1. 

   numnums
   Member

   Anyone else at this screening?

   For those who weren't, they started the screening 20 minutes late. Then if that wasn't bad enough, they presented the non-subtitled version of the film. I've read how there are minimal subtitles, but there was absolutely none. Many people walked out. I, with only basic high school French, for some reason stuck it out. Needless to say, for what would normally be already a challenging film, was almost incomprehensible. Fortunately, Godard's use of digital video was quite beautiful (not like the more rough Notre Musique) and kept me more or less mesmerized.

   Since it ran late, I had to dart out of there as soon as the film finished. Did anyone who stuck around hear the whole story? A rescreening with the subtitled version? Will there be any compensation? Or, unfathomably, was this really the way it was supposed to have been screened?

   Posted 1 year ago #
2. 

   saareman
   Member

   There was no further TIFF rep on stage at the end. The final screen image was a large text saying "No Comment" (the blond kid at the gas station scenes earlier in the film had said the same in english).
   I asked one of the TIFF volunteers about whether they knew the explanation for no subtitles, and they said that "it was the director's preference", so that is presumably the official TIFF line about it. The programme guide (the big book) had unfortunately made no hint about this earlier.
   Definitely all the reviews from Cannes had mentioned the use of minimal "Navajo English" for the subtitles. So we had a different print here in Toronto. Maybe Godard or his distributor simply thought "It's Canada, they speak French there right?"
   Myself I imagine the delayed start because they were scrambling to find whether they had a subtitled print somewhere else in Toronto, and when that didn't appear they had to brief the volunteers as to what to say when people walked out and complained.

   I had a similar thing happen several years ago with the Australian film "Ten Canoes" where we watched the entire film in the aboriginal language with no subtitles. Hardly anyone walked out though, as the film was fascinating to watch regardless. The director and the TIFF rep at the Q&A were shocked when the audience asked why no subtitles? So no quality control then either. They did arrange a replacement screening with subtitles that year.

   Posted 1 year ago #
3. 

   saareman
   Member

   Sorry, just one last tidbit on this:
   The NOW Magazine TIFF Festival Reviews gave "Film Socialism" 3N's out of 5. The NOW Reviewer definitely was shown the subtitled version based on the observation "there are rewards for the diligent viewer who is not put off by the skewed subtitling and lack of narrative structure." Skewed subtitling sure sounds like Godard's "Navajo English" subtitled version.
   TIFF screwed this one up with no apology to the audience. Where is the free screening to makeup for this a la "Ten Canoes"?

   Posted 1 year ago #
4. 

   gaston
   Member

   The film played WITH subtitles at the AMC on Saturday, so it appears the delay was due to a failed attempt to get the subtitles working (it was a digital projection, so no special "print" was necessary - they just needed get the machine to show a subtitles file). What ticks me off is that the people there said Godard "wanted it that way", which is ridiculous for a film with this much text and narration. I emailed TIFF (customer relations) and asked and promptly received a refund. I think everyone should demand this or as you suggest a rescreening, because the way they handled it at the showing was completely disrespectful to the audience and Godard.

   Posted 1 year ago #
5. 

   saareman
   Member

   Thanks for the tip Gaston. I've sent a rant in to customerrelations@tiff.net . I think I've got it out of my system now after about 12 other films. You hit the nail on the head saying it was "disrespectful to the audience and Godard" and I'd add to the volunteers as well who had to have been instructed to lie about there being "no problem" and that the lack of subtitles was "according to the director's wishes".

   Posted 1 year ago #
6. 

   numnums
   Member

   Another thanks to Gaston for the info.

   However, I emailed customer relations yesterday morning and have yet to hear back. If I don't hear back tomorrow, I may try my luck at the box office.

   Anyone have experience dealing with this type of issue in person?

   Posted 1 year ago #
7. 

   Kevin Bub
   Member

   @numnums Bring your ticket stub with you to the Box Office and they should have no problem getting you a ticket to another film.

   I was talking a lot with the volunteers at the Ryerson as the film was screening and people were walking out and they definitely seemed a bit flustered having no clue that there weren't ANY subtitles. They said if that were the case, whether accidental or not, the box office will exchange stubs for a film of your choice.

   I just feel bad for all those who had that as their first film of this festival or first festival film ever. Almost everyone seemed disappointed coming out and there was definitely some yelling and ranting from those leaving early.

   Posted 1 year ago #
8. 

   Nanabush
   Member

   I'm sooo glad I exchanged my original ticket and didn't have to suffer through it like the rest of you. FILM SOCIALISM was originally my first screening at TIFF this year but then I changed my mind last minute. Thank Christ! LOL!

   I too was at the screening of TEN CANOES at TIFF years ago, which they didn't show with subtitles. It was quite the experience but I'll never forget the look on the programmer and director's faces when after the screening the audience asked why there was no subtitles when there should have been. It was an awkward but hilarious moment.

   Posted 1 year ago #

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