The Interpreter
Encyclopedia
The Interpreter is a 2005 political thriller
film starring Nicole Kidman
, Sean Penn
, and Catherine Keener
. It was the final film to be directed by Sydney Pollack
.
) is an interpreter working at the United Nations
in New York
. She was raised in the Republic
of Matobo, a fictional
African country, but has dual citizenship.
The United Nations is considering indicting
Edmond Zuwanie (Earl Cameron
), president of Matobo, to stand trial in the International Criminal Court
. Initially a liberator, over the past 20 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.
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 recognizes words in a meeting where she is interpreting from phrases she overheard the night before, and reports the incident to UN security; the target of the plot appears to be 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. Keller learns that Silvia has, in the past, been involved in a Matoban guerrilla group
, that her parents and sister were killed by land mines laid by Zuwanie's men, and that she has dated one of Zuwanie's political opponents. Although Keller is suspicious of Silvia's story, the two grow close and Keller ends up protecting her from attacks on her person. Silvia later finds that her brother Simon and her lover Xola were killed (as shown in the opening scene).
The purported 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. Silvia, anticipating this, has been hiding in the safe room, and confronts Zuwanie and intends to kill him herself. Keller determines that the assassination plot is a false flag
operation created by Zuwanie to gain credibility that his rivals are terrorists and to deter potential supporters of his removal. Keller rushes to the safe room and arrives just in time to prevent Silvia from murder
ing Zuwanie. Zuwanie is indicted, and Silvia is expelled from the USA, returning home to Matobo soon afterwards.
. The opening sequence was shot in Mozambique
with a support crew made up largely of South Africa
n nationals.
and Security Council chambers (though the 1953 Columbia movie starring Gloria Grahame, "The Glass Wall
", includes genuine interior and exterior sequences). Other 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 their request was turned down. The production would have relocated to Toronto with a constructed set; however, this would have substantially increased costs, and so Sydney Pollack approached then-Secretary General Kofi Annan
directly, and personally negotiated permission to film inside the United Nations. Annan 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."
Because the UN Security Council can call an emergency meeting at any time with three hours notice, the film crew had to take into account that they could be asked to leave almost immediately.
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."
"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, and is a cross between Swahili
and Shona
, with some unique elements.
The tagline for the film, "The truth needs no translation.", in Ku is Angota ho ne njumata.
and the character Dr. Zuwanie in the film, as well as between Matobo and Zimbabwe
– which banned the film after it had been shown in the country. The parallels include:
Zimbabwe's government has itself spotted the parallels between Mugabe and Zuwanie.
, The Interpreter had a domestic gross of $72,708,161 and an international tally of $90,236,762, bringing the picture's worldwide gross to $162,944,923 versus an $80 million budget, so the film was considered a box office success.
as Best Supporting Actress, for her parts in several films including The Interpreter.
Political thriller
A political thriller is a thriller that is set against the backdrop of a political power struggle. They usually involve various extra-legal plots, designed to give political power to someone, while his opponents try to stop him. They can involve national or international political scenarios....
film starring Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman, AC is an American-born Australian actress, singer, film producer, spokesmodel, and humanitarian. After starring in a number of small Australian films and TV shows, Kidman's breakthrough was in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm...
, Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
, and Catherine Keener
Catherine Keener
Catherine Ann Keener is an American actress. She has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Being John Malkovich and Capote...
. It was the final film to be directed by Sydney Pollack
Sydney Pollack
Sydney Irwin Pollack was an American film director, producer and actor. Pollack studied with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City, where he later taught acting...
.
Plot
Silvia Broome (Nicole KidmanNicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman, AC is an American-born Australian actress, singer, film producer, spokesmodel, and humanitarian. After starring in a number of small Australian films and TV shows, Kidman's breakthrough was in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm...
) is an interpreter working at the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. She was raised in the Republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
of Matobo, a fictional
Fictional country
A fictional country is a country that is made up for fictional stories, and does not exist in real life, or one that people believe in without proof....
African country, but has dual citizenship.
