Access languages and culture without leaving the UK (or your sofa)

A great way to just enjoy a language is to watch a film – don’t worry about needing to rely on the sub-titles. Just enjoy the show and pat yourself on the back when you recognise a few words or phrases.

Here’s a sample of films I’ve watched recently:

1. Spanish: I had the pleasure of Todos lo Saben (Everybody Knows, 2017) starring Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz at the Little Theatre in Altrincham in October 2024, as part of a series of films put on by a local film society. This Spanish film is a great drama with some A-lister performances – husband enjoyed it too.

2. French: Subway (1985) starring Christophe Lambert and Isabelle Adjani is a stylish thriller set in the Paris Metro. This film reminded me of my student days in Paris in the early 1990s. Watched on Amazon Prime.

3. Italian: Il Postino (The Postman, 1994) directed by Michael Radford depicting island life in Italy in 1950 is a feast for the eyes, but be warned, you’ll need tissues at the ready. One of the films on the A Level syllabus. Watched on Amazon Prime.

4. German: Nosferatu (1922), is a silent (there is text in German to read!) German Expressionist vampire film – one for students who are serious about cinema and/or big fans of gothic horror. Available on YouTube.

5. Japanese: The Boy and The Heron (2023) (Japanese title translates as ‘How Do You Live?’) won the Oscar for best animated feature film in 2024. I watched this on Netflix: it’s a beautiful, epic fantasy that meanders through different worlds. I didn’t worry too much about where the plot was going – I was too excited that I could pick out a few Japanese words.