United Nations Security Council is the most powerful organ of the United Nations. ... The official logo of the ICC The International Criminal Court (ICC or ICCt)[1] was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression, although it cannot currently exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression. ... This article is in need of attention. ...

Cast

• Nicole Kidman – Silvia Broome
• Sean Penn – Tobin Keller
• Catherine Keener – Dot Woods
• Jesper Christensen – Nils Lud
• Yvan Attal – Philippe
• Earl Cameron – Zuwanie
• George Harris – Kuman-Kuman
• Michael Wright – Marcus
• Clyde Kusatsu – Police Chief Lee Wu
• Eric Keenleyside – Rory Robb
• Hugo Speer – Simon Broome
• Maz Jobrani – Mo
• Yusuf Gatewood – Doug
• Curtiss Cook – Ajene Xola
• Byron Utley – Jean Gamba
• Lovari – Cook
• Paul de Sousa – Portuguese Janitor

Nicole Mary Kidman, Order of Australia (born 20 June 1967 in Honolulu) is an Academy Award-winning Australian/American[1] actress. ... Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) // Penn was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Leo Penn, an actor and director, and Eileen Ryan (née Annucci), an actress. ... Catherine Ann Keener (born March 26, 1960 in Miami, Florida) is an Academy Award-nominated American actress. ... Jesper Christensen (born May 16, 1948 in Copenhagen, Denmark) is a Danish actor. ... Yvan Attal (born January 4, 1965) is a French actor and director. ... Earl Cameron, now at the age of 87, can be seen in the critically acclaimed movie directed by Sydney Pollack, The Interpreter that also stars, Sean Penn and Nicole Kidman. ... George Harris (born 20 October 1949) is a British actor of films, stage, television, radio and musicals. ... Michael Wright (born April 30, 1961 in New York City, New York) is an American film and television actor . ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Eric Keenleyside (born October 11, 1957) is a Canadian actor. ... Hugo Speer (b. ... Maz Jobrani Maz Jobrani is an Iranian-American comedian who is part of the Axis of Evil comedy group. ... Lovari is the name of a dance recording artist & actor. ...

Awards

In 2005, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association awarded Catherine Keener as Best Supporting Actress, for her parts in several films including The Interpreter. Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) was founded in 1975. ... Catherine Ann Keener (born March 26, 1960 in Miami, Florida) is an Academy Award-nominated American actress. ...

See also

• Ku (language)
• Banned films
• United Nations
• United Nations General Assembly
• United Nations Interpreters
• Matobo National Park

Poster for The Interpreter. ... For nearly the entire history of film production, certain films have been either boycotted by political and religious groups or literally banned by a regime for political or moral reasons. ... UN redirects here. ... The United Nations General Assembly (GA, UNGA) is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation. ... The United Nations Interpretation Service is a part of the Meetings and Publishing Division (MPD) of the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management(DGACM). ... Matobo landscape. ...

External links

• Official website
• Producer's official site
• Movie trailer
• The Interpreter at the Internet Movie Database
• The Interpreter at Rotten Tomatoes
• The Interpreter at Metacritic
• The Interpreter at Box Office Mojo
• Comments of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on 'The Interpreter'
• Reception Held at UN Headquarters for Film "The Interpreter", UN.org, April 23, 2004, retrieved on May 31, 2007
• Press Conference: Filming of "The Interpreter" at UN Headquarters, UN.org, March 9, 2004, retrieved on May 31, 2007
• Dialogue transcript of The Interpreter