The United Nations is considering indicting
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
Edmond Zuwanie (Earl Cameron
Earl Cameron (actor)
Earl Cameron, CBE is a Bermudian actor. He is known as one of the first black actors to break the "colour bar" in the United Kingdom, along with Cy Grant...
), president of Matobo, to stand trial in the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
. Initially a liberator, over the past 20 years he has become as corrupt and tyrannical as the government he overthrew, and is now responsible for ethnic cleansing
Ethnic cleansing
Ethnic cleansing is a purposeful policy designed by one ethnic or religious group to remove by violent and terror-inspiring means the civilian population of another ethnic orreligious group from certain geographic areas....
and other atrocities within Matobo. Zuwanie is soon to visit the United Nations and put forward his own case to the General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
, in an attempt to avoid the indictment.
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
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
plot, and runs scared from the building when those discussing the plot become aware of her presence. The next day, Silvia recognizes words in a meeting where she is interpreting from phrases she overheard the night before, and reports the incident to UN security; the target of the plot appears to be Zuwanie himself. They, in turn, call in the United States Secret Service
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
, who assign Tobin Keller (Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
) and Dot Woods (Catherine Keener
Catherine Keener
Catherine Ann Keener is an American actress. She has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Being John Malkovich and Capote...
) to investigate, as well as protect Zuwanie when he arrives. Keller learns that Silvia has, in the past, been involved in a Matoban guerrilla group
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
, that her parents and sister were killed by land mines laid by Zuwanie's men, and that she has dated one of Zuwanie's political opponents. Although Keller is suspicious of Silvia's story, the two grow close and Keller ends up protecting her from attacks on her person. Silvia later finds that her brother Simon and her lover Xola were killed (as shown in the opening scene).
The purported 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. Silvia, anticipating this, has been hiding in the safe room, and confronts Zuwanie and intends to kill him herself. Keller determines that the assassination plot is a false flag
False flag
False flag operations are covert operations designed to deceive the public in such a way that the operations appear as though they are being carried out by other entities. The name is derived from the military concept of flying false colors; that is flying the flag of a country other than one's own...
operation created by Zuwanie to gain credibility that his rivals are terrorists and to deter potential supporters of his removal. Keller rushes to the safe room and arrives just in time to prevent Silvia from murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
ing Zuwanie. Zuwanie is indicted, and Silvia is expelled from the USA, returning home to Matobo soon afterwards.
Production
The Interpreter was shot almost entirely in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The opening sequence was shot in Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
with a support crew made up largely of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n nationals.
Filming in UN buildings
The Interpreter is the first movie ever filmed inside the United Nations General AssemblyUnited Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
and Security Council chambers (though the 1953 Columbia movie starring Gloria Grahame, "The Glass Wall
The Glass Wall
The Glass Wall is a black-and-white 1953 film directed by Maxwell Shane. The film was produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures.-Plot:...
", includes genuine interior and exterior sequences). Other 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 their request was turned down. The production would have relocated to Toronto with a constructed set; however, this would have substantially increased costs, and so Sydney Pollack approached then-Secretary General Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
directly, and personally negotiated permission to film inside the United Nations. Annan 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."
Because the UN Security Council can call an emergency meeting at any time with three hours notice, the film crew had to take into account that they could be asked to leave almost immediately.
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
Inocencio Arias
Inocencio F. Arias, also known as Chencho , is a multifarious Spanish diplomat, who served as consul general in Los Angeles, California, United States. He retired in 2010.-Career:...
jokingly complained that his "opportunity to have a nomination for the Oscar next year went away because of some stupid regulation."
Matobo and Ku
The country "Republic of Matobo" and its corresponding constructed languageConstructed language
A planned or constructed language—known colloquially as a conlang—is a language whose phonology, grammar, and/or vocabulary has been consciously devised by an individual or group, instead of having evolved naturally...
"Ku
Ku (language)
Ku is a fictional language appearing in the 2005 drama/thriller film The Interpreter. In the film, Ku is a language spoken in the fictional African country of Matobo...
" were created for this film. The director of the Centre for African Language Learning in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Said el-Gheithy, was commissioned in January 2004 to create Ku. Ku is based on Bantu languages
Bantu languages
The Bantu languages constitute a traditional sub-branch of the Niger–Congo languages. There are about 250 Bantu languages by the criterion of mutual intelligibility, though the distinction between language and dialect is often unclear, and Ethnologue counts 535 languages...
spoken in Eastern and Southern Africa, and is a cross between Swahili
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
and Shona
Shona language
Shona is a Bantu language, native to the Shona people of Zimbabwe and southern Zambia; the term is also used to identify peoples who speak one of the Shona language dialects: Zezuru, Karanga, Manyika, Ndau and Korekore...
, with some unique elements.
The tagline for the film, "The truth needs no translation.", in Ku is Angota ho ne njumata.
Cast
- Nicole KidmanNicole KidmanNicole Mary Kidman, AC is an American-born Australian actress, singer, film producer, spokesmodel, and humanitarian. After starring in a number of small Australian films and TV shows, Kidman's breakthrough was in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm...
as Silvia Broome - Sean PennSean PennSean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
as Tobin Keller - Catherine KeenerCatherine KeenerCatherine Ann Keener is an American actress. She has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Being John Malkovich and Capote...
as Dot Woods - Jesper ChristensenJesper ChristensenJesper Christensen is a Danish actor. A veteran of European cinema, he has more recently made the transition to English language projects, including The Interpreter and Revelations. He has also appeared as the mysterious villain Mr...
as Nils Lud - Yvan AttalYvan AttalYvan Attal is an Israeli-born French actor and director.-Background:Born in Tel-Aviv to French-Algerian Jewish parents, he grew up in the outskirts of Paris. His acting debut was in Éric Rochant's Un monde sans pitié , which earned him a César Award for Most Promising Actor...
as Philippe - Earl CameronEarl Cameron (actor)Earl Cameron, CBE is a Bermudian actor. He is known as one of the first black actors to break the "colour bar" in the United Kingdom, along with Cy Grant...
as Edmond Zuwanie - George HarrisGeorge Harris (actor)George William Harris is a British actor of film, stage, television, radio and musical theatre. His notable roles include Kingsley Shacklebolt in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Captain Simon Katanga in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Clive King in popular medical drama Casualty, where he...
as Kuman-Kuman - Michael Wright as Marcus
- Clyde KusatsuClyde KusatsuClyde Kusatsu is a U.S. actor.Kusatsu was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he attended ʻIolani School. Kusatsu began acting in Honolulu summer stock, and after studying theatre at Northwestern University, started to make his mark on the small screen in the mid-1970s...
as Police Chief Lee Wu - Eric KeenleysideEric KeenleysideEric Keenleyside is a Canadian actor.He lives in Tsawwassen, British Columbia, Canada, with his wife, Peg, and their two children. He was born in St. Stephen, New Brunswick and grew up in London, Ontario, and spent time in Brisbane, Australia...
as Rory Robb - Hugo SpeerHugo SpeerHugo Speer is an English actor.He was born in Harrogate, Yorkshire, and educated at Harrogate Grammar School. He studied acting at The Arts Educational School....
as Simon Broome - Maz JobraniMaz JobraniMaziar “Maz” Jobrani is an Iranian-born American comedian who is part of the "Axis of Evil" comedy group. The group appeared on a comedy special on Comedy Central. Jobrani has also appeared in numerous films, television shows, including Better Off Ted, on radio and in comedy clubs...
as Mo - Yusuf GatewoodYusuf GatewoodYusuf Michael Gatewood is a Canadian-American film actor. He is best known for playing as Doug from The Interpreter film in 2005, and as Clarence Greene from House at the End of the Drive film in 2006...
as Doug - Sydney PollackSydney PollackSydney Irwin Pollack was an American film director, producer and actor. Pollack studied with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City, where he later taught acting...
as Jay Pettigrew - Curtiss Cook as Ajene Xola
- Byron Utley as Jean Gamba
The Interpreter and Zimbabwe
There are strong parallels between Robert MugabeRobert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
and the character Dr. Zuwanie in the film, as well as between Matobo and Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
– which banned the film after it had been shown in the country. The parallels include:
- Both Robert Mugabe and Zuwanie were once respected freedom-fighters.
- In real life, 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-MenasheAri Ben-MenasheAri Ben-Menashe is the author of Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network, a book purporting to describe his involvement in Iran-Contra and other intelligence operations. An Iraqi Jew who was educated in Israel, he is a former Israeli government employee, and has said that he...
, who claimed to be an ex-Israeli secret service agent, to arrange an assassination attempt which would see Morgan TsvangiraiMorgan TsvangiraiMorgan Richard Tsvangirai is the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe. He is the President of the Movement for Democratic Change - Tsvangirai and a key figure in the opposition to President Robert Mugabe. Tsvangirai was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe on 11 February 2009...
tried for treason. Zuwanie is portrayed as arranging for a Dutch former mercenary to arrange an assassination attempt on him, since – as described in the film – "a nearly-assassinated president gains credibility and sticks around to enjoy it." - Mugabe has a preoccupation with the British and frequently accused Tony BlairTony BlairAnthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
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 ZimbabweFlag of ZimbabweThe flag of Zimbabwe was adopted on April 18, 1980. The soapstone bird featured on the flag represents a statuette of a bird found at the ruins of Great Zimbabwe...
. - Zuwanie is the dictator of the fictional country of Matobo, an apparent reference to Matobo National ParkMatobo National ParkThe Matobo National Park forms the core of the Matobo or Matopos Hills, an area of granite kopjes and wooded valleys commencing some 35 kilometres south of Bulawayo, southern Zimbabwe...
in ZimbabweZimbabweZimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
. - The film has a scene where there is a demonstration against Zuwanie at the UN; one of the anti-Zuwanie demonstrators is holding a poster with the open-handed symbol of the main opposition party in Zimbabwe: the Movement for Democratic ChangeMovement for Democratic Change – TsvangiraiThe Movement for Democratic Change Zimbabwe is a political party and the largest party in the House of Assembly of Zimbabwe. It is the main formation formed from the split of the original Movement for Democratic Change in 2005.-Foundation:...
.
Zimbabwe's government has itself spotted the parallels between Mugabe and Zuwanie.
- In September 2005, the Herald, a government-controlled newspaperNewspaperA newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
in HarareHarareHarare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
, ZimbabweZimbabweZimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, 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 CourtInternational Criminal CourtThe International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
on charges of crimes against humanity.
Box office
The picture was #1 In its opening weekend. According to Box Office MojoBox Office Mojo
Box Office Mojo is a website that tracks box office revenue in a systematic, algorithmic way. Brandon Gray started the site in 1999. In 2002, Gray partnered with Sean Saulsbury and they grew the site to nearly two million readers when, in July 2008, the company was purchased by Amazon.com through...
, The Interpreter had a domestic gross of $72,708,161 and an international tally of $90,236,762, bringing the picture's worldwide gross to $162,944,923 versus an $80 million budget, so the film was considered a box office success.
Awards
In 2005, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association awarded Catherine KeenerCatherine Keener
Catherine Ann Keener is an American actress. She has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Being John Malkovich and Capote...
as Best Supporting Actress, for her parts in several films including The Interpreter.
See also
- Ku (language)Ku (language)Ku is a fictional language appearing in the 2005 drama/thriller film The Interpreter. In the film, Ku is a language spoken in the fictional African country of Matobo...
- United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
- United Nations General AssemblyUnited Nations General AssemblyFor two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
- United Nations InterpretersUnited Nations Interpretation ServiceThe United Nations Interpretation Service is a part of the Meetings and Publishing Division of the UN's Department for General Assembly and Conference Management...
- Matobo National ParkMatobo National ParkThe Matobo National Park forms the core of the Matobo or Matopos Hills, an area of granite kopjes and wooded valleys commencing some 35 kilometres south of Bulawayo, southern Zimbabwe...
External links
- Comments of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan o n '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